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Don't need to carry while hiking?

riverrat10k

Regular Member
Joined
Aug 24, 2008
Messages
1,472
Location
on a rock in the james river
Glad you didn't kill the snake....

....although they are tasty (ate one someone else killed once.)

My work takes me through the woods and wetlands of central Virginia. Although not allergic, this is what scares me in the woods: humans
bald-faced hornets
paper wasps
yellow jackets
any rabid animal

in about that order. Even though yellow jackets are small, a one-mile walk-out with 50 stings is difficult. Done it. Rather not do it again.
 

peter nap

Accomplished Advocate
Joined
Oct 16, 2007
Messages
13,551
Location
Valhalla
....although they are tasty (ate one someone else killed once.)

My work takes me through the woods and wetlands of central Virginia. Although not allergic, this is what scares me in the woods: humans
bald-faced hornets
paper wasps
yellow jackets
any rabid animal

in about that order. Even though yellow jackets are small, a one-mile walk-out with 50 stings is difficult. Done it. Rather not do it again.

Excellent point Riverrat!

I don't worry about Rabid animals much even though I have to kill at least one a year (and they're almost bulletproof in the tertiary stage) I had to take the treatment back when it was 24 shots in the stomach and I hear it's easier now.

Hornets (Wasps, Etc) are another thing though. I've gotten into them before and enough stings will get enough poison in you to ruin your day.
Like you said, no fun.
 

Grapeshot

Legendary Warrior
Joined
May 21, 2006
Messages
35,317
Location
Valhalla
I don't worry about Rabid animals much even though I have to kill at least one a year (and they're almost bulletproof in the tertiary stage) I had to take the treatment back when it was 24 shots in the stomach and I hear it's easier now.

Me too - it was the Semple method. Still have my empty vials.
I remember it as 1 a day fro 2 weeks or 14 shots with a very big, very long needle. :uhoh:

Mortality rate from the shots was disproportionally high. Was very happy when new method/vaccine was developed.
http://www.tropicalmedandhygienejrnl.net/article/0035-9203(88)90167-8/abstract
 

jmelvin

Founder's Club Member
Joined
Jun 12, 2008
Messages
2,195
Location
Lynchburg, Virginia, USA
You'll probably never see one Jonsey. They don't really like people although mine will watch me on he tractor sometimes.
Don't leave food out and you'll be OK.
Attacks are extremely rare in Virginia.

_MG_1198.jpg

The wifester and I saw one down in Roanoke just two weeks ago. We'd just got on I-81 southbound from Rt. 220A and the wifester yells "Hey! There's a bear!" Sure enough there was a full grown black bear standing on the side of the hill maybe 50 - 100 feet from the roadway just staring at the traffic. It was maybe 7:30 or 8 in the evening so there was still light out to not need headlights yet and the woods were right behind the bear about the same distance he was from the highway.
 

peter nap

Accomplished Advocate
Joined
Oct 16, 2007
Messages
13,551
Location
Valhalla
Me too - it was the Semple method. Still have my empty vials.
I remember it as 1 a day fro 2 weeks or 14 shots with a very big, very long needle. :uhoh:

Mortality rate from the shots was disproportionally high. Was very happy when new method/vaccine was developed.
http://www.tropicalmedandhygienejrnl.net/article/0035-9203%2888%2990167-8/abstract

You must have gotten bitten by a domestic animal Grape. Mine was 2 a day for 7 days and one a day for another 7...total 21 not 24:banghead:
A fox bit me but I deserved it:lol:

i remember the mortality rate. If I had been allergic to chickens I'd have been toast. Even so, I was sick for months.
 
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peter nap

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The wifester and I saw one down in Roanoke just two weeks ago. We'd just got on I-81 southbound from Rt. 220A and the wifester yells "Hey! There's a bear!" Sure enough there was a full grown black bear standing on the side of the hill maybe 50 - 100 feet from the roadway just staring at the traffic. It was maybe 7:30 or 8 in the evening so there was still light out to not need headlights yet and the woods were right behind the bear about the same distance he was from the highway.

They're funny animals Jmelvin. They seem to enjoy watching cars and tractors or ATV's. I'd love to know what goes on in their minds.

I watched one one day sitting on the ground, swatting a stick. It would flip up in the air and she would almost grin, then swat it again. That went on for fifteen minutes or so.

Mine like to watch me on the tractor. It seems to fascinate them that this thing keeps going back and forth.
 

paramedic70002

Regular Member
Joined
Jun 14, 2006
Messages
1,440
Location
Franklin, VA, Virginia, USA
One good reason to shoot and kill a snake: So the Doctor can positively identify it and provide the exact treatment instead of the generic snakebite serum.

Once about ten years ago I and the wife were walking out of a trail in the Shenandoah and were shadowed by a bear for about a mile. That was unnerving with only a knife and a Maglight for defense, and it was late dusk to boot. We thought it finally gave up until we nearly hit it with the car when we pulled out of the parking lot!
 

Grapeshot

Legendary Warrior
Joined
May 21, 2006
Messages
35,317
Location
Valhalla
You must have gotten bitten by a domestic animal Grape. Mine was 2 a day for 7 days and one a day for another 7...total 21 not 24:banghead:
A fox bit me but I deserved it:lol:

i remember the mortality rate. If I had been allergic to chickens I'd have been toast. Even so, I was sick for months.

Was a squirrel and it died within minutes of biting me - let that be a warning.:lol:

The state lab screwed up the test on the little rodent's brain 3 times necessitating my taking the shots. When the test was finally completed successfully, it came back negative for rabies, but I had already finished the shots.

I got a new bike out of the deal - bribery for lifting my shirt and standing still. Those dang things hurt!
 

peter nap

Accomplished Advocate
Joined
Oct 16, 2007
Messages
13,551
Location
Valhalla
Once about ten years ago I and the wife were walking out of a trail in the Shenandoah and were shadowed by a bear for about a mile. That was unnerving with only a knife and a Maglight for defense, and it was late dusk to boot. We thought it finally gave up until we nearly hit it with the car when we pulled out of the parking lot!

People ask me all the time if I'm afraid of them. Somewhere I have a video of one I took at about 3 feet. In one or two frames the camera slipped down and you can see the muzzle of the BFR.

The simple truth is that they have a lot more to be afraid of people that people do of them.

I always reach an agreement with them. They don't bite me and I don't make a rug out of them. Carrying a gun, preferably a big one, goes a long way toward making that agreement binding.
 

TFred

Regular Member
Joined
Oct 13, 2008
Messages
7,750
Location
Most historic town in, Virginia, USA
I always reach an agreement with them. They don't bite me and I don't make a rug out of them. Carrying a gun, preferably a big one, goes a long way toward making that agreement binding.
Ha, but the problem with that is, much like your "bears will be prosecuted" sign... they are totally unaware of these agreements... written or otherwise!

:)

TFred
 

jmelvin

Founder's Club Member
Joined
Jun 12, 2008
Messages
2,195
Location
Lynchburg, Virginia, USA
They're funny animals Jmelvin. They seem to enjoy watching cars and tractors or ATV's. I'd love to know what goes on in their minds.

I watched one one day sitting on the ground, swatting a stick. It would flip up in the air and she would almost grin, then swat it again. That went on for fifteen minutes or so.

Mine like to watch me on the tractor. It seems to fascinate them that this thing keeps going back and forth.

If given the chance I'd have gladly stopped just to watch the bear. We turned around to see if the bear was still in the same location, but 5 or 10 minutes probably passed from the time we saw the bear until we got back to the same location on the other side of the road just because the first exit was a few miles from where we first saw it and it was gone.

I came up on one walking on the opposite side of the road a few years back when returning to VA from OH at Thanksgiving. It was fully dark out and I noticed the bear as I rounded a curve in the mountains up in/near Rockbridge Co. No one else was nearby on the road so I slowed down to a crawl and turned the car toward it to watch it walk, but it eventually scampered up the hill and out of sight.

I'd gladly sit and watch the bears if given another chance, but like you, I'd rather have a nice big bore sidearm to gaurantee any agreements to remain peaceable.
 
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marshaul

Campaign Veteran
Joined
Aug 13, 2007
Messages
11,188
Location
Fairfax County, Virginia
Unless you're loaded with snakeshot, it would be pretty hard to dispatch that beast with JHP or ball ammo with just one or two shots.

That's why I carry .45 snakeshot. When using it, I often have 3-4 snakeshot (depending on whether I'm using a 7- or 8-rounder) in a mag with FMJ behind it (or vise versa). Sometimes the snakeshot is first, sometimes I have a round of FMJ first. It all works the same (I've tested to my satisfaction) from the shooter's perspective, so I can just starting shooting if need be. Sometimes I just carry a mag of snake shot in a special leather mag holder which I only use for that ammo, although that seems significantly less useful.

I also wear boots with 10" shafts. That's a good deal of protection against bites in the brush.

I have a snake, so I have no phobia of them. I understand their behavior and basic desires. I would never shoot a rattler or a copperhead just because I happened across it.

However, it is possible to encounter a poisonous snake such that neither party feels able to escape (imagine scenarios so I don't have to, or watch True Grit :p).

Also, while a snake strike is much faster than I'll ever be, I've seen my snake (non-posionous though she is) momentarily confused by a strike on something which was not what she expected it to be. It is possible my boot might create such a result, although certainly highly unlikely.

If I have been struck at, but not actually bitten, I'm not going to try to run away. Snakes can also strike faster than I can run, and that kind of sound and motion is a bullseye target for a snake which has already made the decision to kill. I'm going to hope I can get off a couple of shots before the snake tries again.

Do I expect I will ever use my snakeshot? No. I would bet money that I never will.

But would I bet my life on it? Not really. It seems reasonable to hedge my bets when it comes to my life.

So, if I'm in grizzly country, I'll lug along my Stoeger 2000. :lol: Still expecting never to use it.

If I'm in snake country, I'll carry some snake shot.

And good ol' .45 FMJ somewhere in the magazine seems prudent for the possible two-legged predator regardless, on any hiking trail.
 
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nuc65

Activist Member
Joined
Nov 22, 2009
Messages
1,121
Location
Lynchburg, Virginia, USA
Hate wasps. Snake is ok, tastes like chicken. Admire bears but will remain respectful. Damn deer in VA, eating my pecan saplings... almost dead...

There was an article about a man charged with discharging a firearm inside city limits... the reason: he was shooting at bees...

Rather silly, my dad raises bees.
 

Feynix

New member
Joined
May 10, 2011
Messages
9
Location
Kodiak, Ak
It is possible to walk up on a pair that's setting up housekeeping. This is the time of year for it. The problem isn't the bears being aggressive toward humans, it's the males thinking you're a cub. They will and do kill cubs and yearlings. Back off making a lot of human noise and make sure he sees you, not just some bushes shaking. This is the scene you want to avoid (Unless you're a photographer with very little sense):lol:
bear.jpg

Wait just a minute.....noone ever told me that there were miniature bears down there in VA!

Are they the stealth Variant??
 

peter nap

Accomplished Advocate
Joined
Oct 16, 2007
Messages
13,551
Location
Valhalla
Ha, but the problem with that is, much like your "bears will be prosecuted" sign... they are totally unaware of these agreements... written or otherwise!

:)

TFred

They know after I pull that trigger.
That said, I have a camera on my crossbow and one year I was aiming at a small bear just to get a picture. When he saw me he literally did a backflip to run. I think he knew,
 
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