Hey all,
I am going to be spending some time in southern Florida the first part of next year and I have been thinking about going hunting for some of the feral hogs that roam all over the place. My sister and her husband have about 60 acres of land that has a nice lake on it and it seems it would be great hog habitat. Besides that the area they live is literally full of places hogs could roam. They are in Punta Gorda which is a pretty rural place after you get off the interstate.
One thing I absolutely despise is snakes. I usually try and stay away from areas that I know contain snakes, I hate to even see them let alone get close to one. So I am just curious to hear what the odds would be of me running into one as I am walking around or standing while out hog hunting. I watched a show the other day about rattlers and they had some real BIG snakes on there, they said they can get to a length of 8 feet. If I would be walking down a path or something and heard a rattle and then looked and seen an 8 foot rattlesnake I don't know what I would do, it would scare the heck out of me.
What do you all think?
Thanks for the info.
Nala
Don't go huntin in FL :scared: :scared: :eek:
If you dont look for them you wont see them,but they`re there. Man,you would`nt want to live where I live. I`ve killed over 40 in the 7 yrs. since I`ve built our house,16 while we were building it. But I never find them cause I dont look for them. My wife or the dogs find them. The only one I`ve found is one that was under the gate as I drove in. I had one coiled up under my chair while I was cooking steaks out back of the house. My wife seen that one as well. I was wondering why the dogs would`nt come around me even with steaks on the grill. I`ve got a skin of a 6 1/2 footer on a beam in my house from one my wife found inside my shop. She makes darn sure that door stays closed now. My neices were visiting once and told me they were afraid to go out in the dark. I told them we would go for a night walk after supper to show them there was nothing to be afraid of as there was nothing in the dark that was`nt out there in the day time. They had to bring flashlights,so I told them they could only use them in an emergency. We did`nt go a hundred yds. into the woods and I heard rattling. The youngest asked what it was and I told her. At that the oldest said"I bet we get to use these flashlights now". Ha Ha But back to your problem,Get you some snake leggings-----------sissy. Just kidding,get the leggings. Good luck ;Bob
Don't let the fear of snakes deter you from hunting, I've been hunting in South Louisiana and S.W. Mississippi all of my life and haven't been bitten by a poisonous snake, been biten by king snakes, rat snakes, chicken snakes, grass snakes, etc. which are all non-poisonous, but all while I was catching/handling them. I've had some close calls with rattlers and cottonmouths (which I've never tried to catch) most rattlesnakes with not strike unless provoked, ie. stepped on, poked at, harrassed etc. Cottonmouths are a different story, they are, in my opinion, much more aggressive when approached. I have never worn snake chaps or gaiters but If I hunted the lowlands, I'd probably try the Lacrosse "snake proof" rubber boots. To me snakes are just another part of the terrain, not to be scared of just respectful and cautious of. I bet if you posted a poll question on here that asked "How many have been biten (invenomaited) by a poisonous snake ?" you'd be pleasantly surprised, it would not be many. Don't let the fear of a snake deter you from hunting hogs in Florida, get you a pair of snake boots, or gaiters and go have fun......
Pigs love to eat the snakes....
Just watch where ya step and have a good time Huntin pigs...
I'm born and raised in the Miami area, hunted, fished and frogged all over the south and central part of the state for nearly 40 years. Like some of the others said, they're around but not worth worrying about. If you're afraid of them then get ya a pair of snake boots and then pay a little attention to where you put your feet now and then. Also, if you're hunting anywhere there is actually a good hog population chances are there won't be very many snakes around anyway. The hogs eat em. :) - eric
I hunted in Australia for 5 years and every time I went out I saw Snakes (Joe Blakes).
95% of them will kill you inside 2 hours if you don't get immediate help.
King Browns,Tigers,Coastal Taipans,inland Taipans,Death adders,Coral snakes, ect ect.
Most people go into shock so fast, you "have" to have a mate with you,,,or you die.
But,,,,never gave em" a second thought,,,just don't step on em' is all.
Hear they taste ok too.
Cheers.
The cottonmouths are aggressive at times.I had one literally come out of a tangle of roots at me that meant business in the Spring hunting turkeys in central Florida.since theni keep an eye out for them when aound water and root wads etc in florida..would never detour me from hunting down their though.Its low risk.if you are bit skittish some snake boots may ease your mind.
Lucky you, ....bow backings :bigsmyl: :bigsmyl: and snakes taste good too.
Been hunting bottomland hardwoods with a ground cover of solid palmettos with lots of hogs for about 17 years.I have never run into a rattlesnake maybe couple of cottonmouth in that time.Go hunting but be more careful on the interstates while driving much more dangerous.Kip
I second the opinion for getting the snake chaps and having at it. Been hunting swamp land for 12 years now and though and I've seen plenty and been close to more than a few but don't give them a second thought. Good luck and go hunting... :thumbsup:
Also, I use to live in the Sarasota FL area and had read that the area use to be a haven for rattlers, did not see too many while I was there but the terrain is nice for them. I would have liked to have hunted them, but did not know anybody in the area other than my wife.
I've hunted and worked in snakey country all my life and other than a couple of ornery cottonmouths I havn't been "attacked" yet. The good news is, if there's lots of hogs there won't be many snakes! then you'll just have to wory about the hogs, wich for my money are scarier than the snakes.
Hunted almost 20 yrs in the Fakahatchee Strand of the Everglades, lots of snakes...had 25 members hunting 10,000+ acres...club was in existence for over 30 yrs....not one snake bite in all that time. We had them and saw them on a regular basis.....even killed a few to eat (rattlers)...like others have said leggings are the answer and just watch were you step. You will love hog hunting..it really gets the ol heart pumping.
Good Luck
And then you've got the non-native species in south Florida like the Burmese pythons. Those puppies can grow large enough to eat alligators, deer, pigs, small stature bowhunters.... Not to make you nervous or anything just food for thought. :bigsmyl:
hey if you want som help im in orlando :)
went to Orlando a while back on a business trip. Just as we drove through the toll booth, I saw one of the biggest rattlers I'ver seen stretched out sunning on the shoulder of the road. He had crawed out of some of that thick swamp stuff down there.
I live in south ga. and we got a few snakes. I`ve been struck at a few times but never bitten . I would persuade you to get some snake boots. A quality pair will be comfortable and water proof that alone is worth wearing them. I`m willing to bet that the few people that are bit while hunting in Ga. and Fla.every year wish they had them on.Don`t let a two foot cottonmouth spoil your trip.
For the record my hunting buddy John Bookhart`s Granddad was struck in the face by a rattle snake while fishing and died.RC
dont worry bouit the snakes and just hunt. i hog hunt in short with snakeboots and have had some strike but never hit. dont worry just shoot a porker.
This photo gives me willies every time I see it! I hunt around snakes all the time, but don't get too close. Playing with them leads to most bites!
(http://i121.photobucket.com/albums/o203/Apex-Predator/jshandbite.jpg)
During warm weather I see cottonmouths almost every trip to one place I hunt, but I rarely ever see them on other places I hog hunt. It just depends on the habitat. Cottonmouths like shallow still water much more than rivers and creeks which of course correlates to better frog habitat too. You'll see them on running water, but you take an area that stays flooded most of the time and they will be in abundance.
That being said, I've never had a cottonmouth strike at me unprovoked. I know it happens, but I've never seen the aggressive behavior that most people say is common among cottonmouths.
Here's a video I shot back in August that shows the typical attitude of a cottonmouth. They almost always display (open mouth) and that might be where the agressive reputation comes from, but you can see this snake won't even strike. I've done this with dozens of cottonmouths (I know I'm stupid) with the same exact results. Click on the image below to watch the video.
See yall in the Emergency Room!
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v136/wardcj/th_snake.jpg) (http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v136/wardcj/?action=view¤t=snake.flv)
i lived and worked down south for many years as a timber buyer. i was in the woods almost daily in all types of environments. swampy areas be looking for cottonmouths. rattlers are there but not as common. get the smake chaps or boots and you will soon forget about them. it's a good piece of mind and that far south it's good sense.
now the feral python that was liberated by some free thinkin liberal is another story. it's most likely to strike from above as it lies in wait. unlike the native species that strike out of fear this operator will take a predatory interest in your approach. aside from that i'd say go for it.
The danger from snakes is way overblown, they can't eat you so there is no advantage to them to bit you and lots of disadvantages, they want to be left alone. I've seen lots in FL,GA and elsewhere and the only ones to even strike in my You have a far greater chance of getting hit by lighting in FL than by a snake and even a greater chance of getting run over by a tourist!
Buy a pair of snake boots or leggins and forget about the snakes. I don't like them either but they will not keep me from hunting. I've been tromping around in snake country for 40 years and have had few encounters with the critters. Course I am not out hunting for them either. Good luck with the pigs. They are loads of fun and good eating as well. :saywhat:
I have seen alot more snakes here in MO than I ever did when I lived in fla and I lived on the edge of the everglades. Saw lots of tasty lizards though..I think if you go to punta gorda you need to go inland toward lehigh or east. Things have built up alot since I have moved. (94). Good luck and have fun. There are alot of places you can pay to hunt if you want to make the most of it and have the cash.Good fishing in puntagorda. Take a pole..
QuoteOriginally posted by Rick McGowan:
The danger from snakes is way overblown..
Oh no it's not! ALL snakes are dangerous - they'll cause you to run into stationary objects and hurt yourself! :D
there's lots of very large rattlers in the Cache Creek WA where I go from time to time. they wander out after the sun has left the squirrel banks, and work at taking a rodent or two for dinner. last time we were there we discovered a pregnant female about 4 feet from where I was standing. Funny thing-this large rock just fell out of the sky and beaned it. We know it was pregnant because we skinned it, and voila-little pit vipers all over the place. Those weird rocks fell from the sky and got them too! Rattlers and politicians: the only good `un's a dead one!
The guys at Paradise hunt camp in Ga. convinced me to invest in snake boots. The say the rattlers sometimes lay up on the River Road sunning in the winter. I haven't spotted one yet...it's the ones I don't see that I worry about.
I have killed two big rattlers and seen several hunting here in texas. One spring turkey hunting day I saw three different rattlers and had one strike at me. He was changing skins and half of his skin was pulled over his head. My sister-in-law teaches science and she says when they are changing skin they strike at anything because they are more at risk/irritated. you should have that problem this time of year. Good Luck
Your lucky you dont hunt feral pigs where I do mate - number 3 most vemonous snake in the world the Eastern Brown is very common . Got bailed up by one that raised up to the strike position and it seemed to follow me every backward step I took and after about 15 minutes I got enough distance on it so it did not feel threatened , the whole time I was looking for my hunting mate for help - turned out the so called friend was watching from 20 yards away leaning against a tree having a quite laugh .
A couple of hundred kilometres down the round your right into the territory of number one , the Fierce Snake or Inland Tiapan and I stood on one 5 hours walk from the 4 x 4 , it struck hit my mid calf lenth boot 1 inch from the top and left a few drops of vemon on the boot and on my army fatigue trousers .A differant hunting mate thuoght it was hilarious the way I jumped backward over the top of the saltbush .
Just to make things interesting Number 2 Coastal Taipan lives locally . I hunt a local Banana farm for pigs . The authorities removed one from my kids school a few months back . Funny how I learned to look straight ahead straight down and sideways at the same time when ever I am stalking in on a mob of pigs or goats . Snakes react to your footsteps usually and get out of the way but when you are stalking -lookout . regards Jacko
The anuual average for poisonous snakebites in the US is about 20 and nearly all of those were HANDLING the snake when it happened. I would buy a FL lotto ticket and worry about how I will spend all that money when I win, you got a better chance of that happening!
I know what you mean Rick. I used to guide Bear hunters and it was quite coical to see how nervous they were in the thick northern bush! they expected to be a bear hiding behind evry tree! I wish! Just enjoy the hunt!!
Rick,
That figure is hard to sink my fangs into. I know several people locally that have been bitten. Where did you get the stats? Just curious.
Take care, Marty
I think Rick meant to insert "DEATHS" in that sentence.
Whole lot of folks get bit, but less than 20 a year are fatal. A high percentage of bites are dry bites.
Talked to a guy that had a timber rattler get him in the back of his calf when he backed up into a palmetto while looking up into a chestnut oak for acorns. He walked a 1/4 mile to the truck, drove a couple of miles to a farmers house, luckily they were home. Said he was throwing up when he got out of the truck, but after checking his leg good they realized there was no swelling and determined it was a dry bite. Scared the you know what out of him!
chris
Jacko,
you aussies got it tough when it comes to snakes. Can you carry a quiver full of arrows for all those snakes. What about the dingo can you shoot them? They seem pretty tough too, and what about those big venomous spiders?
Hoebow our native snakes are protected animals over here - enormous fines in the $50 000 range I think it is for getting caught killing them or possesing skins etc . Don't think there is any introduced snakes here either , aussie snakes ate em . I love spiders great predators and for that I leave em alone except when there on the dunny seat .
Generally our snakes are shy and go out of there way to get out of our way . In those examples I gave with the Brown I was sneaking along a river bank and stepped over a log and disturbed the animal - the inland taipan , just plain wasn't looking .
On a closing note Nala I'm sure I could arrange a hunt for you over here mate in the middle of summer after a good wet season and big grain harvest when the mice are prolific on a full moon in the wheat field , could be a few Dingo's and the odd pig in the paddock and they are
not protected . regards Jacko
QuoteOriginally posted by Jacko:
On a closing note Nala I'm sure I could arrange a hunt for you over here mate in the middle of summer after a good wet season and big grain harvest when the mice are prolific on a full moon in the wheat field , could be a few Dingo's and the odd pig in the paddock and they are
not protected .
Jacko,
Somehow I don't think Nala is going to take up you up on that offer. :biglaugh: