fiddlehead
01-21-2009, 22:51
Ok, I've been false charged by a black bear in SNP back in '95.
I've followed moose tracks in Maine and remarked to my friends that they looked very fresh only to look up and see the bull moose we'd been tracking about 200 feet ahead on the trail.
I even had a bull moose attach my van in rut season in Maine in '92.
But, last night, i had a scary one:
I am presently on an extended road trip in Thailand and was driving through Nam Noi National Park in Northeastern Thailand when i remarked to my wife that the Lonely Planet Book said that there may be wild elephants in the area.
Not 10 seconds after i said this, i looked over to my left and saw an elephant in the jungle! So, i stopped, and backed up with my camera ready (on video mode)
Sure enough, it was a big elephant and he looked at me and then let out an huge, loud, PHHEEEEIIIIIIUUUWW! (what do you call that noise an elephant makes?) and charged us!
I couldn't believe it. He got to a pretty big tree (about 20' tall, not that big) that was between us and hit it. It shook but held and my wife was screaming.
I had one hand on the camera, and one on the steering wheel and needed another one to get it into 1st and not reverse but kept filming anyway. My son (3 year old) started crying and the elephant seemed to be looking for a way around the tree. So, i kept it in reverse and kept filming and backed up a bit.
He started coming around towards us and i finally got the heck out of there. Our hearts were pounding for at least 15 minutes afterward.
I don't know which is worse: Bear, Moose, or Elephant but i do know which is bigger!
Wow. I'm still excited thinking about the feeling.
We camped out last night at the park campground and my wife had to make sure we wouldn't be attacked in the night by any elephants.
The ranger just laughed but did say that they've been known to flip over a car as apparantly they don't like pictures taken of them (or flash?)
The video is pretty shaky but i will work on something to post on my facebook when i get more time.
I've followed moose tracks in Maine and remarked to my friends that they looked very fresh only to look up and see the bull moose we'd been tracking about 200 feet ahead on the trail.
I even had a bull moose attach my van in rut season in Maine in '92.
But, last night, i had a scary one:
I am presently on an extended road trip in Thailand and was driving through Nam Noi National Park in Northeastern Thailand when i remarked to my wife that the Lonely Planet Book said that there may be wild elephants in the area.
Not 10 seconds after i said this, i looked over to my left and saw an elephant in the jungle! So, i stopped, and backed up with my camera ready (on video mode)
Sure enough, it was a big elephant and he looked at me and then let out an huge, loud, PHHEEEEIIIIIIUUUWW! (what do you call that noise an elephant makes?) and charged us!
I couldn't believe it. He got to a pretty big tree (about 20' tall, not that big) that was between us and hit it. It shook but held and my wife was screaming.
I had one hand on the camera, and one on the steering wheel and needed another one to get it into 1st and not reverse but kept filming anyway. My son (3 year old) started crying and the elephant seemed to be looking for a way around the tree. So, i kept it in reverse and kept filming and backed up a bit.
He started coming around towards us and i finally got the heck out of there. Our hearts were pounding for at least 15 minutes afterward.
I don't know which is worse: Bear, Moose, or Elephant but i do know which is bigger!
Wow. I'm still excited thinking about the feeling.
We camped out last night at the park campground and my wife had to make sure we wouldn't be attacked in the night by any elephants.
The ranger just laughed but did say that they've been known to flip over a car as apparantly they don't like pictures taken of them (or flash?)
The video is pretty shaky but i will work on something to post on my facebook when i get more time.