What things bite and sting that will need to be avoided during an African hunt?

Snakes, scorpions,...?

Mosquitos are what you really need to worry about.

I've been on 4 African safaris and have never seen a snake or scorpion. They are there, but it's not as if they are a constant problem.

Did get invaded by soldier ants in Tanzania, but a little diesel bonfire and no more ants.

Of all the years of African hunting experience on this board, I don't know of anyone who has been bitten by a snake or scorpion. It's really not a problem.

Take some bug spray with Deet and a flyswatter to whack the occasional spider in the shower and you're all set.

In Zimbabwe, our sleeping quarters had no door. Nothing came in after us.

Regards,

Terry

Don't worry about snakes. I have been on three hunts in southern Africa and have seen snakes two times. One snake crossed the road in front of us and the other time we had a closer encounter.

On my last trip to Zimbabwe we had been walking for several day through areas that often had grass higher than our heads. We came to a burned out area and the tracker was leading follewed by the PH and then myself. The tracker yelled out something in Shona and the PH said "snake". he pointed as a tail went into the grass to my right. He said it was two spitting cobras that had passed by me at 6 feet. We walked another 50 yards when the tracker said something again. This time the PH pointed out some type of "night adder" moving away and then down a hole. Bottom line is that all the snakes were hauling ass away from us.

The only person that hates snakes more than you and I is the tracker. He will be watching out. On my first trip to Zimbabwe the PH said "Mike don't worry about the small stuff, worry about the things that step on you!" The only thing I would add is take your malaria pills. I have never heard of a client being bitten by a snake, spider or scorpian while on safari.

Good luck hunting and don't loose sleep over snakes.

I was/am more concerned about things crawling in my shoes or in my bed at night.
Do you need to check out your bed before you go to sleep or shake out your shoes in the morning?

Yes, but I do that in deer camp. Don't want to go to bed with a black widow spider.

Regards,

Terry

During my last hunt in Namibia we did not encounter posinous snakes, though we were told not to wander over by the water dam, there is a black mamba in there. The trackers keep a keen eye out for them. The previous group, saw 2 zebra cobras and a puff adder.

From some of the reading I did prior to the trip, I discovered that wearing ankle high boots will block about 75% of the snake bites and wearing of long pants nearly eliminates the bite risk.Though you should still pay attention to where you place your hands and feet, especially when climbing rocks.

Chances are you'll probably never see a snake while you're there.

BigBullet

I've spent four evenings in blinds after things that go bump in the night like bushpigs, jackals, civet cats and the like (but not leopards).

The first two evenings were on rather cold July evenings and there was nary a bug however the other two were on rather warm May evenings (all in Zimbabwe). During the second set of evenings the mosquitoes were out in force. The first time I forgot the bug juice and got eaten alive. Fortunately those mosquitoes didn't raise welts like their American cousins. The second time I put on the bug juice heavy duty and even convinced my PH to use some and it kept them away.

As to snakes, I've only seen a snake on one safari. A rather large South African vine snake was lying motionless across a path in front of us. I saw extremely fresh puff adder tracks during the same safari. The safari there just prior to ours had seen both an Egyptian cobra on a dirt road while in the land cruiser and a black mamba while setting up leopard baits.

We were in Tanzania (Selous) this September and my wife was stung in the hand by a Scorpion that was in her damp washrag in the morning. I saw three in the shower area (and now there are three less in Tanzania).It seems that they are attracted to the moisture. A very painful experience for her. Three days of pain and two more of numbness then ok. We were told to check our boots every morning.They also said they see a lot more as it gets hotter and the rains begin. No snakes on this trip.We also had a Baboon spider in the shower as big as a childs fist which was harmless but scary. BEWARE THE SHOWER!!!!

Due to the season most people hunt Africa, there does not seem to be many encounters with snakes. However, I have run into snakes occasionally on safari, once a very close encounter with a black mamba. Australia is a bit different, there always seems to be snakes around down under, and many of them can be dangerous. I had a close encounter with a king brown on this years safari. Hunting in Texas, we are always running into rattlers, so it doesn't really bother me, but I have always had the habit of shaking out my boots before putting them on. You never know what you might find.

I have lived, hunted and fished in the Mozambique and Zim regions for for 1,5 years and gone back for some shorter trips. And I have encounterd most things from snakes , huges bee sworms, ants. I once shot a puffadder that did not want to take an alternativ route but thru the blind. Bees are the worst thin I experienced and I saw them often sworms in trees often the same tree that I was looking for shadow beneth.

On a hunt the yellow grass were filled with ticks you could see them crawling in the grass and after some stalking you had hundres on your legs so a good spray against ticks is good to bring.

I have to say that I spent about 6 months in tents in Mozambique and never felt that things like this was a big problem.

Good luck

TseTse flies in my opinion can be a problem, they leave huge itchy bites and normally present wherever there is game.

All posts extremely interesting and informative. The one thing that my wife will ask about though no one said anything about, T I C K S!! Are or can they be a problem? Do they carry decease like they can here? Lawdog

Iposted on this earlier, WE had to pick off a few ticks. It seemed like we got them only while walking after buffalo in the long grass.I didn't notice them other than that. If you get a buffalo check the ticks out in their crotch area. They are some Major League Ticks.

My wife took this picture of a puff adder we ran over on the road with our Toyota last summer in the Selous:



He was nearly dead. I would not have cared to meet him alive in the bush.

Agreed ticks can be a problem. But in my expereince they are more prevalent on game farms mostly because of the higher population of game compared to natural areas. Also depends on the season you will be hunting. Ticks are normally a nuisance during and just after the rainy season here in Zambia.
Yes they can give you an illness I dont know the medical term but we call it Tick fever could be similar to Lymes. Normally a dose of antibiotics does sort it out.

Hi,
I agree with ticks being a big problem depending on the vegetation and animal life...on cattle ranch/game farms they are all over the place and long trousers, even tucking them into your boots are a big aid.

Chuck, No kidding about the ticks, I could not believe the size of those on the underside of my buffalo. They were huge!

In the 2 safaris I have taken I saw a snake each time. The second trip we had a boomslang hydernating in the corner of the Dinningroom underneath the thatching. If the PH hadn't shown us I would have never seen it and it never moved the week we were there. My first safari on the other hand ...



And a closer look



This pyton was estimated to be about 15 feet and had gotten an Impala or Diker that morning. This was the neatest thing I have seen in my life!!!!!
Oh yes she was still alive.

[ 11-14-2003, 17:04: Message edited by: amosgreg ]

I spent 4.5 months in the Philippines, and although I never had a close encounter with a snake, many of my associates/relatives did. I made it a habit, upon my father's recommendation, to always wear long pants when going in the jungle and usually a long sleeve shirt too. it might not be as comfortable, but better than getting the scratches, bites and such.

I think if I ever get to go to africa I will get some boots that come at least a couple of inches past the ankle, snakes just freak me out.

Red

zambian,

Our safari is schedule for late August early September and yes buffalo figure heavily in what we want. Does a good top quality bug spray with Deet help? How big a bottle would you recommend for a three week hunt? Lawdog

ddunn,

I think the point is that snakes etc. are really a non-issue. Mosquitoes and tetse flies on the other hand are irritating and if you have a reaction to their bites you could have a problem.
The tetses bother me alot. I have found that the combo OFF with the sunscreen and bug repellent to be very effective and handy since you only need one product.

As others have stated the few snakes you might see are always trying to get out of your way. In most camps you have bug screens on the beds or you are in tents with nice tight screen doors. Therefore you don't have to worry about creepy crawlies in your sleeping area. Shower areas do attract bugs, frogs etc. because of the moisture. Just check out the shower before jumping in.

Relax and concentrate on having a great hunt. You really don't need worry about snakes etc.

Fortunately those mosquitoes didn't raise welts like their American cousins.

I was wondering if everyone agreed with this statement or if the mosquitos raise welts for some and not others. I happen to be one of the very lucky few who dies not react to the predominant species of mosquito here in Michigan only one welt in eight years, but the mosquitos they have in florida are a different story.

On another topic, about ticks. I can't stress the importance to make sure that at the end of every day you make sure there are none on you. There is a little known syndrome called tick induced paralysis that is life threatening. It is only caused by the species of ticks that feed on one host for longer than six days. Around six days after the onset of feeding a build up in the anti-coagulant the tick uses begins to act as a type of neurotoxin. Onset of symptoms is tingling in hands and feet. The tingling moves on to numbness and inability to move the numb regions. This can progress until the diaghram is paralyzed and at which time the patient will suffocate. If the tick is removed all functionality is usually regained in a day or two.

I am sure that everyone out there checks for ticks, but I thought I would share this just in case. This is doubly important because tick paralysis is unfortunately usually undiagnosed because it presents like a number of other neurological syndromes. It's rare and I don't know if african ticks can even cause it, but I figure it's better to know and be more careful than not.

Carl

[ 11-17-2003, 22:04: Message edited by: Anvil63 ]

Had no trouble with mosquitoes on our hunt in Zimbabwe this July---but my wife and I both took our malaria mediaction religiously.

Had the chance to travel in South Africa for another ten days after the hunt and ended up with a spider bite (at least that's what the doctor says it was) on the back of my knee that looked pretty bad but responded to topical antibiotic quickly.

Also, after an early morning photo shoot (crouching in the grass at sunrise)I found a tick WAY down in the most remote spot you can imagine. I was able to remove him (head and all) and popped him in a plastic film can on the off chance that if I came down with something, I'd be able to show the doctor what bit me.

Want to know how tough these things are?

I put him in that film can on August 15th.

I've looked in once or twice.

The tick is still ALIVE.

Tokyo Cowboy

Law_dog, Yes anything with deet is advised, We also have a repellant that has worked well for me,
Just ask your ph for some diesel from his car. Trust me although you smell like a mechanic it does work also getting rid of the smell at the end of the day is quite a mission. It also works well with TseTse flies.
I am not too sure on how much bug juice to bring but I would bring up loads as your camp staff will appreciate it as a gift at the end of your trip.
I seem to remember reading somewhere in this forum that Avon does a product that also works. Ask your Avon lady to pay you a visit!!
You dont mention where you are going to hunt but in Zambia the rains only come in Late October so If you are hunting Zambia or most of our neighbouring countries you should be ok.
Although the weather does start warming up around then,but I see you are in California so I dont think the heat will worry you.
As buff is on the menu I would suggest you start going to the Gym now as you will be walking lots.
Dont worry about things that bite and sting just get busy preparing yourself for a great time.

Tokyo Cowboy,
You have probably violated hundreds of regulations taking a live specimen of african fauna into Japan Good on you!last year I took some biltong "jerky" to UK for some friends that have migrated to UK, and thought that biltong would be a great present for homesick africans. You will not beleive the grief I got at Heathrow.

While hunting RSA we did find the small "pepper" ticks to be a problem, you could have hundreds on you in a matter of minutes. But with long pants and pyrethrin spray you can get rid of them. An individual prior to our safari had apparently ignored the fact that he had acquired many of the small ticks and did come down with tick fever.

CFA

Zambian,

Yep...we brought the "Live One" AND a bunch of Biltong, too, back to Japan.

Customs in Tokyo jsut smiled and waved us through.....