OT: Alligators and sharks. Scary or no?

Shower Fart

Shower Fart

Occasionally a shower shart
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As we near football season, I thought it would be fun to have a decidedly off topic thread where we can all learn a little something about our fellow posters and where they live. We have a heavy presence in the south and as a northerner who enjoys swimming in lakes or being near a river, I always wonder if that’s something that you’re able to do without fear of being lunch for a big gator (or shark if you’re near the ocean).

So, tell us what it’s like where you live. Is water accessible to you? What activities do you enjoy? Swimming, fishing, personal water craft? Do you need to be careful where you go, or are my northerner fears overblown? For me, the only dangers are drowning, getting hit by a drunk boater or getting caught in a storm.

I ask because a poster on an MSU board, who is a canoe enthusiast, is currently on a 2 week vacation in the southeast. He’s canoeing at a bunch of different rivers that are highly rated. He was having a great time until he had an encounter with a huge gator in a Florida river. I was also told by a charter boat captain that fishermen don’t swim in the ocean, but I don’t know if that’s true. Alligators and sharks scare the shit out of me…is that something that you worry about? For those that live in the desert, mountains or a big city, do you share my fears of big animals that live in the water?
 
I used to love the water and my first job was as a lifeguard. Granted my knees have made me decide to give up anything to do with being on a boat but I was never afraid of gators, sharks, or large animals. OTOH, snakes scare the shit out of me to the point that IMHO there is only one species of snake and that is rattleheadedcoppermouths.
 
batchaps4me said:
I used to love the water and my first job was as a lifeguard. Granted my knees have made me decide to give up anything to do with being on a boat but I was never afraid of gators, sharks, or large animals. OTOH, snakes scare the shit out of me to the point that IMHO there is only one species of snake and that is rattleheadedcoppermouths.
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Don't forget their cousins the Copper Headed Water Rattler.

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In my neck of the woods Snakes are the worst... we also have alligator gar but I am not sure anyone has been attacked by one other than if they try to pull one in the boat and get bit. Oh and Snapping Turtles are a thing here ... I have had ones as large as a trash can lid come up in my yard before. Scary as hell once they start hissing at you.
 
I forgot all about the snakes. We have snakes, but none of them are dangerous and you’d have to get out in the wilderness to actually see one.

So do you guys swim in lakes and rivers with those danger noodles? No way I could do that.

Winter is rough up here, but at least it keeps the bugs and reptiles in check.
 
Shower Fart said:
I forgot all about the snakes. We have snakes, but none of them are dangerous and you’d have to get out in the wilderness to actually see one.

So do you guys swim in lakes and rivers with those danger noodles? No way I could do that.

Winter is rough up here, but at least it keeps the bugs and reptiles in check.
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I used to all the time when young and never thought anything about it. I wouldn't walk into the woods today, much less walk far enough to go swimming in the creek/river.
 
I don't have to worry about gators here but do have to watch out occasionally for the timber rattlers and the mother fucking water moccasins. All moccasins are spawn from satan and should be nuked. We have always had bobcats but every now and then someone will see a mt.lion. Now, I have every now and then lost calves, they just disappear with no trace. They have huge home ranges and in a week could be 50 miles away.
 
Copejunkie said:
I don't have to worry about gators here but do have to watch out occasionally for the timber rattlers and the mother fucking water moccasins. All moccasins are spawn from satan and should be nuked. We have always had bobcats but every now and then someone will see a mt.lion. Now, I have every now and then lost calves, they just disappear with no trace. They have huge home ranges and in a week could be 50 miles away.
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Cats are probably the toughest hunt in NA. You pretty much need hounds to track them unlike most other game.
 
And to answer the original question from @Shower Fart I love to be on the river, just wish I had the time to go. Fishing, cruising, hanging out on sand bars with a beer in hand is pretty darn close to as perfect a day as you can get. You can't be in a boat without beer, it's down right un American. Biggest worry is don't walk off the down stream side of a sand bar.
 
I don’t like being in an environment where I can’t see everything and shit that swims around unseen is not a thrill. You’re somewhat helpless in their environment as opposed to the big game threats I grew up with in the mountains where, generally, if you keep your distance and don’t fuck around then there’s nothing to find out. Gators and snakes, especially those big anaconda SOB’s that rednecks dump kinda freak me out.

None for me thanks.
 
DieSonneTeufeln said:
I don’t like being in an environment where I can’t see everything and shit that swims around unseen is not a thrill. You’re somewhat helpless in their environment as opposed to the big game threats I grew up with in the mountains where, generally, if you keep your distance and don’t fuck around then there’s nothing to find out. Gators and snakes, especially those big anaconda SOB’s that rednecks dump kinda freak me out.

None for me thanks.
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Have you checked out the swimming hole @TechRaiderRider likes to relax at on a hot day?

 
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