# Shark Shield - Does It Work For You?



## Orion45 (Jun 26, 2008)

Does anyone have hands on experience with the Freedom 7 or Freedom 4? Does it work for you? I've seen the many videos and it appears to be effective. Also, Isaw an episode of *Mythbusters* this week on the Discovery Channel. A Shark Shield was wrapped around a small tuna and thrown in the water in the Caribbean. The sharks came very close but then veered of, however, one of the sharks actually tried to bite the tuna before it swam off. A small tuna was later thrown in without the Shark Shield and lasted exactly two bites. The only mistake I saw was that *Mythbusters*'wrapped the antenna around the bait vice letting it hang extended as per the Shark Shield instructions. This probably reduced the efficacy of the product.


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## wld1985 (Oct 2, 2007)

Ya, I saw one thing on Mythbusters about them putting Black weights out to see if the shark would cross it... The shark did.. so they took them up and put out magnets... shark did not cross, turned and swam away..


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## Orion45 (Jun 26, 2008)

> *wld1985 (7/31/2008)*Ya, I saw one thing on Mythbusters about them putting Black weights out to see if the shark would cross it... The shark did.. so they took them up and put out magnets... shark did not cross, turned and swam away..


Saw that episode also. Did you see the part when they attached large magnets to a bait box in Stuarts Cove (I believe) and the sharks went right at it?. Didn't bother them at all. I guess weak magnetic fields areno matchforthe scent of dead bait. The Shark Shield however, puts out an electrical field which seems to have aneffect on sharks.


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## Clay-Doh (Oct 2, 2007)

Funny you mention that. I have been watching the new shark weeks shows with my wife, and we were watching the one with the sharkshield around the tuna too.

Only one problem with the expermint. To do a tru test, you need to have a control, and ONLY one variable. 

when they did the second part of the test without the SS, they should have actually kept it wrapped around the tuna, and ONLY turned the unit off. Perhaps it was the object itself wrapped around the tuna that made the sharks more hesitant about biting it? 

Same with the guy in the clown suit, vs guy in black wetsuit, both with buckets of chum. They should have repeated the expermint, with the 2 divers switching cloths, and then sitting in hte same location. Perhaps it wasnt the bright colors, but the one subject being more nervous, and giving off certain pheromones, and not having as an aggressive posture as the other diver?

I love the shows, but a lot of thos experiments are really inconclusive, becase they dont follow what we were taught in 9th grade, to only change ONE variable at a time. Also, the experiments should be repeated at least 5 times, and with different groups of sharks.

In the meantime, I'll just keep my eyes open, and my powerhead nearby!


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## Orion45 (Jun 26, 2008)

I'm seriously considering purchasing the Freedom 7. I would like to free diveout by the Spur area for some dolphin. Seen enough big sharks where I don't want to look like a seal floating on the surface. Been diving/spearfishing since 1991 and never had any problems but ever since Ivan, I've seen more sharks than ever. Last time I went diving, two large bulls (8 ft +) came so closeI could almost touch them. I cut my shockline and seriously consideredspearing one of them. And I had no fish on me. I have a friend who has a Freedom 7 and swears by it.

As far as keeping my eyes open - that's fine when the visibility is good. In poor visibility, and alone, I'll probably never see the shark until it's almost on top of me. I know the shark is not after me but I don't want it to take a chunk (no pun intended) out of my a**while trying to get my fish.


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## FishinFL (Sep 30, 2007)

I'm with Clay, trust in God, but keep your powder dry.....:blownaway

A powerhead WILL change their behavior!!!


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## cuzmondo (Oct 1, 2007)

I'd be interested in anyones real world experience with one of these things. There is no question about it, since the net ban in the mid 90's sharks in the GOM have become more plentiful, bigger, and more aggressive. We dove for years, both day and night, without ever encountering sharks while spearing fish. Now days, it's rare that we don't see them while diving and fishing.


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## Orion45 (Jun 26, 2008)

> *FishinFL (8/1/2008)*I'm with Clay, trust in God, but keep your powder dry.....:blownaway
> 
> A powerhead WILL change their behavior!!!


I agree but you got to see them first. Nothing wrong with a bull shark that a .44 Magnum will not cure.


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## 38bat (Nov 23, 2007)

I had never heard of this but just watcheda youtubevideo. Sure looks convincing. Here is the link if anybody is curious.


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## FelixH (Sep 28, 2007)

> *cuzmondo (8/1/2008)*I'd be interested in anyones real world experience with one of these things. There is no question about it, since the net ban in the mid 90's sharks in the GOM have become more plentiful, bigger, and more aggressive. We dove for years, both day and night, without ever encountering sharks while spearing fish. Now days, it's rare that we don't see them while diving and fishing.


Doug,

If you can, get ahold of Boondocks (Dave) here on the forum. He has posted some of his real-world experiences with the shark shield, and I am 100% convinced it works becaue of his stories.

You may be able to search up some of his posts on here. I haven't seen him post in a long while, so I don't know if he's still an active member

Felix


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## flyingfishr (Oct 3, 2007)

I've read some spearfisher's accounts of using their shark shield of the east coast of Florida. I don't know if it isbecause sharks encounter divers more often there, or because the same sharks encounter divers frequently, but what they are noticing is that as the sharks become more agitated/aggressive, they become less wary of the Shark Shield. They reported big bulls coming right through the shark shield for their fish. I think around here you'd be ok, nothing scientific to base this on, just other accounts of what they are seeing. IF you do get the SS, I'd like to hear how it works, and if you run into sharks with a wounded fish, whether or not they are more interested in the fish, or the SS.


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