Just got thru trying to canoe a mountain stream that was really too much for our canoeing abilities. After about 1 1/2 miles of getting tumped over 3 times and swept thru rapids for 50-70 yds at a time, banged and bleeding, we decided to call it quits. but neither me nor my lady friend were really scared at any point.
Got to thinking of things that really scared me in the past. The worst, for me, were "speaking in public", and piano recitals as a kid. At least in some part, we hunt dangerous game because of the "thrill" or 'fear" that accompanies the hunt.

Question:
Which of the below conditions would get you to the highest stages of "readiness" or "fear" or "fight or flight"??

Choices:
Unexpected close encounter with venomous snake at close range
In the water encounter with large dangerous shark
Having to wade across crocodile infested swamp
Closing in on several elephants, one of which you want
walking to a lion bait in the dark, with lions and hyenas fighting over the bait
Follow-up on possibly wounded leopard
Climbing along a steep ledge after mountain sheep

 

The travel to get there.

This is going to be a good one! For me meeting up with a shark has to put the fear in me mainly because I would most likely be unarmed with no way to protect myself

Hah! Andy-- you would just be a traveller if that were the case!!

"Going to the Dentist" was purposely not a choice.

The only one of those that I would even think twice about was the shark!!! You are pretty much at the sharks mercy. The thought terrifies me!!!

Had a sea turtle swim under me in Maui. It was 4 feet across the shell and a head the size of a football. That scared me--- a shark would have scared me much worse, they told me at the hotel that 15 foot Tiger Sharks were spotted on occassion

Of course even above "speaking in Public" and "going to the dentist" is--
"Becoming engaged with an armed two-legged enemy". but that's a different forum.

quote:

Originally posted by SGraves155:
Hah! Andy-- you would just be a traveller if that were the case!!

Touché!

Sounds like you choose the wrong type of watercraft for existing conditions. I've rafted Class IV whitewater and found it thrilling. A canoe has no business on whitewater nor in rapids.

I really don't like snakes, but when I had one fall into my lap in Tanzania, I simply knocked him onto the floorboard and swung my legs up onto the dash (until I could get out) while telling the other vehicle occupants that there was a snake in the truck. I honestly would rather not see them, thank you very much.

I was surprised by how many voted for sharks. I've been below 100 feet on SCUBA with sharks on several occasions and never felt threatened. Still, the best shark is a dead one.

I have respect for Crocs, but know folks who have been hit and managed, with help, to get away with only wounds. I believe the key is having everyone involved on the same page.

Stalking up on Elephants doesn't bother me. I carry a big gun and so do those accompanying me

Walking around in the dark with Lions about is not a good idea. I have done twice and didn't care for it either time. Won't do it again.

When I started to follow-up on my Leopard, I found him dead where he fell from the tree. Shoot straight and bring more than one flashlight, in the event he's not dead under the tree.

I never hunted sheep, although I sheared one in NZ a few years ago, and am too old to start now.

I voted for snakes.

Walking the ledge. I have done that and it was not worth it.

quote:

Sounds like you choose the wrong type of watercraft for existing conditions. I've rafted Class IV whitewater and found it thrilling. A canoe has no business on whitewater nor in rapids.

You're right!!
Next time it's Kayaks or a raft all around!!

Too old now for Kayaks, but I do like the rubber boats.

quote:

I was surprised by how many voted for sharks. I've been below 100 feet on SCUBA with sharks on several occasions and never felt threatened. Still, the best shark is a dead one.

All sharks ain't created equal. Great White, Tiger, Bull, or Mako might change your opinion. Tigers actually eat folks on purpose...ask WWII pilots shot down in south Pacific.

Lane,
a Great Hammerhead is also pretty impressive, though perhaps less than great white or tiger..

They play this video every year during shark week. (actual attack footage at time 1:24)

No sharks for me, no thank you. Bring on the hyenas and lions!!!

Crocs are evil bastards

Hey Lane,

What makes you assume I haven't been in the water with those guys? I thought I was clear about my shark feelings. Most of the old-time SCUBA divers (yeah, I'm now an old-timer myself, first SCUBA certification in 1963) feel exactly as I do about killing sharks. But I've never felt fear around them. When I first saw sharks in the water I was excited, not scared. Someone once said to me that whatever your emotion is the first time with sharks, you'll never change.

I've had a place on Maui for almost 30 years now and have spent a good amount of time there. I know very well about Tiger sharks. They kill tourists in the water every year. Not good for tourism and doesn't get a whole lot of publicity. There is a place called Olowalu, south of Lahaina Town, where the Tigers seem to get somebody on a yearly basis. I snorkeled off a sailboat there many years ago, before I knew better. Beautiful coral development and lots of turtles up there, and sharks like turtles.

BTW, many of us believe you are safer under the water with sharks than you are on top of the water.

Mike, regarding sharks,
having a mask, and either a snorkel or scuba, and a pole-spear/bang-stick should have been included in the choices. Without those things, a big shark in close, would be the most terrifying to me. Even with those added protections, it would take a long time(days) for my adrenaline level to return to normal.

quote:

Originally posted by SGraves155:
Lane,
a Great Hammerhead is also pretty impressive, though perhaps less than great white or tiger..

Hammerheads are relatively benign. People dive with 100's of them in the Gulf of California, where they have an annual schooling habit, every year. Don't misunderstand me, they can surely kill you, as can any shark of comparable size. We used to make our own "bang sticks" or "shark getters" using 12 gauge shells.

Mike,
I've "banged" a few smaller sharks with a .223 and that worked great. 12 ga must be awesome.
Correct me I'm wrong, but those schools of hammerheads are schools of scalloped hammerheads, and not the Great Hammerhead. I think there is a recognized difference in behavior, but even then, the danger from a Great White or a Tiger-shark are a measure above the great Hammerhead.

quote:

Originally posted by ledvm:
The only one of those that I would even think twice about was the shark!!! You are pretty much at the sharks mercy. The thought terrifies me!!!

x 100 +

Steve,

It puts a lot of blood in the water, for sure.

We have the Great Whites along our CA coastline and get them in the islands as well. For my money, however, the Tiger is the bad boy. I'd just as soon not have to deal with either of them. Sharks are a great reason to never dive alone.

I voted but have to really say "None of the Above".....malaria, it's for life...

For me, climbing that steep ledge. I absolutely hate heights.


Mad Dog

quote:

Hey Lane,

What makes you assume I haven't been in the water with those guys?

Sorry...you probably have. Most folks go dive with a bunch of reef sharks or black-tips and tell everybody they dove with sharks...no prob.

Probably right about being safer in the water than on top...possible exception is the Tiger...you are also right about Tigers are "the ones". They eat you on purpose not because they thought you were a seal.

Should have included having to tell the wife that I just bought another English SXS shotgun. She is more terrifying than any shark!

465H&H

I picked snakes,, the reason being that is much more likely to happen,, not being a diver or near a coast the most likely meeting up with a shark would be a water landing of an aircraft on the way to Africa and we all know the practicality of the floatation cushion we are sitting on! Snakes scare the crap out of me,, period and I run into them all the time,, for me a real likely event. Second would be the follow up on a wounded leopard, then the croc infested swamp,, There are snakes in swamps!!!!!

I said the shark because that is what I have zero expereince with and I guess we often fear the unknown. The rest of the stuff is more exciting than terrifying.

Mark

Sharks dont scare me at all. The odds of me getting bit by one are nil.

I am not ever going to get in water where they could be.

I dont swim, the thought of being in big water with a shark leaves me spitless.

Most of the others I figure I at least have a small clue whats happening and a chance to deal with it.

SSR

My bill from The Outdoor Channel

I went with sharks. I've been around a good number of poisonous snakes, mostly rattlers but also some mambas, cobras and puff adders, and while I don't like any of them, the only one of those that truly scares the hell out of me is the mamba because they're mean bastards, and very fast. As far as crocs go, been sitatunga hunting and waded through areas with crocs and wasn't too worried, perhaps because there were two people in front of me and one behind so I figured one of them had way more to worry about than me. With regard to elephants, isn't that what we expect to do when we're hunting them? That's why we all carry big guns! Only walked in on a lion bait in the dark a few times, but I thought it was thrilling to listen to the racket around the bait and never gave a lot of thought to danger to us. Never had to follow a wounded leopard as both that I've shot died within sight. Steep places, not that bad. I've hunted sheep and goats 6 times, and been in plenty of very steep places. Not any fun sometimes, but seldom have I felt at imminent risk of falling. I had to hang onto a tree root one time to shoot a mountain goat, I got one hell of a bad scope cut from my .338 since I wasn't holding the forearm, but the goat fell off of the ledge he was on and free fell through space for about 400 feet before crashing onto the rocks. He pretty much came apart, but was dead before he fell off the ledge, so not that big a deal other than not having anything to bring home. I did have a close call about 5 years ago on a Montana goat hunt when a very narrow ledge I was crossing gave way beneath one of my feet. The ledge was only about as wide as my foot is long, and if I fell I was going about 20 feet straight down before hitting a very steep slope that I could have rolled down for a while. I was plastered up against the rock for a while wondering why the hell I was vountarily there, but that was the only time I remember being scared shitless while sheep or goat hunting.

Now sharks... I pretty much hate them, which is part of why I don't go snorkeling or swimming. I used to dive many years ago, and never worried much under water, but you'd never catch me on the surface. My seminal shark moment came while fishing at Alijos Rocks from the long range sportfisher Excel. Alijos is about 150 miles off the Baja Coast, and we were anchored up there one time, fishing for yellowtail at night. We had a large number of huge tiger sharks circling the boat all night, and all I could think of was that anyone who fell over was a dead man. Some of those sharks were probably 14-15 feet long, NO THANKS! My son also once lost a nice yellowfin tuna of about 60-70 pounds at Guadalupe Island to a Great White that was about 15 feet long. It came up and took the tuna right at the boat just before they could gaff it. That would be a bit more than I care for.

I'm much rather take my chances with lions, leopards, elephants or buffalo!

quote:

Which of the below conditions would get you to the highest stages of "readiness" or "fear" or "fight or flight"??

Governments and Greenies.
Especially Governments run by Greenies!

Took a fall on a goat hunt. Never want to do that again. Gravity will kick a fat man's ass.

That ledge is as scared as I've ever been although I've not experienced most of the other stuff. when you look off the ledge you can see your doom not so with unseen creatures. The most terrified I've ever been in my life was on the back of a horse with Grizzly Adams a few years back. One stumble and the horse would have been on top of me....horrifying for me to think about even now.

Crocs in the water, or lion close encounters.. (not walking to the bait.
I havent been to africa yet, but I did just book a trophy aligator hunt in Florida with a rifle. If i have to do any wading, I will certainly be scared Sh*tless.
W.

I picked the croc: Somehow being drowned and stuffed under a log until tender, doesnt appeal to me.

I was a very active scuba diver for years. A big tiger shark scares the hell out of me. Bull sharks are also particularly nasty, but almost any Carcharhinidae shark is potentially dangerous. They are known as Requiem sharks and are responsible for most attacks on humans.

There are well over 400 species of sharks and only around twenty are dangerous to man. Being able to determine what you are looking at is always the rub. I have seen both tigers and bulls do a lot of damage. Also lemons. A 14 foot tiger is so incredibly fast it is almost unbelievable. Its mouth is huge.

But, truth is, a swamp full of flat dogs just scares the hell out of me. That and a fire aboard an aircraft are about the only things I'm really scared of.

So Graves.. where were you paddling? Creeks are up now....what do you paddle?