Snakes!

[458 Exp]

What months of the year are too cold for snakes in RSA?

Depends on where in SA, but usually our winter months (May - Augustus)

 

[observe]

 

[observe]

 

[Lungshot202]

I HATE snakes!

They make my skin crawl.

 

[Lungshot202]

 

[50lawman]

While on a leopard hunt with Oelofse Safari at Mt. Etjo, Namibi one of the clients came in for lunch and mentioned that she and her Ph came across a black mamba crossing the road. They stopped and watched as the snake elevated it self up above the hood of their truck and began to scan them. Eventually it left and went on its way. While hearing this at lunch I asked what was the protocol if biting because we were always way out of the compound. The Ph said to remain calm and find a shady place across your arms across your chest. Now remember we don’t have snakes where I live so I was processing the info. There was a nagging feeling that there was more I needed to know so I asked why I had to cross my arms. The PH said it would help in carrying my body to the truck. Haha.

That night in the blind, it was bitterly cold and I was covered with two wool blankets. Suddenly my binoculars fell off of the support beam and I felt the blanket move. Something began to coil up in back of my calves under my chair. Mamba! I whisper to my Ph that something was coiling up behind my legs. I told him take out his pistol and I would lift up the blanket and for him to shoot it. I began to gingerly lift up the blanket and could see a black shape of a snakes body. I dropped the blanket and was trying to find out how I could get out but was hemmed in on all sides. I told the Ph to shoot this time as the creature was still moving. I
lifted up the blanket and this time his small black mixed terrier came out from under my chair. It was so cold that night that she said the hell with this and left the truck and tracked her owner down to our blind. What a stir I had to share that afternoon at lunch.

 

[50lawman]

While on a leopard hunt with Oelofse Safari at Mt. Etjo, Namibi one of the clients came in for lunch and mentioned that she and her Ph came across a black mamba crossing the road. They stopped and watched as the snake elevated it self up above the hood of their truck and began to scan them. Eventually it left and went on its way. While hearing this at lunch I asked what was the protocol if biting because we were always way out of the compound. The Ph said to remain calm and find a shady place across your arms across your chest. Now remember we don’t have snakes where I live so I was processing the info. There was a nagging feeling that there was more I needed to know so I asked why I had to cross my arms. The PH said it would help in carrying my body to the truck. Haha.

That night in the blind, it was bitterly cold and I was covered with two wool blankets. Suddenly my binoculars fell off of the support beam and I felt the blanket move. Something began to coil up in back of my calves under my chair. Mamba! I whisper to my Ph that something was coiling up behind my legs. I told him take out his pistol and I would lift up the blanket and for him to shoot it. I began to gingerly lift up the blanket and could see a black shape of a snakes body. I dropped the blanket and was trying to find out how I could get out but was hemmed in on all sides. I told the Ph to shoot this time as the creature was still moving. I
lifted up the blanket and this time his small black mixed terrier came out from under my chair. It was so cold that night that she said the hell with this and left the truck and tracked her owner down to our blind. What a story i had to share that afternoon at lunch.

 

[BourbonTrail]

Saw this on a walk in RSA, surprisingly he moves like our sidewinder:

 

[leslie hetrick]

toby with one of his gardner snakes and a rattlesnake i ran into hunting spring turkeys.

 

[geoff rath]

I HATE snakes!

johnnyblues; then don't come to Australia; 8 of the world's 10 deadliest snakes

 

[F. Vaccaro]

Boy if I run into snakes like some of those, it’s powder burning time!

 

[C.W. Richter]

An example of the endemic species taking back their ground from the invasives... https://www.ndtv.com/world-news/cot...python that had its,known as a water moccasin.

 

[leslie hetrick]

i don,t kill them unless they are where the kids and pets hang out. in the wild when i see them i just go around them.

 

[C.W. Richter]

beautiful to see if they're not messing with you! the invasives in FL (all species) must be taken out.

 

[sgt_zim]

johnnyblues; then don't come to Australia; 8 of the world's 10 deadliest snakes

i thought you guys had all 10 of the top 10.

 

[Dr Ray]

i thought you guys had all 10 of the top 10.

Top 11 I read somewhere
Welcome to oz

 

[Mike Wachtel]

The only down side of my July/August 2022 Namibia safari was that it was late winter; wanted to see snakes, but none. Only a couple species of lizard, no tortoise either. Had to settle for a 7'6", 119 lb. leopard and a bag of great trophies at Ozondjahe Safaris, just south of the Waterberg Plateau. Mike Wachtel, Lacona, Iowa USA

 

[C.W. Richter]

Things never heard on Safari "wanted to see snakes!"

 

[leslie hetrick]

more people die from bee stings in the u.s.a. than snake bites.

 

[shark_za]

I always see them, even in the winter months but I am going on a "late season" hunt next month and will be sure to see a lot more about.
Pythons are lovely, even Cape Cobras, Black Mambas downright terrifying.