50lawman
AH senior member
- Joined
- Oct 30, 2011
- Messages
- 76
- Reaction score
- 109
- Location
- Honolulu, Hawaii
- Media
- 16
- Member of
- SCI/ North American Hunt CLub
- Hunted
- Namibia
Just finished a hunt in Namibia. One day another client and her PH came across a Black Mamba. The stopped and waited for it to cross the track. It instead decided to raise up in front of the truck to get a better look at the occupants. It opened it's mouth and gave a good hiss then dropped down and went on it's way. Retelling the event at lunch was traumatic for the rest of us because there are no snakes where we live , except in the zoo, and occasionally a boa or python that some idiot brought into the state or allowed it to escape would make the news. The PH gave us the rundown explaining that you have to be calm if bitten then find a shady tree lay down, cross your arms across your chest then relax. This would make it easier for the others to lift you up because you have only 15 minutes after bitten to get help. I mention all this to relate what happened to me one freezing night in a blind. I'm a big guy 6 foot two, 285 lbs, and while wearing a heat retaining layer then topped by sweat pants and my regular pants, then sitting in a chair with a wool blanket in my lap and another wrapped around me I was still freezing. It was so cold my testicles migrated up under my armpits it was that cold. During the night I felt a tug on my blanket then felt something brushing up against my calves then coiling up behind my legs. Of course I begin reviewing the protocol after a mamba bite then notified my PH that an animal was coiling up behind my legs. My PH is one of those who believes that a dead snake is a good snake. I told him to lift the blanket and shine the light on the animal, he does so and I see a black curved body then he drops the blanket. I'm kinda thinking that i'm gonna share my blanky with a Black Mamba. He lifts the blanket again, at my urging then starts laughing. Upon closer inspection it was his tracking dog. She's about 8 pounds some kind of terrier dachshund. You know dogs. They won't ever just lay down. They got to spin around several times (coiling) before they settle down. Man what a relief. It was so cold she left the truck, tracked us down to the blind and found a warm place to settle. Bless her heart.
