Introducing a new kind (for me) of trip and report

[Benson Burner]

That sounds like a great area to do the kind of thing I'm trying to do. I recommend it as a change from the way many of us normally do things. I'm not giving up the hiking and backpacking, just sort of throwing this type of thing into the mix for a different kind of experience. Thanks Sidney!



You just described me perfectly- always in a hurry to get to the next thing, and not paying attention to the moment. Maybe I can retrain my brain... thanks deckster!



It should be an interesting experience for sure! Thanks BB!



Haha! Well you asked. My unit (3rd battalion 7th Marine Division) was training for jungle ops in Thailand with the Thai Royal Marines. The TRM gave us some interesting classes on the kinds of things they deal with in their country. One of those classes happened to be dealing with cobras.

The first method they showed us to catch a cobra was pretty simple. As the cobra is crawling on the ground you simply walk up to it and pick it up back near the tail. Once you have it you sort of shake it and it can't bite you.

There were a few of the guys in our unit that tried this method with success. If a cobra isn't hooded, it's a fairly easy way to catch one.

Once a cobra is hooded and on the alert it becomes a little more complicated. The Thais showed us a method where you squat down in front of the cobra, waving your knee back and forth. The cobra will focus on the movement of your knee, and even sort of sway back and forth with the same rhythm. While it's focus is on your knee, you reach behind his head with your opposite hand and snatch him up by the neck so he can't bite you.

Well, none of the guys in my unit seemed to want to try this method. As a longtime snake aficionado, a patriotic American and a United States Marine I felt like is my duty to catch this particular cobra for Corps, Country and personal glory lol! So I did, and the prescribed method worked like a charm. It was definitely a unique experience.

After I caught him, the Thais beheaded him and bled him into some really strong rice wine, which I was then obliged to drink. This, according to the Thais, endowed me with the "Spirit of the Cobra." So i figure if I have the Spirit of the Cobra, then I don't have to worry about pedestrian snakes like copperheads and rattlesnakes right?

Anyway, that's the story. I had some interesting times as one of the Few and the Proud! =) Thanks Five Tango!

Awesome.


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[Five Tango]

Johnspenn,I hope you don't mind if we start calling you Cobra Spirit or Cobra Knees or something like that....That's about the most awesome thing I've heard lately.You could have gotten killed doing that you know.I would think these American snakes are childs play by comparison.

[STinGa]

Awesome story!

Tom

[GrizzlyAdams]

Haha! Well you asked. My unit (3rd battalion 7th Marine Division) was training for jungle ops in Thailand with the Thai Royal Marines. The TRM gave us some interesting classes on the kinds of things they deal with in their country. One of those classes happened to be dealing with cobras.
...

loved the story. That's trust in your instruction.

Happens I have a cobra story too. Me, my wife, and then 13 yr old son were in Delhi, India. Walked into a sort of Indian strip mall and on a rug on the drive is seated a fakir with a couple of baskets beside him. Some people gathered around him. He see this bright blond kid (rare in India!) and motions over to sit next to him. Before his mother can grab his ear to hold him back, son does as requested. Fakir pulls a snake out of the basket, draps it over my son and starts in with playing the pungi to charm the snake. That definitely gets the snakes attention, and while he is doing this he takes another basket, opens it up and places on my son's lap. Out comes a hooded cobra !!!!!

I can hear you all. Pictures or it didn't happen. It happened!

Screenshot 2017-11-04 21.43.54.jpg
We were happy to get the son back, gave the fakir a nice tip which of course is what he was about. An experience we all remember.

BTW, liking the format. Living in the moment, where you are. As for you, its a drive for me to go anywhere more substantive than a city park.

[mirrorslap]

~
Nice read. I always love the honesty - " Here we needed to cross so I stopped and zipped off the legs of my convertible pants and put on my water shoes. I slipped and fell going down the bank haha!". - - - > Pictures of this (or better yet, video) would have gotten bonus points!!

[FJRpilot]

Really enjoyed your new format John, thanks for your trip report.

I also have a Cobra story to share. I was in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, working at a copper cobalt mine and staying in employee housing near an employee kitchen. I had been there about 4 days and one evening I was on my way to my housing unit from dinner at the kitchen. I was talking with a friend who was also staying at the housing area and not really paying attention to my surroundings. As I approached the door to my housing unit, there on the pavement in front of my door, was a 6ft long spitting Cobra. He was in full hood and was up off the ground about 3 feet (waist level). I was about 8ft from him when our eyes made contact and I froze. He was not happy and I was spooked to say the least.

I immediately started to back away and the snake dropped back onto the ground and started moving towards me. I start moving away faster and yelled to my friend about the snake. He ran back to the kitchen and told a local we had been having dinner with about the snake. They “Snake Posse” came running and with me watching proceeded to capture the snake to relocate it and release it.

I had no intention of trying grab that critter, you are a braver man then I am.

Looking forward to your next blog post!


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[hangnout]

Good luck with the new direction. I can't count how many times I went on trip or short excursion and started shooting video then didn't finish it. This new format allows you to enjoy your time out and still show some gear etc.

[johnspenn]

Nice one mate, bushcrafting is whatever you want it to be

That's an interesting perspective, since at this point I really don't have a solid handle on what bushcrafting actually is. But something I learned from you is that it's okay to take more than one stove! Thanks!

Awesome.

Thanks BB!

Johnspenn,I hope you don't mind if we start calling you Cobra Spirit or Cobra Knees or something like that....That's about the most awesome thing I've heard lately.You could have gotten killed doing that you know.I would think these American snakes are childs play by comparison.

Haha well I don't completely want to "dis" our American species- or downplay how dumb it probably is to catch them bare handed =) And, you can call me whatever you like, just don't call me late for dinner!

Awesome story!

Tom

Thanks Tom, it still stands out in my mind like it was yesterday. A singular experience for sure.

loved the story. That's trust in your instruction.

Happens I have a cobra story too. Me, my wife, and then 13 yr old son were in Delhi, India. Walked into a sort of Indian strip mall and on a rug on the drive is seated a fakir with a couple of baskets beside him. Some people gathered around him. He see this bright blond kid (rare in India!) and motions over to sit next to him. Before his mother can grab his ear to hold him back, son does as requested. Fakir pulls a snake out of the basket, draps it over my son and starts in with playing the pungi to charm the snake. That definitely gets the snakes attention, and while he is doing this he takes another basket, opens it up and places on my son's lap. Out comes a hooded cobra !!!!!

I can hear you all. Pictures or it didn't happen. It happened!

Screenshot 2017-11-04 21.43.54.jpg
We were happy to get the son back, gave the fakir a nice tip which of course is what he was about. An experience we all remember.

BTW, liking the format. Living in the moment, where you are. As for you, its a drive for me to go anywhere more substantive than a city park.

The look on your son's face in that picture is priceless! Something he'll remember all his days for sure. Thanks Professor!

~
Nice read. I always love the honesty - " Here we needed to cross so I stopped and zipped off the legs of my convertible pants and put on my water shoes. I slipped and fell going down the bank haha!". - - - > Pictures of this (or better yet, video) would have gotten bonus points!!

I rarely slip/fall out on a normal backpacking trip, and fell three times (at least) on this one. Go figure. But hey it was all good, and I lived to tell the tale. Thanks mirrorslap!

Really enjoyed your new format John, thanks for your trip report.

I also have a Cobra story to share. I was in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, working at a copper cobalt mine and staying in employee housing near an employee kitchen. I had been there about 4 days and one evening I was on my way to my housing unit from dinner at the kitchen. I was talking with a friend who was also staying at the housing area and not really paying attention to my surroundings. As I approached the door to my housing unit, there on the pavement in front of my door, was a 6ft long spitting Cobra. He was in full hood and was up off the ground about 3 feet (waist level). I was about 8ft from him when our eyes made contact and I froze. He was not happy and I was spooked to say the least.

I immediately started to back away and the snake dropped back onto the ground and started moving towards me. I start moving away faster and yelled to my friend about the snake. He ran back to the kitchen and told a local we had been having dinner with about the snake. They “Snake Posse” came running and with me watching proceeded to capture the snake to relocate it and release it.

I had no intention of trying grab that critter, you are a braver man then I am.

Looking forward to your next blog post!

A spitting cobra is a whole different story. I wouldn't want to tangle with one either, I like seeing too much! Glad the natives knew how to deal with it. Thanks FJR!

Good luck with the new direction. I can't count how many times I went on trip or short excursion and started shooting video then didn't finish it. This new format allows you to enjoy your time out and still show some gear etc.

I've done that several times as well. Great point about keeping it simple with pictures. Thanks hangnout!

[PharmGeek]

Couch to cobra snatcher


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[johnspenn]

Couch to cobra snatcher


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Haha! Gonna have to re-brand lol!