Anyone know where I can find a video of a mamba falling into an archery hunter's blind? Or any other snake related stuff?

Here's the link to the hunt report from Bowsite.com on a Black Mamba in an archers blind in South Africa. Look under day 8
http://www.bowsite.com/bowsite/features/LIVEHUNTS/Leopard2004/INDEX.cfm

Yikes, the mamba would have put a "crimp" in my hunt to say the least.....and probably a couple of items in my drawers as well!!

Holy Moly! I would have died of a heart attack long before being bitten. Do not know why the guy felt the urge to tempt fate. It is on day 8.

Luckiest man alive.

Not Day 9....rather Day 8

I would have s**t my pants.

Ignorance is bliss. I do not think he really understood the danger he was in. Well, I guess he is set for life. What are the chances of that ever happening again.

You are correct, the bow hunter in the video Pat, is the owner/operator of Bowsite.Com. He had no idea how deadly a mamba was and that what he was doing could have gotten him really dead, real fast. After they killed the snake, he played back the footage are all parties in camp and he said everyone's jaw just dropped on how lucky he was to be alive.

I believe on the same hunt, things got a bit hairy following up a wounded leopard at dusk. Pat and PH owe their hides to small jack russell terrier.

Hell, him messing with the snake was nothing compared to the period of time that the snake was in the blind with him. No way in hell I could have sat still. I'd of busted out the door as fast as I could and no doubt been bit right on the ass.

Cool video and dodgy situation for sure! But really a shame they had to kill it. When they are that large they are typically females and are not dime a dozen. I have had to look hard to find bigger guys like that. Dangerous. yes... But with some trying it would have got out the window, as it almost did in the video.

They are cool snakes and nothing to get freaked out about. You are, on average (given the vagaries of stats of course) 10 times more likely to die of lightning strike in RSA than of snake bite. Interesting creatures!

Yeah, I had seen it a couple of years ago, and wanted a friend to see it now. His Grizzly hunt link is also a great read.

quote:

Originally posted by kayaker:


You are, on average (given the vagaries of stats of course) 10 times more likely to die of lightning strike in RSA than of snake bite. Interesting creatures!

I think the odds go way up when one climbs into a hide with you.

No doubt, but that chance is still very slight!
I read a claim on that site that they 'can jump up and bite you'.

Well, no, not really. Most snakes can move at 'strike speed' about one third of their body length, agile ones like a black mamba a bit more.
Make no mistake, they are fast strikers and agile and get really worked up when distressed (the one in the video actually seemed qite mellow, they often rear up and speard a semi- hood, like a cobra) but jumping up to bite your neck or face...barring some arborial species, most snakes have very poor eyesite so unless like they can reference something bright or reflective (as has been proven with Mozambique spitting cobras) may have difficulty discerning anatomical details of humans. other infmaous maba claims are their speed...you hear all kinds of false stories about faster than a running man, biting their tails to roll down hills to catch you...and other stories the sound like too many mal pitte or baboon cabbage!
I have seen a number of upset mambas over the years and also volunteered at the old Transvaal Snake Park in my 'snake fanatic' days, and never saw or heard of any jumping up, other than striking.
Claims of them being the most dangeous snakes are also needs clarification it. The most toxic venom in Africa is that possesed by the rear fanged colubridae (haemotoxic) and the 'boomslang' wins that one but is a very shy and typically docile snake. Statistically, the most dangerous (i.e. the one most responsible for venomous snake bites is the puffadder due to its wide distribution and high occurence in that range, and its habits too).
Mambas are very dangerous but due to their high strung nervous nature typically get the hell away from people ASAP, unless you find yourslef in a ground blind with one!!!! In this case, yes, the odds are up!! But, this is rare. And nothing to get too hyped about.

I reckon seeing and learning about snakes in the bush is all part of the game, other wise we wouldn't call it being in nature of the wilderness!
Enjoy any encounters you have, but obviously, err on the side of caution if ytou don't know what it is!

kayaker wrote:

quote:

other infmaous maba claims are their speed...you hear all kinds of false stories about faster than a running man,

Don't be mistaken with their speed, ± 20kph or roughly 5.55m/second! Só, with highly athletic guys being able to do ± 36kph or 10 seconds/100m, the ordinary hunter has got no chance with this mamba to get away. Furthermore, it's striking speed is probably a lot faster.

Jan/Febr. in South Africa is the most dangerous times for mamba attacks - yes attacks - it is their mating season and if you are obstructing them in their movements it's goodbye for you! They are absolutely aggressive and ten times more nervous than ever.

Although not the most toxic venom snake, very few people bitten by them survive to tell the story!

The best advise is rather to stand deadstill and let them pass by - movement tends to agitate them and increases your chances of a strike.

That video is amazing. Iprobably wouldn't have known it was a mamba, but I would have went out an stood in the middle of that field until my PH arrived back. I would have assummed an 8 foot snake in Africa was dangerous.