Mowing Well, it was bound to happen sooner or later..... and today it was my time

   / Well, it was bound to happen sooner or later..... and today it was my time #1  

kebo

Elite Member
Joined
May 16, 2006
Messages
2,910
Location
Lexington, SC
Tractor
2001 John Deere 790 4x4, bar tires
I've read the horror stories and heard them first hand from some folks I know, but this morning I got a first hand experience myself. I was bush hogging the property I deer hunt on, which has a gas line that runs through the middle of the property. I was cutting a section of it where I plan to put in a food plot in a few weeks. I got that part done, and then proceeded to cut a real small area that was just off to the side of the gasline, but where I can still see it from my stand. I'm planning to start a mineral lick there, and maybe start dumping some corn too (now legal in my game zone).

I made one pass through this area, then circled around for a second pass to finish it up. Just as I get back onto the gas line, I feel a stinging sensation on my right wrist and looked down to see a yellow jacket latched on to it, just at the cuff of my glove, so I reached over with the other hand flicked it off. Then, I noticed another one flying around me, then, another lands on my t-shirt on my chest. By now I'm starting to see LOTS more yellow jackets flying around the tractor!!! Holy crap, I then realize that I had just run over/into a yellow jacket nest!!!! :eek::eek:

I was now out into the middle of the gasline and headed straight down it, but I kind of panicked here. With all the jackets flying around the tractor, I decide to get up and abandon ship because I was starting to feel some more stings. In my haste, I had the sense to at least pull the hand throttle all the way back, and I literally jumped off of it with it barely moving. Somehow the tractor stalled out on it's own, but by this time I was about 100 ft from it running like a madman swatting at every part of me, whether there was a jacket on me or not LOL!!!

After I was pretty sure I had gotten all of them off of me, I calmed back down. I counted four stings, one on the right wrist, one on the right shoulder blade, one just beside the left nipple, and one more on the right side of my waist, like right on the "love handle". That one HURT THE WORST. It welped up pretty good, as did the one on the right wrist, which still hurts too. The other two stings didn't get much venom in, so they didn't hurt much at all.

Anyway, after waiting 15 minutes or so, I was able to get close enough out of curiousity to see where they flying around the entrance to their nest in the ground. I then reclaimed my tractor as they had lost interest in it, and decided I was finished for the day. :eek: I guess with only four stings, I came out pretty fortunate because it could have been a lot worse!! So, now after operating tractors for about 20 years, I have my very own "horror story" lol.
 
   / Well, it was bound to happen sooner or later..... and today it was my time #2  
Get an aerosol "bug bomb", usually sold three to a package.

Set one can off where the bees exit the ground.

Throw a tarp over it.

Leave the tarp in place 24 hours.
 
   / Well, it was bound to happen sooner or later..... and today it was my time #3  
Use witch hazel to ease the stings. Works great on humans and horses!
 
   / Well, it was bound to happen sooner or later..... and today it was my time #4  
You were very lucky to get only four stings. I like the idea of the bug bomb and tarp suggested by Jeff9366. You might want to do it with a helper. One of you place the bug bomb and the other throw the tarp over it. If you get someone to help you it might be a god idea to get a person you can outrun in case things go bad :laughing:
 
   / Well, it was bound to happen sooner or later..... and today it was my time #6  
I had a similar experience when I was a kid mowing my parent's pasture with the 8N & bush hog. Running along la-la-la, got stung and again. Holy Moly! Yellowjackets all over me! Down my shirt, up my pants. You have never seen a kid kill & jump off a tractor and run uphill to the house so fast. It's been a long time, but I had maybe 10-20 stings by the time I got in the house sans shirt, pants & yellowjackets. I had a number of yellowjacket, wasp & hornet encounters, but I have to say that one was the most memorable.
 
   / Well, it was bound to happen sooner or later..... and today it was my time #7  
Dumb gasoline down the hole. It will kill them. I would say light it but being close to a gas line might not be a good idea.
 
   / Well, it was bound to happen sooner or later..... and today it was my time #8  
When I had my land cleared to build my house, I walked through the area stump cleared area and stepped on a ground wasp's nest.

Immediately hundreds of wasps came out and made it clear to me that they wanted me to leave. I left as requested, but they followed me to make sure I didn't turn around, I guess. I ran to my truck and got in it with about a dozen of them either following or already on me. At least I could squash them inside the cab.

When I was wasp free, I called my wife on the cell phone and she came to my aid. When she got there I counted 32 stings, mostly on my arms and face. My eye lids got stung, my lips, cheeks, my neck as well as my arms. I was a swelled up mess.

I'm not allergic, so I didn't go to the Dr., but I got so much venom in me, i was actually sick for a few days.

I don't know how many stings it takes to kill someone with venom, but I can see how it could happen.

I have a healthy respect for them now.

If I had been the OP, if I jumped off my tractor, it would have stopped immediately.

Another good reason for an HST :)
 
   / Well, it was bound to happen sooner or later..... and today it was my time
  • Thread Starter
#9  
I have a healthy respect for them now.

If I had been the OP, if I jumped off my tractor, it would have stopped immediately.


Ok, I confess I had completely forgotten about the PTO safety interlock, that's what "stalled" the engine out! When I got up out of the seat, the PTO was still engaged, so the switch under the seat forced it to shutdown.


And yes, I've always had a healthy respect for them too, but now it's even healthier lol!!
 
   / Well, it was bound to happen sooner or later..... and today it was my time #10  
These posts remind me of why my main tractor has a cab.
 
 
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