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2008 February Slush
(?)Seatbelt subterfuge kills driver
(?)Mamba kills Man
(DA)Chalk one up for the dog.
Fatal Ski Slope Prank
(DA)A Breathtaking View
(HM)Mexican Divorce
DA:Dynamite Defroster
(Hmmm)Surfing the wrong wave
(?)Die Hard
(DA)Chemistry Went Over Her Head
(>)Living the High Life (On a Budget)
(DA)On the Piste
(?)Darwin in heavy traffic
(DA)Stabbing suspect dies in car crash
Man died after driving down boat ra
(?)Winched up
(DA)Slip Sliding Away
(No)Swimming with the fish (bits)
Top of the train
Up, Up, and Away!
(DA)Hare today, gone tomorrow
Brain Evacuation
Killer locomotive
A good thought gone bad
Bridges are lower than they appear
Monk killed by own runaway lawnmowe
(HM)Shock Horror
Inspiration + Youth + Explosives =
Manhole kills man, Dove in for Cana
no diving please
Roping a Bobcat
Mattress Race
Just Say No
Man has friend shoot him to get off
Wash those genes away
BASE jumper succumbs to stupidity
Old shells never die
A Mattress of Life and Death....
(DA)4 Die In Dirtbike Collision
boat welding
Trail Blazing Gaffe
It only works in the movies
feeling tyred - near miss
Tram drags man with him
Trailer burns when woman uses gas t
Tree felling made easy
Community service for teen who burn
If at first you don't succeed
Man dies trying to beat train in Sa
The $500 Bullet
Please Take This Outside
Death by iPod?
BBQ Whippits
Sledding Accident
Two men burned in backyard blast
Redneck Bee Exterminator
The Widow Maker
Miner nearly crushes himself
Too Close For Comfort
Drain Surfing
A fool and his bike
arrange your own hit
A tough act to swallow for student
Grocery Bang!
Drove 2.5 miles on the wrong way
Departing parted
I'm dying for a drink
2 teens hurt by explosion while dri
Smoking related near miss
Smoky bar triggered fatal asthma at
Man's death linked to cotton swab u
putting your foot in it
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Darwin Awards
2008 Slush Pile

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Roping a Bobcat

2008 Reader Submission
Pending Acceptance

Howdy again...I have another submission from my checkered & misspent youth for you as a personal account since no one actually died, although my grandpa was probably wishing for death during his ordeal! Back in the 1940's, when I was a lad on the family ranch (near Del Rio, TX), I often went with the men to work our cattle (Daddy always believed that no one was too young to work). One spring afternoon, my grandpa saw a large Bobcat sunning itself under a mesquite tree. Since he didn't think he could hit it with his revolver, & didn't want to risk his horse going nuts when a gun was fired from his back, he decided (cowboy that he was) to rope the big cat & either break its neck, or drag it to death (PETA didn't exist back then, thank God). Roping the Bobcat was easy, but unlike goats, cattle, or horses, cats react very aggressively when disturbed from a nap. The instant the rope looped its body and before Grandpa could do more than just dally the rope around his saddlehorn, that cat went completely ape! It snarled, leaped into the air, and literally ran right up the rope to land on the back of Grandpa's horse! At this point, I witnessed three things: the horse going insane when the cat dug its big claws into his rump, the Bobcat figuring out that Grandpa was the sole cause of his interrupted nap, and Grandpa learning that a ticked off Bobcat clawing and biting you on your back is NOT a pleasant experience! After the wildest (and shortest!) rodeo I've ever seen, the cat got loose and ran off. Grandpa got bucked off and broke his leg. That good, steady cowpony was never fit to ride again. Grandpa had to sell him to a rodeo contractor as a bucking bronc. There was one positive outcome however...I NEVER tried to do anything that stupid no matter how many beers I consumed when I grew up. Even if you can't use this, I hope it cheers up your day a little...I still laugh like a maniac everytime I remember it. Rest in Peace, Grandpa!

Submitted on 02/05/2008

Submitted by: Tex Hill
Reference: n/a

Copyright © 2008 DarwinAwards.com

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Bruce said:
Definitely Keep: Personal Account
Tex, that is a GREAT story! I feel bad for that poor innocent horse, but your grandpa sure got what he deserved for disturbing the bobcats nap. Thanks for sharing this with us!


James said:
Definitely Keep: Personal Account
That's a classic story as far as I'm concerned! Yep, grandpa probably figured he could rope just about anything! Needless to say, felines are of MUCH higher intelligence than horses and cattle...and dare I say grandpa?! :-) I'm glad his example served to "scare you smart", and thanks for sharing a GREAT story, Tex!!!


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