HDS high CRI clicky saved us

[pjandyho]

Or maybe it prevented us from becoming python meal...

I was doing a short trek with my wife along a gravel path in our local nature park. My wife was using a Nitecore D10 GDP and I had my HDS high CRI clicky and also a Surefire AZ2. I wasn't using the AZ2 as I had reserved it only for throw so it was hanging on my neck via the provided lanyard. Throughout the trek I had the high CRI HDS clicky on medium power, level 19 which is about equivalent to 35 lumens.

My wife was walking about 3 meters ahead of me and she did not notice the python with head cocked backwards, maybe poised to strike? I am not the snake expert here so I couldn't be sure. Non of us noticed the snake at first. My high CRI immediately brought out the colors and contrast of the snake's body against the gravel and that was when I realized what I was looking at, a python of about 3 meters long.

I couldn't grab my wife as she was ahead of me so I yelled at my wife to stop which of course it stunted her enough to. I blasted my high CRI to max power just to make sure she sees what I was pointing at and without having to say anymore she jumped back. The snake was about 2 meters ahead of her.

At that point I did not know what to do. Back trek or go forward. I really wanted to move forward but my wife was too afraid and demanded we back trek. So I came out with a plan to "blind" the python. I had to assure her quite a number of times that we are going to be fine and that the snake would be too blinded to attack. Finally she agreed so we turned our lights to maximum power, blast whatever we had at the snake and jumped across it. It worked!

Thanks to the invention of high CRI LEDs and thanks to Henry of HDS Systems for making such an incredible light. Without that we probably would not have noticed the python in the middle of the gravel path and walked right into it. :thumbsup:

 

[abarth_1200]

Pictures or it dodnt happen...

Just kidding, I doubt you would have time to take a picture in that situation, awesome story though, I also have a high cri clicky but have yet to put it through its paces outdoors.

 

[pjandyho]

Yes I wished I had brought my camera that day but I was too lazy to lug my camera out. After my wife had calmed down she said I should have taken a photo so she could post it in her Facebook.

 

[abarth_1200]

Im still waiting on that 170T for my beamshots :candle:

 

[iacchus]

This should be up on the Customer Testimonial page at the HDS website

 

[Nerd]

Glad to hear that both of you are alright!

 

[mcnair55]

I hate snakes,I would have been back trekking quicker than Concorde.

 

[WadeF]

Is a 10 foot Python a danger to humans? I would have just walked around it.

 

[BigBluefish]

I happen to like snakes, and in my younger years, at 10 feet, I'd have probably had a go at catching him, just for a closer look. Now, of course, that would probably be illegal, depending on the species and where you happen to encounter it. I've also wised up and realize that this sort of thing really doesn't do me, or the snakes, any good at all. I'm happy with photos, now.

Dangerous at 10 ft? Well, it won't kill you or try to eat you, but I can testify from personal experience (including, uhm...see above) that they do bite and it is not pleasant.

 

[91FromStars]

Is a 10 foot Python a danger to humans?

I would be afraid of its teeth. Several years ago, I saw a guy on a television (probably NatGeo, but I can't remember) get bit by an anaconda. I think it was 12 to 15 feet long. Those teeth held his arm very well. It took several people to maneuver his arm out of the snake's mouth. I would expect a python of ten feet to be dangerous if it attacked someone.

 

[Tekno_Cowboy]

I'm pretty sure a 10ft python could kill you via suffocation if it particularly felt like it. On the other hand, you'd have to let it crawl that far up you first.

Odds are pretty good you could have tripped over the python and it would have ignored you for the most part as you went on your merry way.

 

[Hellbore]

Is a 10 foot Python a danger to humans? I would have just walked around it.

This is exactly what I was thinking

That, or just scared it off with noises, throwing junk at it, etc.

Your biggest threat was probably from getting pink-eye from handling it

But I guess it makes for a better flashlight story if you use your uber flashlights to blind it

 

[pjandyho]

Im still waiting on that 170T for my beamshots :candle:

Me too awaiting the 170T. Couldn't wait to get it on my hands.

 

[pjandyho]

This should be up on the Customer Testimonial page at the HDS website

Cool! I did not know about the Testimonial page through all those times that I visited HDS site. :twothumbs

Glad to hear that both of you are alright!

How are you my friend. We have not met for a long time. Good to know that you are still active in CPF. :wave:

 

[pjandyho]

Is a 10 foot Python a danger to humans? I would have just walked around it.

I guess it is around 10 foot but I couldn't be sure as it was partially curled up. From what is visible to me I made an estimation of 10 foot but it might be longer for all I know. I don't know about you but I am Asian and we Asians are smaller in built so even a 3 meters long python could be a real threat.

I would be afraid of its teeth. I would expect a python of ten feet to be dangerous if it attacked someone.

Yes I was afraid of it's fangs. If one is bitten there is no easy way to remove it once it sinks deep into your flesh and it is going to hurt like hell. The biggest fear when bitten would not be the inability to remove the fangs but rather the python's instinct would be to curl itself up around the victim and suffocate the victim. I don't think my wife who is scared stiff would be of any help if I am attacked.

On the other hand, you'd have to let it crawl that far up you first.

Pythons don't crawl up on you. They pounce on you in lightning speed if they think you are food. And once they get a hold on you they curl around your hands and chest. That is my biggest fear.

That, or just scared it off with noises, throwing junk at it, etc. But I guess it makes for a better flashlight story if you use your uber flashlights to blind it

LOL :laughing: Well I did try throwing stones and gravel at it but it refused to move and yes, it would make an uber story for flashaholics too! How often do we get to blind snakes?


EDIT TO ADD: Anyway, to all who responded, thank you very much for reading. I hope I don't make it sound like the snake is definitely going to attack me but I would rather be cautious than assume that it wouldn't attack. As I have said, it was lying in the middle of the gravel path with part of it's body curled up and head cocked up. It looks like it is in a poise ready to strike but I am uncertain so any caution is better than nothing. For all I know, it could probably just be cooling or warming itself on the gravel.

 

[nbp]

We have had a couple big snakes: a Burmese python who was about nine or ten feet when we sold him, and two red tailed boas. One of those died, one is still alive and with a friend of mine. We had him for about twenty years, and hes probably about twenty five now. He's about seven feet.

A ten foot python is not to be trifled with, but unless it is an unusually large snake, a grown man should be able to peel him off, assuming you were awake and prepared for the attack. Our snakes were strong, but you could unwind them from your arms and legs when holding them if you needed to. Plus, snakes are not really prone to attack, they much rather hide and wait for you to pass by. And they don't care to waste precious energy attacking and killing things they know they cannot eat, i.e. you.

I would say you were not really in danger for your life, but caution is obviously warranted around such an animal, it is still dangerous. Your best bet is probably to just sneak around him. While your lights were fun, they didn't do anything as snakes have terrible eyesight, and throwing junk at him will only scare it and make it more hostile.

A bite from a snake that size will definitely smart though. They have crazy strike speed and they are powerful. I once was bitten by my boa, (my fault, not his) and it hurts. I had about twenty tiny holes in my hand and bruises from the strike. I liken it to embedding a bunch of very fine needles in the head of a rubber mallet and then smacking your hand with it. Not fun.

Glad everyone's safe. I'd just steer clear of them next time .

 

[pjandyho]

Hi nbp,

Nice to know about your snake collection. Just a quick question. Are python the longest snake in the constrictor family? How about boa and anaconda? My friend told me that both boa and anacondas only grows fatter but pythons grows longer. Is this true?

 

[JDest]

There have been reported cases of reticulated pythons growing to over 30 ft in length. There rumors of anacondas in the wild (propagated by recent movies of course) growing to longer lengths than that, but none have been substantiated. The longest green anaconda on record I believe was around 27 ft.

As far as the OP goes. Was he in any immediate life-threatening danger? Not really. As already stated, a full grown man should be able to fend off a 9ft or thereabouts constrictor. Could it kill you? Sure. But you'd have to basically let it for that to happen. Either way, the OP did the smartest thing a non expert in herpetoculture could do. He used the tools he had available, and got the hell out of there without casualty to himself, his wife, or the snake.:thumbsup:


ETA: By the WAY OP just saw your last post. I believe the green anaconda (the longest of the anacondas) does indeed have a larger girth than most pythons including reticulatus.

 

[kaichu dento]

I thought anaconda's were the longest growing snakes?!? Maybe I'm wrong but I agree with the ones who say it's better to take caution.

Either way, it's one of the better flashlight incidences we've had written about recently and you found first hand how much better that warmer tints are at picking things out from one another in the dark.

Did you copy and post your story on the HDS site yet?

 

[nbp]

IIRC the reticulated python is the longest. Female anacondas get really long and fat, like 30 ft, 250 lbs, while males not so big. I don't think any boas get that large. I may have to do some googling, now you got me thinking. :duh2: