Out of Africa: BIG DEER Blogger Kills Green Mamba!

BIG DEER has gone global. Blogger Lance Freeland lives in Cameroon Africa, on the Ndop plane in the village of Bangolan (use Google Earth to see Ndop, his house is labeled as Freeland's). He sent this: 

Hi Mike: A few weeks ago I killed a green mamba in the backyard. I thought of you and a piece of advice you might want to pass along.

For over 60 years electric shock has been used as first aid in treating venomous bites and stings in Third World countries. Studies were published regarding snake bites and the use of electrical shock by Guderain and Mueller in the 80's and 90's. Any internal combustion engine (car, quad, lawn mower, generator, weed whip) can be used to provide a shock to the wound site. Another option sportsmen might have is a dog shock collar. 

Just place it on the bite and push the button. Of course this is only something to do while en route to the hospital.

Where I live the hospital is an hour and a half away at best, and then they might not have any anti-venom on hand. Three years ago a friend in the neighboring village of Bambalang used this method on a man who had been bitten by a green mamba while they were en route to the hospital. My friend likely saved the man’s life.—Thanks Lance

P.S. I always look forward to checking your blog--that is when our Internet is fast enough :)

I’ve posted a lot of snake stories but this is the first on the green mamba--thanks Lance for freaking me out with it (and thanks for ridding the world of one less snake/mamba)!

Disclaimer: Lance lives in Africa, where they do what they have to do to survive. If you hunt/fish in an area with a lot of venomous snakes, check with a medical expert to see if he recommends the shock treatment if you or a buddy gets bitten.

Better yet, find a new, less-snaky place to hunt—or do like me and run like hell when you see one of those nasty things! comment  

 

 

Comments
Mike,

Growing up around Natural Bridge Va. we regularly would go out on the weekends and catch all sorts of snakes and sell them to the local zoo in that area. We got a $1.00 per snake back in the 70's. and to us that was good money. Back then I had no qualms about reaching down and grabbing a rattlesnake or copperhead and throwing it into a pillow case or old feed bag.

I guess with age you really do get wiser because now I am with you on the "run like hell part". I've been bitten twice, once when I was burning a brush pile and then while setting in a tree stand. The snake was actually higher up in the tree than I was and I guess I was blocking his descent down the tree. Furtunately neither bite was from a venimous snake and only required a shot of penicilin in case of infection.

I have seen quite a few snakes this year. I guess the exceptionally warmer weather has them out and about so I cautiously look where I am going and carry a 6ft walking stick while checking my trail cams. Now If I could only get rid of all the ticks!
# Posted By Buddy in South Central Viginia | 7/19/10 10:48 AM
10-4 on the run like hell!
# Posted By Curt | 7/19/10 12:04 PM
I consider myself a bit of a tough guy at times, but when it comes to snakes, hell no!, I am turnin' and burnin'.
# Posted By Grant | 7/19/10 1:20 PM
Where are the BIG DEER stories? These snake stories are getting old & boring...
# Posted By Cliff | 7/19/10 2:55 PM
Damn, Cliff!
It's July. What have you killed that we haven't discussed since January? Hell, we're just ridin' it out til the next killin' season starts! I'm sure Big Kahuna has put something on the meat pole recently! He kills stuff weekly! Hey, Big Kahuna whatcha got for us?
# Posted By Curt | 7/19/10 3:10 PM
That a boy Curt! The stories will start rolling in as soon a bow season opens.

Food for thought: The early bird gets the worm but the second mouse gets the cheese!
# Posted By Buddy in South Central Viginia | 7/19/10 4:14 PM
Hi Lance,

What about Black Mambas? I have heard all kinds of stories about mambas "Stalking People-prey. Is this true?
# Posted By Mack | 7/19/10 4:28 PM
When I was a kid, my parents were medical missionaries to West Africa. We lived at the end of the line (read: bush country). Surprisingly we had a decent hospital in the village by African standards, with either 1 or 2 doctors on hand, but it was the only one for miles and miles. People would walk for days to get treated for all sorts of injuries, but my Dad said the Mamba bites usually never made it to the hospital. They have neurotoxin, which shuts down the respiratory system in a couple of hours.

We did have a couple of run-ins with baby cobras in my sisters' shoes in the closet, and I saw one at another house in our village. There were mambas around as well. Oh, by the way, did anyone read the story this week about coral snake anti-venom? Evidently there is only one drug manufacturer in the country that makes it, and they have ceased production because it is not profitable. No other companies are going to pick it up, because it takes several million dollars to get a new formula FDA approved, and there is not much demand. After 2011 or 2012, there will be none left, so you are SOL. The good news is, Mexico has anit-venom that is even better than what we have here, so if you can make the drive to Mexico you can pick some up. Coral snakes are the only snakes in the U.S. that have neurotoxin so good luck!
# Posted By David in NC | 7/19/10 5:18 PM
Antelope hunting can pose a few challenges with those darn rattlers and such. Gotta love the belly crawl while stalking a nice buck, just to ruin it and stand up screaming like a girl as I unload all 10 shots from my .40 cal strapped to me. The hell with warm hunting. Fish!
# Posted By Buckwheat | 7/19/10 5:28 PM
DAMN CURT, IT'S MONDAY AND I NEED A FIX AND I NEED IT NOW!!! Hunting seasons are stretched to far apart, starting to sweat
and getting dizzy now, GOTTA GO.....
# Posted By Cliff | 7/19/10 10:11 PM
Big Snakes
# Posted By m.t. | 7/19/10 10:27 PM
If I remember correctly the shock treatment does not work on the venom that attacks the nervous system - neurotoxins ie: coral snake and cobra venom.
# Posted By dbaxter | 7/20/10 1:48 AM
Antelope hunting can pose a few challenges with those darn rattlers and such. Gotta love the belly crawl while stalking a nice buck, just to ruin it and stand up screaming like a girl as I unload all 10 shots from my .40 cal strapped to me. The hell with warm hunting. Fish!
sdfd
# Posted By UGGS UK | 7/20/10 5:34 AM
The good part about coral snakes is that they are non-agressive and have a very small mouth. They don't inject a lot of venom unless they get you by a toe or finger. red and yellow kill a fellow. lol
# Posted By Rodger | 7/20/10 12:06 PM
Regarding first aid for bites from venomous snakes, many treatments have been in-favor over the years, but the recommendations now are pretty much to get to an emergency room as soon as possible, while minimizing movement of the affected limb. See this link for more info: http://firstaid.webmd.com/snakebite-treatment. As noted on this website, most of the first aid techniques that have emerged over the years, including electric shock, risk causing additional problems/damage rather than having any direct benefit to treating the bite. BTW, I am not relying just on this website for advice, but I have had several first aid courses via Red Cross that have had the same advice for snake bite treatment.
# Posted By bbarnette | 7/20/10 1:52 PM
Correct bbarnett- ER ASAP!
# Posted By Mack | 7/20/10 2:31 PM
Yes in the States the Medical advice is always to get to a hospital asap (I have taken a lot of first aid classes also), but they are almost always close by. Also shock treatment will never be FDA approved because they wont allow it to be tested on people. However it has been proven to help here in Africa on both kinds of venom. There are hundreds of stories of people living days to get to the hospital when they should have been dead in a few hours. The proteins in the toxin are broken down by the electricity, resulting in stray proteins and no longer toxins. In my area we have both the Black and green mambas but I have only seen the one green, and two other rat snakes. Mike to an African the only good snake is one that is dead, chopped up, cremated, and buried 5 feet under the ground. Mack, the mambas are a very aggressive snake. I have heard lots of stories of them stalking people but have never witnessed it.
# Posted By Lance | 7/22/10 7:25 AM
[url="http://www.vibram-fingers.info/";]vibram fingers[/url] shoes give women the feeling of walking barefoot while still keeping the feet protected.Some foot types cannot handle the impacts of [url="http://www.vibram-fingers.info/";]barefoot running[/url], such as feet with hyper-mobility, hypo-mobility or imbalances in the forefoot that need correcting by an orthotic. While humans have been [url="http://www.vibram-fingers.info/";]five fingers runing[/url] for millions of years, just recently the practice has made a resurgence in North America.[url="http://www.uggsnederland.info/";]uggs nederland[/url] is known as the best sheepskin boots for both fashionable look and ultimate comfort.Apparently, the fashionable colors for [url="http://www.uggsnederland.info/";]uggs kopen[/url] are changing but have some succession.High Intensity [url="http://www.insanity-vs-p90x.com";]Insanity Workout[/url] are all the rage. Youll see grandma's doing intervals with their walkers, while little kids take turns lifting their Razor Scooters over their heads with furious concentration for the allotted amount of time. [url="http://www.insanity-vs-p90x.com";]P90x Workout[/url] can deliver all of these benefits. If you work the program as it is intended to be used, you will lose weight, gain muscle, improve your appearance, and make your heart and lungs stronger.One more round of the [url="http://www.insanity-vs-p90x.com";]cheap Insanity Workout[/url] Plyometric Cardio Circuit today![url="http://www.mbt-antishoes.net";]Mbt shoes[/url] has a wide variety of styles for men and women, but were going to do a quick spotlight on some of our innovative and healthy MBT sandals for spring and summer.[url="http://www.mbt-antishoes.net";]MBT Chapa[/url] is another popular style. It has all the features that other types have.[url="http://www.mbt-antishoes.net/mbt-safiri-c-92.html&...;]Mbt safiri[/url] with split leather, mesh upper offers breathability and scratch resistance.
# Posted By vibram fingers | 8/3/10 11:21 PM
Gucci- the name is enough to talk about its unmatched qualities and line of patronages. Gucci is in market since the year 1921 and has given the run for money for many brands all round the world. Talking of [url=http://www.replica-handbags.com.cn]replica handbags[/url], no company can surpass the fame Gucci has developed since time immemorial. [url=http://www.replica-handbags.com.cn/Prada-Handbags-c-6.html]Prada replica Handbags[/url] are made from fine quality raw materials. The designs are done minutely, rather engineered perfectly to fulfill what purpose the [url=http://www.replica-handbags.com.cn/Fendi-Handbags-c-8.html]Fendi replica Handbags[/url] are made for. Each [url=http://www.replica-handbags.com.cn/Christian-Dior-Handbags-c-15.html]Christian Dior Handbags[/url] is handmade to keep the class of each [url=http://www.replica-handbags.com.cn/Balenciaga-Handbags-c-11.html]cheap Balenciaga Handbags[/url] at par with excellence. [url=http://www.replica-handbags.com.cn/Gucci-Handbags-c-2.html]Gucci Handbags[/url] successfully redefine luxury. But, this luxury is so expensive that only countable few can afford it- all round the world. [url=http://www.replica-handbags.com.cn/Thomas-Wylde-Handbags-c-16.html]Thomas Wylde replica Handbags[/url] and Purses So, what will others do who cant afford to buy the Gucci purses? The answer is simple yet strong- [url=http://www.replica-handbags.com.cn/Juicy-Couture-Handbags-c-12.html]Juicy Couture Handbags replica[/url] manufacturers. Looking at the demands from round the globe many companies have sprung up in recent times that are into replica handbag manufacturing- of exclusively [url=http://www.replica-handbags.com.cn/Coach-Handbags-c-9.html]cheap Coach Handbags[/url]. The [url=http://www.replica-handbags.com.cn/Wallet-Louis-Vuitton-c-25_114.html]replica Wallet-Louis-Vuitton[/url] manufacturers maintain the quality of the original brand at all cost. They are known to copy the designs, colours, raw materials and all other things up to the last detail. Every new release by Gucci brand is coped and launched within days by these replica manufacturers. So, now you can update your [url=http://www.replica-handbags.com.cn/Miu-Miu-Handbags-c-7.html]Miu Miu replica Handbags[/url] easily by buying them online. The leathers used are genuine and crafted to the last detail. You can seek out from the assortment of displayed designs and products as [url=http://www.replica-handbags.com.cn/Wallet-Prada-c-25_119.html]Prada Wallet replica Handbags[/url], purses, clutches etc. Replicating the products cut out lot of costs that are tagged along with the original brand names. So, you can guess easily that the prices of the [url=http://www.replica-handbags.com.cn/Hermes-Handbags-c-3.html]Hermes Handbags[/url] will be quite low in compare to original [url=http://www.replica-handbags.com.cn/Thomas-Wylde-Handbags-c-16.html]replica Thomas Wylde Handbags[/url]. Fake [url=http://www.replica-handbags.com.cn/Marni-Handbags-c-22.html]cheap Marni Handbags[/url] have hold a strong market in recent times and is expected to continue doing so in future as well. The net is brimming with [url=http://www.replica-handbags.com.cn]designer handbags on sale[/url] manufacturers. You need to simply click on and order your favourate [url=http://www.replica-handbags.com.cn]real designer handbags[/url] from these websites. They are periodically loaded with new introductions, so you can expect your wardrobe to remain full of all latest Gucci collections always.Louis Vuitton is a well-renowned brand in the fashion industry that has created a marked for itself among its major competitors. Fashion conscious people have great regard for the products of Louis Vuitton and they simply love to possess this brand of products for their elegant style and classy look that make them stand out in the crowd. A symbol of ultimate fashion statement this [url=http://www.replica-handbags.com.cn/Marni-Handbags-c-22.html]replica Marni Handbags[/url] is a pride possession but not all of us can dream of this [url=http://www.replica-handbags.com.cn/Chloe-Handbags-c-5.html]Chloe Handbags replica[/url] as it is highly expensive, which can only be afforded by the highly rich class of the society. Thus to fulfill the dream of medium class fashion conscious people, many companies come out with [url=http://www.replica-handbags.com.cn/Louis-Vuitton-Handbags-c-1.html]replica Louis Vuitton Handbags[/url] that are exact copy of the original one and are available at quite reasonable price. To satisfy the desire of economic class of people, the manufacturers of [url=http://www.replica-handbags.com.cn]discount authentic designer handbags[/url] give utmost importance to maintain the quality and style of the original one. Right from the material used to the stitching style, every aspect is tried to be matched with the original one so that customers can avail the best [url=http://www.replica-handbags.com.cn/Wallet-GUCCI-c-25_116.html]GUCCI Wallet[/url] that perfectly imitate the original [url=http://www.replica-handbags.com.cn/Wallet-Marc-Jacobs-c-25_117.html]Marc Jacobs Wallet replica Handbags[/url]. After carefully selecting the material and the accessories, they are checked for the quality before forwarding to their craftsman. Craftsman after going through the minutes details of the original [url=http://www.replica-handbags.com.cn/AH-Handbags-c-24.html]AH Handbags[/url] tries to incorporate these details into the replica one, so that customers are offered with the some rarest piece of [url=http://www.replica-handbags.com.cn/Wallet-Hermes-c-25_115.html]Hermes Wallet[/url]. There are many online stores available that offer these [url=http://www.replica-handbags.com.cn/Fendi-Handbags-c-8.html]replica Fendi Handbags[/url] in different style and sizes in order to provide customers with some really qualitative [url=http://www.replica-handbags.com.cn/Wallet-Louis-Vuitton-c-25_114.html]Wallet-Louis-Vuitton replica[/url] at the best of price. Women are crazy for the [url=http://www.replica-handbags.com.cn/AH-Handbags-c-24.html]AH Handbags replica[/url] due to several factors such as economical price, look, style, durability, and quality. The low prices of [url=http://www.replica-handbags.com.cn/Dolce-Gabbana-Handbags-c-17.html]cheap Dolce Gabbana Handbags[/url] enable a woman to buy several [url=http://www.replica-handbags.com.cn/Coach-Handbags-c-9.html]Coach replica Handbags[/url]s in the price of one original [url=http://www.replica-handbags.com.cn/Christian-Dior-Handbags-c-15.html]cheap Christian Dior Handbags[/url]. These [url=http://www.replica-handbags.com.cn/Wallet-Hermes-c-25_115.html]cheap Hermes Wallet[/url] have become the smart and economical choice of todays women who love to compete with the current fashion trend without spending huge amount on it. The authentic copy of the originals, these [url=http://www.replica-handbags.com.cn/Mulberry-Handbags-c-19.html]Mulberry Handbags[/url] have the same quality cowhide leather and alcantara lining providing a finish of the original. [url=http://www.replica-handbags.com.cn/Versace-Handbags-c-20.html]Versace Handbags replica[/url] have become the preferred choice of many fashion conscious women due to its price, easily availability, available in great variety, color, and sizes, and the perfect imitation of the original one. But the desire to possess these highly stylish [url=http://www.replica-handbags.com.cn/Bally-Handbags-c-23.html]Bally replica Handbags[/url] has forced many manufacturers to come out with [url=http://www.replica-handbags.com.cn/Wallet-c-25.html]replica Wallet[/url] so that everyone can fulfill their wish of being stylish and fashionable.
# Posted By xuhong98 | 8/26/10 6:30 AM