What knife and carry for an ambush predator?

  • Hey Guest, Early bird pricing on the Summer Moot (29th July - 10th August) available until April 6th, we'd love you to come. PLEASE CLICK HERE to early bird price and get more information.

BOD

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
You spend time in the forest. This forest has ambush predators in it.

Though the general probability of an encounter is low the frequency of your presence means the probability increases over time

You have tools for bush living like axes, folders and machetes but the reality is that you can't go around with a blade or bear spray in your hand all the time.

What blade would you carry (and where) in case you were jumped without warning and ended up wrestling a big, powerful and quick animal with sharp teeth and claws?

Why this particular blade?
 

Buckshot

Mod
Mod
Jan 19, 2004
6,466
349
Oxford
You after ideas Ash?
Not sure I'd bother tbh, if it's not in your hand when the animal strikes it'd be difficult to see a win very easily
But for sake of argument, long blade 8 inchs + with a point, maybe double edge, large finger guard, strong and sharp.
Needs to be easy to get to using either hand

Basically a large fighting knife I guess
 

BOD

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Definitely after ideas. Spending more and more time in a wildlife rich area looking for predator sign, tracks, scat etc.

They are there. Have the camera trap photos to prove it. Not worried about the smaller felids. Stumbled on one already.

I guess I have been watching too much Discovery channel and Animal Planet etc.

I have the herbivore plan - drop pack and run screaming! Climb stout tree if possible

One can run from herbivores but must stand and fight the carnivores. Very last ditch stuff I know. No use having a sheathed parang or a big folder in the pocket when they are on top of you but I don't want to look like Rambo either.

Inclined to do what we did wreck diving. Cross draw from opposite hip or thigh on the same side seems best if the body is pinned down.

I guess a good grip is needed too as it might be slippery too
 

British Red

M.A.B (Mad About Bushcraft)
Dec 30, 2005
26,709
1,947
Mercia
hmmm

TBH if the chance of attack is appreciable, a firearm would make more sense to me - the idea of getting into a knife fight with a big cat or bear would have me changing my habits pretty quick!
 

Tiley

Life Member
Oct 19, 2006
2,364
374
60
Gloucestershire
I'm pretty certain that no matter what I was carrying, I wouldn't stand a chance against a hungry, clawed and toothed predator. So, I would say 'a toothpick' and hope that the big cat/bear/carnivore generally would get someone else in the group first. After the horror of that, I think the order of the day would be clean underwear, a fire and a cup of tea!
 

British Red

M.A.B (Mad About Bushcraft)
Dec 30, 2005
26,709
1,947
Mercia
Aaah - if they are illegal then so be it. Plenty of running practice is needed. Then go out with someone out of condition :)
 

sharp88

Settler
Aug 18, 2006
649
0
34
Kent
If firearms are unobtainable then common precautions are probarbly your best bet. Either that or an axe -- much longer reach. Compound bow perhaps? I'd expect blank firers or steel BBs from a slingshot would do the trick if you had the distance/time to react (although I've heard slingshots are ilegal in Aus).
 

Tadpole

Full Member
Nov 12, 2005
2,842
21
59
Bristol
I think a pig-sticker chisel mounted on a long strong pole, and a spike on the other end, so should the animal drop on me he’d land on one end, or if he charged at me I'd drop the spike into the ground and he'd impale himself on the other.
 

Beer Monster

Need to contact Admin...
Aug 25, 2004
620
5
46
With the gnu!
Personally .458 soft nose is the only way to go!

DSC03078.jpg


Having said that as you aren't permitted to carry a firearm I'd suggest one of those pencil flares over a knife. The unusual sound/smoke/sight will have the best chance of turning a charge - if you know its coming! If it gets to you then a knife will probably just annoy it :yikes:. Again the flare might be more effective.

I've heard a few folk use "bear bangers" to good effect. Hope that helps.
 

BOD

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Personally .458 soft nose is the only way to go!

DSC03078.jpg


Having said that as you aren't permitted to carry a firearm I'd suggest one of those pencil flares over a knife. The unusual sound/smoke/sight will have the best chance of turning a charge - if you know its coming! If it gets to you then a knife will probably just annoy it :yikes:. Again the flare might be more effective.

I've heard a few folk use "bear bangers" to good effect. Hope that helps.

What's the print? Some kind of dog like animal by the look of it.

No time to fix a pencil flare. Would be great to have them for the elephants and wild cattle. Can't bring them on a plane. Comes under firearms.
 

sapper1

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Feb 3, 2008
2,572
1
swansea
TBH if you are going to be ambushed by a predator that is hungry enough and stealthy enough to attack then the first you'll know is when the teeth sink in.You won't have time to react in any real defensive way.
 

Dave Budd

Gold Trader
Staff member
Jan 8, 2006
2,895
321
44
Dartmoor (Devon)
www.davebudd.com
looking at your location, I'm guessing that it's the sunderland part of your wanderings that is where you can't carry a gun. In which case there is nothing here that can hurt you! :rolleyes: If I'm wrong and its the Aussy trips and you can't carry a firearm then I'd say just set your camp up to minimise the chance ofa dangerous critter wandering past you; animals normally steer clear of people anyway
 

SouthernCross

Forager
Feb 14, 2010
230
0
Australia
For a minute there I thought you were referring to crocs until I saw this...

......
What blade would you carry (and where) in case you were jumped without warning and ended up wrestling a big, powerful and quick animal with sharp teeth and claws?

Out of curosity, are you referring to Tigers?

If so, I'd suggest the neck collars that pig dogs wear. That way you might stay alive long enough to be able to "deploy" the knife you choose :D



Kind regards
Mick
 
Last edited:

Beer Monster

Need to contact Admin...
Aug 25, 2004
620
5
46
With the gnu!
Its a young female lion. Photo below show adult at the front with rifle for scale. If flares aren't an option then maybe a taser? Might also fall under the firearms rule though.

Whilst I carry a folding pocket knife (Byrd) out walking I suggest just letting the animal get on with the job (whilst kicking, punching etc etc) and hoping that it eventually leaves you alone. With lion they quite often don't know how to handle 2 legged animals and grab/worry your shoulder rather than your neck - normally the post event wound infection that gets you. Leopard are a different matter though. If you defend yourself with a knife and survive you then are left far from help with a dangerous wounded animal about ...... might make matters worse (hence the taser). Just my 2 penny's worth.

DSC03082.jpg
 

BOD

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
:)

Not Australia for sure. Maybe in crocodile country. Otherwise the only land predator I can think of is the dingo. Not so for Sunderland :eek:

I am no Rambo nor am I paranoid about the jungle as I have walked it for years first as a hiker then as a bushcrafter.

It occurred to me that there is a slim possibility that I will have a confrontation with an animal. Most likely it will be elephants, which are numerous here and who are very stressed by the changes visited upon them by "development". People I know have been charged by angry elephants. I have pepper spray for that.

Even less likely are tigers and leopards. There is pepper spray. I will carry a staff over my right shoulder and maybe for fun a halloween mask on the back of my head :yikes:

After watching one of those "I Survived" programmes I wondered what the last ditch solution might be once you have been surprised and are in the jaws. Playing dead might work with a mother and cub or a well fed, but otherwise angry, zoo tiger but not with a hungry wild tiger.

That's why I asked the question. And if I can't deter the tiger with a blade then I guess I'd consider putting an end to myself rather than do a Timothy Treadwell.
 
Last edited:

woof

Full Member
Apr 12, 2008
3,647
5
lincolnshire
Its got to be a spear, if no firearms flares etc... it could double as a walking stave, so you would have it to hand, but as Red says, get your trainers on, and walk with a few fatties !.

Rob
 

BCUK Shop

We have a a number of knives, T-Shirts and other items for sale.

SHOP HERE