An almost life changing event just happened to me.

My two young bitch dogs, a Border Collie sheepdog and a trained German Shorthaired Pointer, suddenly started barking furiously in my garden. Ran out to investigate, and as soon as I saw them worrying 'something' near the pumpkins I thought "Porcupine came to raid my pumpkins!" It was just getting dark - the time for them to start being active - and tere are literally hundreds hereabouts. Fortunately there was a spade handy which grabbed and rushed to their help. Only then I saw a good sized puffadder, angry as hell and ready to strike with both dogs scared, but brave enough to rush in and attempt to bite it! They were in great danger. Having a spade in hand I felt confident and approached. Just when I lifted the spade to strike, it attacked me! Fast! No, not fast, very F-fast! How I managed to jump back in time only my guardian angel knows! But a spade is a reasonable weapon to have in such an encounter. I checked my dogs: Only a very small spot of blood on the GSP's nose, but absolutely no swelling. It was a 'dry bite'. So all ended well. Except for the snake!

At least now I have a fair sized, minus about two inches from the head where the spade struck, puffadder in a deep freeze for the skin promised to an American friend so long ago.

Happy New Year!

Andrew McLaren

Andrew. Glad you and the dogs are ok. You certainly came through in spade(s).Happy new year to you and all in AR. jc

Glad everything turned out well for you and the dogs. It is amazing how fast a snake of any kind can move when the decide to. A long handled spade works well on rattlers here in the states, but a long handled garden hoe works better and a shotgun works best.

Be careful out there.

Thank goodness All is ok Andrew, those snakes make sure at times they have it there way.

Reminds me of several stories Gail Selby has told me about cobras at (and in) her house, yikes!!!!

Not that I want to see snakes on safari but I killed a 9' mamba in 1994 which was discarded in the bush. Thinking back, that would have been a most unique trophy fully mounted in my game room. About 6 years ago I started carrying a product with me to Africa that we use to preserve snake skins for mounting. My plan was to preserve the skin so it could be brought back to the States for mounting. Does anyone know if this is legal or if USFW will raise a stink if a snake skin is on the packing list?? Does Zim allow the export of snake skin as a "trophy". Hope you don't mind me hijacking your thread a little bit?

That is an interesting question. Laws concerning reptile are changing all the time, and it would be worth looking into before trying to board the flight home.

-Andrew the best in the new year.


Mike

Andrew
Glad things worked out well for all 3 of you.
That would have sheered the skit out of me.
I also killed a 9ft mamba in Namibia a couple of years ago, but I do not regret leaving him for the scavengers.
I prefer something that goes BOOM when dealing with vermin.


GUNS HAVE ONLY 2 ENEMIES-RUST & POLITICIANS

When I hunted SA in 08, we killed at least 1 snake every day. Most were Puff Adders, 1 Cobra and 1 Black Mamba. SNAKES WILL MAKE ME HURT MYSELF! Ran into a very proper gentleman this year in Zim that wore snake chaps with his shorts(the proper PH attire). He had been bitten once by a puff adder and wasn't going to risk a second bite. Granted, the hunt was late in the year but..............

Thank God you are ok Andrew. my long term plans of hunting with you are still on!

Happy New Year.

You are getting slow you old buzzard. Next time take the 12 guage and a dose of 7s. I know the pumpkins won't look so good, but what the hell? Glad you got away without a trip to the Doc. Have a good season in 2012.

Having nearly been taken out by a puff adder myself .... Too bad that guy didn't show up while we were there in July about sunrise . Later on at night it was so cold we could have picked it up and snapped it over our knees like a stick !!! Glad that you and your dawgies are O.K. Happy New Year to you and your lady !

Scruffy

Andrew,

Glad the Guardian Angel was alert! Wonderful that everyone is OK.

Pagosa,

I ain't huntin' with you!

Andrew,
Glad you are OK.
Bwana Cecil,
Going to borrow your sheered skitless!
Max

It ended well for the snake as well, as far as I'm concerned. Glad no one, or your dogs, were hurt.

Wow some long snakes in this thread ...

Remember guys a lot of snakes can strike two-thirds of their body length away, so the usual four or six foot long snake, they always look longer due to surprise and fear, can strike a good three to four or more feet away. A normal spade isn't long enough if they have a decent go at you. Most people here get bitten trying to kill snakes not chance encounters.

Man you guys got some serious snakes in Australia.....I think several species could just scare me to death.......they make our Rattlesnakes and Cotton mouthe look plumb cuddly!



.

Mstarling,
Why? Because I'm afraid of snakes or that I can see and get rid of them.

Caracals, puff adders, what's next man?

Glad you and the dog came out okay Andrew. Happy New Year.