I hate snakes- snake protection

Scoot · 2 point Joined: 07 May 2008 Posts: 109 Location: Fargo, ND

For some reason, even though I don't like them, they seem to find me! I run into a bunch of them every year. Last year I ran into some that didn't bother giving me any warning they were there- I nearly stepped on two of them (only knew they were there when they rattled after I had been there for several minutes).

Besides the obvious suggestion of avoiding locations that might hold snakes and keeping my eyes open for them, is there anything I can do short of snake boots? I don't want to get snake boots, but I'm wondering about gaitors or anything else... Any suggestions?

WillyP · Posted: Fri Jun 25, 2010 3:05 pm Post subject:

I am with you Scott ! While , for whatever reason, my Kennetreks turned the one I stepped on I'd feel better with gaiters with the instep cover on them. There are also chaps available. I have always used Rocky brand snake boots back here in the east. Main reason is I got seconds ( in know don't say it, seconds in snake boots ??? ) for $25 from the factory and the boots were about as light as tennis shoes. I do wear them when I hunt antelope in eastern WY but not in cent. WY where I ran into the rattlers at. You are not going to pack out a heavy pack with them on. The footbeds suck and putting super feet in them doesn't help enough, IMO. The boots are hot ! I have cut some old worn out ones up to look and basically they are hard tanned leather but pretty thin, inside the cordura outter part of the boot. I am sure someone with proper schooling can tell you the bite power of a rattler but from experience I don't think they can bite all that hard. I think the shock of the hit is what makes folks say they hit so hard. I also assume you have rattlers like the prairie rattlers as opposed to the big timber rattlers so I'd say gaiters would be my choice and will be my choice if I ever draw an elk tag for where I like to mule deer hunt and have to deal with those green and grey devils again. I'd like to get some good facts from someone with some schooling on them though. If they are warm rattlers bother me a LOT less than a cold one that lays there and lets you step on him without rattling. I have had one here in Ohio that struck at me and missed and the one in Wy last fall that I stepped on about the time you ran into the two you ran into. Other than that I had big timber rattlers in WV where I used to turkey hunt and thankfully they were always warm and rattling or moving away. It's the cold ones that get you! Every guy I met on the strip job I used to hunt in WV had a big hole or two where they had been bit by one laying up on the dozers or other equipment from the night before and they failed to notice it when climbing up on the equipment to start work that morning.

trealtree · 2 point Joined: 05 Mar 2010 Posts: 78 Location: Lebanon,Tn

Yall know anything about the turtle skin gaiters? I do know they are expensive...

WillyP · Posted: Fri Jun 25, 2010 10:43 pm Post subject:

Malloy805 · Posted: Fri Jun 25, 2010 11:19 pm Post subject:

One rattle snake will turn a deer hunt into a snake hunt Laughing

might as well pack it in for the day. Not only do I get to experience rattle snakes, I get to enjoy brutal cases of poison oak.

WillyP · Posted: Sun Jun 27, 2010 10:24 am Post subject:

falconred · Posted: Tue Jun 29, 2010 11:50 am Post subject: Snakes and forked sticks

I was once hunting in Middle GA on some leased timberland when I decided to walk back to my Bronco around lunch time. I was hunting from a tree stand so I climbed down and followed the trail I had come in on that morning in the dark. I was about to go around a tree at a bend in the tail when something caught my eye and told me to look again. I spotted a large rattlesnake coiled up next to the tree almost in the trail. The cowboy in me came out so I shot from the hip emptying my Remington 760 pump killing the snake. Then I remembered that my spare ammo was waaaaay back in the woods hanging on my tree stand. I have always heard that where you find one snake you will find another. I'm glad none of my friends saw me wondering through the woods carrying an empty rifle and a long forked stick.

Now you know why I always carry a hand gun with me hunting.

colockumelk · Posted: Mon Jul 26, 2010 8:45 am Post subject:

You want to talk about snakes..... I just finished SERE school in South East Alabama. There are 4 types of poisenous snakes here. Eastern Diamondbacks, Timber Rattllers, Copperheads and Cotton Mouths. South East AL has ALOT of snakes. SERE is a classified school so I can't go into alot of details but part of the school does require you to move at night. For a snake-ephobic like myself this is a horrible and terrifying experience. Oh you also sleep out there as well.

To top it off this wonderful part of the country also has HUGE Banana Spiders that string their steel cable like webs all over so at night you are constantly walking into them. When I say huge I mean like their bodies are 4" long. Oh and there's Poison Ivy, Sumac and Oak ALL over.

God I miss the not nearly so hostile forests of Washington. Very Happy