I understand that some of us are not into snakes, but I just watched an entire show on Black Mambas on Nature on public television. There was some phenomenal footage and certainly interesting. Nature makes its shows available on line, shortly after they are aired. Here's a link where it should be available soon.
http://www.pbs.org/wnet/nature...odes/current-season/
Thought some of our members might find it interesting. If you watch this show, I'm pretty sure you'll be able to recognize one the next time you see one.
Bfly

Thank you. Looks good and is on again tonight at 1 am per my DISH guide.

Born and raised in the South, not a real fan of snakes! I envy all the people who have gone on safari and never seen one. First trip, one bit a hartebeest and I had to put it down-bad way to go. Stepped over a puff adder in the garden.

Second trip, saw three and all were about 9-10 feet-killed one of our Jack Russell truck dogs before I blew it apart with 375.

Third trip, sitting in rocks found an eight foot shed skin and promptly moved to a better looking rock!

Fourth trip, ran one over with the Cruiser (several times just to make sure) and took pictures-evil looking reptile.

Next month, I'd just as soon NOT see any at all.

Blank,

Seems you are a snake magnet. Please never hunt with me. No offense ... Just sayin'.

I guess I am lucky. In 19 trips, I have seen 1 mamba. I will bet I have not seen more than 10 snakes total.

I hope my luck continues.

I saw a big one maybe 12 feet long in 08. I don't need to see another.

For those interested in the subject of snakes, snake expert Austin Stevens , covers Africas most deadly species.

Snakes in "general" don't really bother me much.....but Mambas scare the crap out of me. Never seen one in Africa, never want to.

Even behind glass in the zoo they give me the willies.......yuck.

.

Is there a greem Mamba? I saw something in the Okevanga that had the general shape and speed --much smaller than 10 ft.
Any thoughts?

Just flew back today from Zim. Saw 3 on this trip. One very near miss that did strike and missed. Very tense couple of minutes checking to make sure that it did miss. Other was a night adder and the other was a 9' python. Took pics of all of them.

quote:

Originally posted by kaprota:
Is there a greem Mamba? I saw something in the Okevanga that had the general shape and speed --much smaller than 10 ft.
Any thoughts?

The two mamba I have seen were more of a tan color. But I'm sure they come in different colors? Maybe different regions cause it.

First trip to SA in 2007, ran over a puff adder with the cruiser and saw a dead rock python in the roadway. Second trip to SA in 2009, no sightings. Third trip to SA in 2011, our first morning in KwaZula Natal while heading back to camp we came across a big mamba lying in the two track. It was slightly quicker than I was and escaped unharmed.

Killed a 9ft blk mamba in Namibia in 09.
Color was brown, I was told that the inside of the mouth is blk, hence the name.
No I did not pry the mouth open to confirm.

We have not discussed appropriate firearm or load to dispatch these quarry.
Is the 410 snake charmer sufficient for African snakes should a larger gauge double gun be considered with #8's in the right barrel and #4's in the left...Is standard lead OK or should copper plated shot to tungston shot be used?
Sorry, could not help it !

EZ

200gr Nosler partition running 2900fps out of a 300wm worked just fine for me.

During my hunt in Zimbabwe last year, we had a 5 foot boomslang slither behind us at a distance of 5 to 6 feet as we observed a herd of elephants drinking at a pan. Also, had a spitting cobra rise above the grass as we passed near her while driving a riverine. However, no black mambas!

Had this one nearly drop in on me in a bow blind in Botswana. About crapped myself but I'm alive and he isn't. Ok, that sounded a bit Mark Sullivan-ish but it's the truth.

although the B-Mamba gets such a bad wrap, as does the Cobra,

The fact remains that the African Puff-Adder is responsible for the most human fatalities,
and the Russell Viper[India] kills significantly more people than its famous Cobra.

The Boomslang is Africas most venemous snake, and ranks closely with the Inland Taipan of Australia,... as the most venemous land snake in the world.

Most venemous[potent], does not necessarily mean the most fatal or dangerous.

ie; its highly unusual for a Boomslang to inject a human.

ONe should note that there are different types of toxins in snake venom:

-neurotoxins[presynaptic,postsynaptic,anticholinesterase]
-myotoxins
-Haemosatic system toxins
-Heamorrhagins
-procoagulants
-nephrotoxins
-Cardiotoxins
-necrotoxins.


[Some snakes have more than one of the above.]

Neurotoxic venom - Cobras and Mambas - attacks the central nervous system, and starts to affect movement, breathing, swallowing, speech and sight.
Haematoxic venom - Boomslang - affects the blood by using up the clotting factors so it no longer coagulates leading to extensive blood loss into the tissues.
Cytotoxic venom - Puff Adders - attacks the body cells or tissues, this bite is extremely painful, with much swelling and marked symptoms of shock.
Myotoxic venom - sea snakes - attacks the muscles and can lead to death from kidney and heart failure.

Whats make B-Mambas [and Taipans] one of the most deadly/dangerous snakes,
is the combination of;

- the potency of their venom,
- the amount of venom they will inject in each strike.
- and the number of times they will repeatedly strike in an encounter.

B-Mambas and Taipans, are typically reclusive.

Some people might consider some snakes as more 'aggressive',
however I feel its got more to do with a snakes 'defensive' approach/behaviour,
whilst it is trying to escape/avoid you.
some snakes have a more agitated or 'nervous' disposition when threaten or startled.

If you watch the Austin Stevens Video,..you will see a snake first attempts to play dead a few times to avoid conflict,
after that did not work, it then tried to escape a few times, which also did not work,
That would then make the snake feel that its only chance of survival, is to kill the threat.
Some might then perceive that snake as being 'highly aggressive'.

I darn well believe the best color for a snake anymore is "red". As in, covered in its own blood red.

I does not like snakes.

quote:

Originally posted by kaprota:
Is there a greem Mamba? I saw something in the Okevanga that had the general shape and speed --much smaller than 10 ft.
Any thoughts?

Yes, there is a Green Mamba as well which is also highly venomous though not as aggressive as its cousin. It however prefers the branches of leafy trees where it lies in wait for an unsuspecting bird rather than being on the ground.

Have to agree with Trax. How many of you watch closely enough to see this one first?



I think we used a 255x16 Goodyear on this one. You can see it was poor truck placement, as the front half was still very active!



Yep, bigger than anyone in their right mind should mess with

This was relatively close to the lodge. How many of you still climb up on termite mounds to get a little "better" look around for game? This one is about to get a couple doses of 17 HMR. A full 10 footer, and thick.

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Blank:
This was relatively close to the lodge. How many of you still climb up on termite mounds to get a little "better" look around for game? This one is about to get a couple doses of 17 HMR. A full 10 footer, and thick.

Now I understand why my PH would "plug" the holes with broken branches before we sat down on the termite mound to take a short break!

I tried a shot load from my 458. Used an over powder card, with 1 oz. small bird shot. To get a good pattern, you need to be 2-3 yards, max. Rifling plays hell on your pattern, it will get THIN quick.

Keith

They may not be "big game" but shouldn't they count as dangerous game?
No trophy room should be complete without a black mamba and a puff adder, preferably taken with a knife.

So Im guessing this little guy knocking at the lodge door wont be welcome

Cobra?

For those who are interested here is the full episode: Black Mamba

You know Im not really sure to tell you the truth, It looks like a Big Mamba at a quick glance but if you look closely it could be a BIG ASS dark phase Moz. Spitting Cobra.


Still hes BIG and BAD

quote:

Originally posted by BNagel:
Cobra?

The spitting kind.

Wear shades if you want to get close.

My first trip to Africa was last year (Tanzania-The Selous). I saw two Black Mambas and a Puff Adder. Here's the first mamba after my PH decided it was too close to a anti-poaching patrol camp and gave me the go-ahead. My 28 gauge shotgun with load of high base #6 worked just fine. We didn't mess with the other mamba or the puff adder, although one of our trackers stepped right over it completely unaware.

i can't believe you found a black guy willing to touch a mamba, much less pick it up!. when i killed one in Bots a few years ago, the trackers would not get within 100 yards of me holding it up for pictures. and before the snake lovers jump on me for killing a deadly snake- TOUGH SHIT! i have been bitten by a rattlesnake and it was MOST unpleasant!. i ignore non poisonous snakes but something with the potential to kill me does not get a pass....

While stalking in on my tuskless ele in Zim, the lead tracker walked around a waist high bush and stepped right on top of a loosely piled up old rope lost years earlier. It was the right length, diameter, and color to be a mamba! He went about 4 feet straight up, turned in mid-air and was past me in a shot. Thought we were gonna have to do CPR when he stopped.



He's smiling here, now that its over, but there wasn't anything funny about it at the time!

Last year I taught English in a Government School English Program in Roi-Et, Thailand. Here is what they caught in a rice field 200 meters from my house.
Right at 20 feet. The cobra did not make it, the men ate it for dinner!

I'd be using Super XX goose loads on that sucker!!!

quote:

Originally posted by leopards valley safaris:
So Im guessing this little guy knocking at the lodge door wont be welcome

Bloody hell!

That one look enormous!

A few years ago something happened that brought us all down to earth.

We were driving along on a beautiful morning, and Walter was clowning about as usual.

He was standing in the back behind the cab, with one foot in and one foot hanging out, stretching himself out of the truck.

Suddenly, the truck hit the brakes, then speeded up.

What happened was the drives saw a black mamba lying on the road. He ran over its tail as it was running away.

The mamba reared up, and struck the truck a few inches from Walter!

That was very close for comfort!

quote:

Originally posted by buckeyeshooter:

I would rather deal with a snake than a spider, but a cobra of that size would give me pause to think about my decision. It's not big enough to eat me or anything, but that is a seriously big snake for a venomous species.

That 20ft Cobra is impressive...
- thanks for sharing.

I heard that the female Cobra is the only snake in the world that builds a nest.

quote:

Originally posted by jdollar:
i can't believe you found a black guy willing to touch a mamba, much less pick it up!. when i killed one in Bots a few years ago, the trackers would not get within 100 yards of me holding it up for pictures. and before the snake lovers jump on me for killing a deadly snake- TOUGH SHIT! i have been bitten by a rattlesnake and it was MOST unpleasant!. i ignore non poisonous snakes but something with the potential to kill me does not get a pass....

Believe it or not, our tracker wasn't even asked to pick the mamba up. He volunteered!!! My PH told me how much he hates mambas and neither he (nor I) got out of the truck to take a closer look at this one.

One thing about my trip was disappointing. While checking out a herd of buffalo one morning, our trackers spotted a good sized python at the entrance to a large burrow. The snake retreated into the hole out of sight, so I never had the opportunity to either view it or attempt to temporarily capture it.

Buckeyeshooter: Looking at the pics of this huge cobra, really demonstrates why these types are called "King"!!!