DubiaW
Arachnobaron
- Joined
- Jan 10, 2017
- Messages
- 471
Last night someone thanked me on my S. heros collection database after using the data to locate two S. heros in the wild. It is very encouraging to know that others are using the data to explore the desert.
As I was getting done with the nightly feeding routine and checking the weather on the doppler I noticed that a large storm was quickly moving from the south into one of my favorite hunting grounds about twenty miles away. It was about 8:30 pm and dark out and the wind had begun to howl. It had been dry for a few days and hopefully the rain and humidity would bring the S. heros to the surface. Fitted up with the proper gear and a collection bucket I raced toward the storm in my car hoping that it had rained on the rock and moss covered mountainside that I had been exploring for the last week. After a little driving I decided to go to the most reliable place and found that it had been rained on hard enough to run the washes.
Still enthusiastic about the feedback on the database I started hiking up a wash that had just stopped running. It occurred to me that I should write a summary at the end of the season about what my hiking partners and I had learned about S. heros habitat and behavior. Something besides raw data. People might enjoy reading it. Being all alone and bored because there wasn't anything moving yet, I started mulling over talking points in my head to entertain myself as my eyes scanned the undergrowth and rocks for signs of life. There was a possible flash flood warning in effect and there I was hiking straight up a wash as the cliffs on each side became higher and more impassible when it dawned on me that I was creating a blueprint to direct fellow enthusiasts into very dangerous conditions.
Maybe a section on navigating the Sonoran Desert at night in a thunderstorm safely was in order. In my mind I quickly arranged a checklist of the obvious dangers, the not so obvious dangers and the things people might fear but are actually not that dangerous. Thunder rolled in the distance but the rain had stopped. "Mountain lions: check!" Not really that dangerous. Usually never seen except when they are running away. Shine a flashlight in its eyes and charge it. Never turn your back or run. That's why they always attack joggers. "Bobcats: Check." One of the most common animals to actually attack people while infected with rabies. Usually just entertaining unless they actually approach you or act strange then it is time to watch out. "Skunks: Check." They can carry rabies without exhibiting symptoms but are otherwise slow and reluctant to spray. See one almost every night in my favorite spot. "Rattlesnakes: Check." Sure they are venomous and the Sonoran desert has more species than any other state in the US but people spend too much time dreading an animal they can just walk around to avoid. "Javelinas: Check and double check!" The most dangerous thing you can encounter in these parts besides a mosquito with West Nile Virus. A fast moving medium sized new world musk pig, they are clumsy and they can't see very well which actually attributes to the danger. They often times approach hikers at night and stay just outside of the range of the flashlight beam clicking their tusks as a warning and can make a few other strange noises. I've had many close encounters but only once have I been charged. A lone razorback in broad daylight missed me by inches as I scrambled onto my truck for safety. I shuddered. That's the reason I carry a gun when I hike. Even then getting to a high place is better than a gun. Shine your light at them and they usually flee. The number of animals in the herd can make them incredibly unpredictable and shooting one can cause the rest to come to it's defense. What a really bad scenario.
On with the list I approached a turnaround point where I could climb out of the wash and walk the top of the cliff face. There are other less ominous things on the list. "Water: Check." Rule number one; always carry enough water to walk back to civilization if your car breaks down. "Flash floods: Check." S. heros love the rain! It might as well be called storm chasing instead of centipede hunting, so there should be a section on that. Lightning isn't much of a problem as it usually strikes the tallest Saguaro as opposed to crazy people with flashlights hiking in the rain. I've never seen it happen in person but the top of a saguaro can explode when struck by lightning, so they say. What an entertaining thought! A more realistic scenario than being crushed by a chunk of exploding saguaro is being trapped by a flash flood. A dry wash can become a barrier that prevents you from returning home. Know the alternative roads to escape. "Navigating the desert: Check." Don't hike into an area that you haven't seen in daylight if you can help it (of course, I can't help it). Follow the washes and mentally map out the drainage of the area. It is easier to get lost if you start up stream hiking down hill. Which tributary was your turn again? Start at the bottom and hike up stream and all tributaries lead home.
By this time I was thoroughly amused with the survival narrative in my mind but bored because there wasn't anything out and the narrative was starting to get silly. It was almost 11:00 pm and there was not even a skunk in Skunk Canyon (Just a nickname, but appropriate). It was time to go back . A barbed wire fence ran up the washbank where I could climb to the top of the cliff but it only allowed for about a meter of room to walk before widening up. Now the little adventure was wrapping up and I quickly summarized the check list in my mind before returning my thoughts to day to day affairs. I glanced over the cliff. "Fall danger: Check." I chuckled to myself. No it wouldn't make the list. Too obvious and not really unique to the Sonoran Desert. I walked along the top of the cliff shining my light down on the granite outcroppings hoping to catch at least a glimpse of an S. heros to add to the database.
The lightning storm was far to the west now and and the sounds of thunder no longer rolled through the hills. The wind was waning by the minute. I flipped a rock here and a rock there on my way back, careful to place them neatly back in their place, still walking along the cliff face hopefully looking over. That's when it happened! I heard a loud rasping noise accompanied by a high pitched whistle and the sound of tumbling rocks. It sounded like gravel being scooped into a pale but that wasn't it. My eyes shot up from the ground toward the very loud and very close noise. I had heard that noise before and I knew exactly what was in front of me before my headlamp revealed it, a Javelina Boar.
It was less than five meters away and it was already turning and clicking its tusks. It was too close for me to flee and I was already at the highest spot just a few meters away from the cliff fall. Without having time to even determine what direction it was traveling I looked down and grasped for the handle of my 38 caliber pistol but it snagged in the holster. I tugged again and it flew free as I pushed my gloved finger into the trigger guard knowing full well it was too small for that and it might discharge accidentally. I didn't care, the first shot would probably miss anyway. I was seconds away from a possible goreing. When my eyes returned to the spot where my secondary flashlight was fixed on the animal-pistol in tow-it was gone. I turned quickly around to see if I had been flanked by the boar or surrounded by a herd. As quick as I could I pulled my finger out of the guard and ripped off my glove with my teeth to get a safer grip on the gun. It only holds five rounds in the clip and it would be easy to miss a charging boar five times before it crashed down on me so I got closer to the cliff face in case I could jump to a ledge or throw charging animals over the side if I ran out of ammunition. The wind was still blowing and adrenaline was coursing through my veins as I peered into the darkness; brush, tree, rock, the sound of my heart pounding in my head. Then I heard the boar clicking it's tusks again but now further away. Relief! It was running away! I pointed my light at it through the brush and it stopped in its tracks and turned toward me. I could see the salt and pepper hair standing on end and the glow of his eyes. It blinked once slowly, blinded by my flashlight, and then it turned and walked away (but did not run). I stood quietly and waited for him to go further and looked over my shoulder to ensure that he wasn't the leader of a large herd. It was late and he was in between me and my car. I had no choice but to push him with my flashlight. I hiked slowly and diligently straight in the direction of my car. I never fired a shot. My safety checklist narrative had become a reality.
How to survive a Javelina encounter: Summary and review. Keep in mind the Javelina I saw last night never charged me. It actually ran across my path and made a loud noise as it almost ran off the cliff. I just took evasive actions.
Pushing javelinas in the dark with flashlights is a normal occurrence for me these days. If the area is good for S. heros it is good for javelina too. They both like water and rocky hillsides. A gun isn't your best defense, it is your last defense. If you aren't trained in firearms don't even bother carrying one because it isn't going to help. Your best defense is blinding them with your flashlight and seeking higher ground. Do not try to charge them or wave your arms or make any noise. They don't have good eyesight and that kind of action will just tip them off to your location. Locate your exits, pay attention to your surroundings, and just keep walking. They will sometimes circle you just outside of flashlight range just to check you out (it happened to me three times last week without incident). Do not shoot a Javelina or even discharge a firearm unless you have no other choice. Not only is it illegal to shoot them, it is a bad choice. Javelinas are social animals and will protect each other and even guard a fallen herd member. Save your bullets for the one that is actually biting you. This is no joke. In a panic you can fire round after round into the air and never hit anything. If you can poke the pig with the barrel of your gun then it is time to shoot.
Happy hiking!
As I was getting done with the nightly feeding routine and checking the weather on the doppler I noticed that a large storm was quickly moving from the south into one of my favorite hunting grounds about twenty miles away. It was about 8:30 pm and dark out and the wind had begun to howl. It had been dry for a few days and hopefully the rain and humidity would bring the S. heros to the surface. Fitted up with the proper gear and a collection bucket I raced toward the storm in my car hoping that it had rained on the rock and moss covered mountainside that I had been exploring for the last week. After a little driving I decided to go to the most reliable place and found that it had been rained on hard enough to run the washes.
Still enthusiastic about the feedback on the database I started hiking up a wash that had just stopped running. It occurred to me that I should write a summary at the end of the season about what my hiking partners and I had learned about S. heros habitat and behavior. Something besides raw data. People might enjoy reading it. Being all alone and bored because there wasn't anything moving yet, I started mulling over talking points in my head to entertain myself as my eyes scanned the undergrowth and rocks for signs of life. There was a possible flash flood warning in effect and there I was hiking straight up a wash as the cliffs on each side became higher and more impassible when it dawned on me that I was creating a blueprint to direct fellow enthusiasts into very dangerous conditions.
Maybe a section on navigating the Sonoran Desert at night in a thunderstorm safely was in order. In my mind I quickly arranged a checklist of the obvious dangers, the not so obvious dangers and the things people might fear but are actually not that dangerous. Thunder rolled in the distance but the rain had stopped. "Mountain lions: check!" Not really that dangerous. Usually never seen except when they are running away. Shine a flashlight in its eyes and charge it. Never turn your back or run. That's why they always attack joggers. "Bobcats: Check." One of the most common animals to actually attack people while infected with rabies. Usually just entertaining unless they actually approach you or act strange then it is time to watch out. "Skunks: Check." They can carry rabies without exhibiting symptoms but are otherwise slow and reluctant to spray. See one almost every night in my favorite spot. "Rattlesnakes: Check." Sure they are venomous and the Sonoran desert has more species than any other state in the US but people spend too much time dreading an animal they can just walk around to avoid. "Javelinas: Check and double check!" The most dangerous thing you can encounter in these parts besides a mosquito with West Nile Virus. A fast moving medium sized new world musk pig, they are clumsy and they can't see very well which actually attributes to the danger. They often times approach hikers at night and stay just outside of the range of the flashlight beam clicking their tusks as a warning and can make a few other strange noises. I've had many close encounters but only once have I been charged. A lone razorback in broad daylight missed me by inches as I scrambled onto my truck for safety. I shuddered. That's the reason I carry a gun when I hike. Even then getting to a high place is better than a gun. Shine your light at them and they usually flee. The number of animals in the herd can make them incredibly unpredictable and shooting one can cause the rest to come to it's defense. What a really bad scenario.
On with the list I approached a turnaround point where I could climb out of the wash and walk the top of the cliff face. There are other less ominous things on the list. "Water: Check." Rule number one; always carry enough water to walk back to civilization if your car breaks down. "Flash floods: Check." S. heros love the rain! It might as well be called storm chasing instead of centipede hunting, so there should be a section on that. Lightning isn't much of a problem as it usually strikes the tallest Saguaro as opposed to crazy people with flashlights hiking in the rain. I've never seen it happen in person but the top of a saguaro can explode when struck by lightning, so they say. What an entertaining thought! A more realistic scenario than being crushed by a chunk of exploding saguaro is being trapped by a flash flood. A dry wash can become a barrier that prevents you from returning home. Know the alternative roads to escape. "Navigating the desert: Check." Don't hike into an area that you haven't seen in daylight if you can help it (of course, I can't help it). Follow the washes and mentally map out the drainage of the area. It is easier to get lost if you start up stream hiking down hill. Which tributary was your turn again? Start at the bottom and hike up stream and all tributaries lead home.
By this time I was thoroughly amused with the survival narrative in my mind but bored because there wasn't anything out and the narrative was starting to get silly. It was almost 11:00 pm and there was not even a skunk in Skunk Canyon (Just a nickname, but appropriate). It was time to go back . A barbed wire fence ran up the washbank where I could climb to the top of the cliff but it only allowed for about a meter of room to walk before widening up. Now the little adventure was wrapping up and I quickly summarized the check list in my mind before returning my thoughts to day to day affairs. I glanced over the cliff. "Fall danger: Check." I chuckled to myself. No it wouldn't make the list. Too obvious and not really unique to the Sonoran Desert. I walked along the top of the cliff shining my light down on the granite outcroppings hoping to catch at least a glimpse of an S. heros to add to the database.
The lightning storm was far to the west now and and the sounds of thunder no longer rolled through the hills. The wind was waning by the minute. I flipped a rock here and a rock there on my way back, careful to place them neatly back in their place, still walking along the cliff face hopefully looking over. That's when it happened! I heard a loud rasping noise accompanied by a high pitched whistle and the sound of tumbling rocks. It sounded like gravel being scooped into a pale but that wasn't it. My eyes shot up from the ground toward the very loud and very close noise. I had heard that noise before and I knew exactly what was in front of me before my headlamp revealed it, a Javelina Boar.
It was less than five meters away and it was already turning and clicking its tusks. It was too close for me to flee and I was already at the highest spot just a few meters away from the cliff fall. Without having time to even determine what direction it was traveling I looked down and grasped for the handle of my 38 caliber pistol but it snagged in the holster. I tugged again and it flew free as I pushed my gloved finger into the trigger guard knowing full well it was too small for that and it might discharge accidentally. I didn't care, the first shot would probably miss anyway. I was seconds away from a possible goreing. When my eyes returned to the spot where my secondary flashlight was fixed on the animal-pistol in tow-it was gone. I turned quickly around to see if I had been flanked by the boar or surrounded by a herd. As quick as I could I pulled my finger out of the guard and ripped off my glove with my teeth to get a safer grip on the gun. It only holds five rounds in the clip and it would be easy to miss a charging boar five times before it crashed down on me so I got closer to the cliff face in case I could jump to a ledge or throw charging animals over the side if I ran out of ammunition. The wind was still blowing and adrenaline was coursing through my veins as I peered into the darkness; brush, tree, rock, the sound of my heart pounding in my head. Then I heard the boar clicking it's tusks again but now further away. Relief! It was running away! I pointed my light at it through the brush and it stopped in its tracks and turned toward me. I could see the salt and pepper hair standing on end and the glow of his eyes. It blinked once slowly, blinded by my flashlight, and then it turned and walked away (but did not run). I stood quietly and waited for him to go further and looked over my shoulder to ensure that he wasn't the leader of a large herd. It was late and he was in between me and my car. I had no choice but to push him with my flashlight. I hiked slowly and diligently straight in the direction of my car. I never fired a shot. My safety checklist narrative had become a reality.
How to survive a Javelina encounter: Summary and review. Keep in mind the Javelina I saw last night never charged me. It actually ran across my path and made a loud noise as it almost ran off the cliff. I just took evasive actions.
Pushing javelinas in the dark with flashlights is a normal occurrence for me these days. If the area is good for S. heros it is good for javelina too. They both like water and rocky hillsides. A gun isn't your best defense, it is your last defense. If you aren't trained in firearms don't even bother carrying one because it isn't going to help. Your best defense is blinding them with your flashlight and seeking higher ground. Do not try to charge them or wave your arms or make any noise. They don't have good eyesight and that kind of action will just tip them off to your location. Locate your exits, pay attention to your surroundings, and just keep walking. They will sometimes circle you just outside of flashlight range just to check you out (it happened to me three times last week without incident). Do not shoot a Javelina or even discharge a firearm unless you have no other choice. Not only is it illegal to shoot them, it is a bad choice. Javelinas are social animals and will protect each other and even guard a fallen herd member. Save your bullets for the one that is actually biting you. This is no joke. In a panic you can fire round after round into the air and never hit anything. If you can poke the pig with the barrel of your gun then it is time to shoot.
Happy hiking!
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