ORIGINAL: TxStarr
ORIGINAL: Cabelas4Toys
The surprising thing is that this isn't really a brand new idea.
If you go to the website for Bullseye Outfitters (an outfitter used by Ralph and Vicki of the Archer's Choice and some of the other popular pro hunters) you'll see that they offer a 5 day traquilizer dart rhino hunt for $6,900.
http://www.bullseyeoutfitters.com/africa_hunts.html
This hunt has even been featured on American Archer on the Outdoor Channel recently. Yet I havn't heard a big backlash against it.
Actually, the description on that site for the dart hunt is:
South Africa Rhino Dart Hunt:
5 Days, Fully Guided. Includes All Veterinary & Taxidermy Equipment, Accommodations & Meals.
$6,900.00
I am assuming that since they offer taxidermy service with this hunt that means that you are harvesting an animal and not simply knocking it out? That makes it hunting with a dart ... a traditional method of hunting in Africa and other countries (although they blew the poisoned darts out of a reed and this did not say how the dart was to be administered). Nowhere did I see the word tranqualizer. Did I miss something else on the page?
Shannon
Now hunting Rhino with a blowgun...that would be an experience!
As you can see above South Africa is promoting tranquilizer dart hunting, not just of Rhino's but all the big 5 species. Do a google search of dart hunting and you'll find several sites featuring tranquilizer hunts. They claim that "Importantly, animals are only earmarked for darting for specific scientific or research purposes, never for commercial reasons alone." yet it appears that it very much is a commercial venture.
Assuming that this continues to be supported and grow in Africa canit be more than a matter of time before you begin to see it spread to other locations?It's already been aired on at least one major hunting show without any appreciable negative response that I've seen.
If proponents of this WHA tour can point to evidence that this exact same type of hunting is already going on with success in other parts of the world then they may find themselves with some support from the nonhunters. Granted a rhino has a lot thicker skin than a deer but if they can safely shoot a lion or leopard with a dart tipped arrow and show no ill effects then it's likely they could convince people that it would not be dangerous to deer.