You may have read an earlier post, but I spent New Years Eve in the emergency room at a local hospital as the result of of an animal bite (cat). I talked with the doctor about the rabies shots, and also with the gentleman from animal control that came to the hospital at 2am to take the information on the bite. Luckily I trapped the cat, and turned over to animal control so it could be quarantined for 10 days to see if it was alright. According to the doctor, animal control, and what I learned by researching it on the web, a person had 14 days before they have to start taking the shots. It can be determined if the animal has rabies in ten days, so I recommend the individual wait until the head is analyzed before worrying about the shots. The shots are very painful, and I don't think anyone would want to subject themselves to the shots unnecessarily.
According to the information I learned from the net, the death rate from rabies is very low, the shots are almost 100% effective when started within 14 day of the bite, and generally the greatest fear is that the person will get infection from the bite. After being bitten, one should seek medical attention, get a tetanus shot, and medication for infection. The wound should be washed well and treated to prevent infection.
Of course if the animal can not be captured you should seek medical attention and start the shots immediately. Remember, if you ever have to shoot an animal that has bitten you, DO NOT SHOOT IT IN THE HEAD! They must have the brain to analyze to determine if it is rabid, if you blow it's brains out you are just asking for shots.