I've noticed that most the snake gaiters/chaps dont cover the top of the foot, toe area.
Seems that would be a problem if you're struck in that area. Do any of you prefer the Gaiters over snake boots?
Thanks
I purchased TurtleSkin Snake Gaiters a few years back. Expensive but I really like them. Light weight, camo, easy on/off but I don't know of any gaiter that totally covers the toe area.
I use these Gaiters over my LaCrosse Diamondback Snake boots. These boots are light and offer good coverage.
QuoteOriginally posted by joe skipp:
I purchased TurtleSkin Snake Gaiters a few years back. Expensive but I really like them. Light weight, camo, easy on/off but I don't know of any gaiter that totally covers the toe area.
I use these Gaiters over my LaCrosse Diamondback Snake boots. These boots are light and offer good coverage.
Do you mean Lacrosse or Bogs Diamondback boots?
LaCrosse...bought them in 1997.
I prefer a good snake boot. One of my dads coworkers got bit by a cottonmouth on the toe. Ever since then I have lost faith in gaiters. I wear Danner Jackal boots. They are light and wear like tennis shoes. They do get a little hot in hot weather.
Thanks for the feedback. If I get a boot it will have to be waterproof.
The Bogs Diamondback's are expensive but have good reviews.
I've often wondered, out of our thousands of brothers and sisters, how many have had a snake strike at them or actually bite them?
QuoteOriginally posted by achigan:
I've often wondered, out of our thousands of brothers and sisters, how many have had a snake strike at them or actually bite them?
There's not that many snake bites per year, dont know the statistics. I know it's a possibility where I hunt in the thick wet area I hunt.
Snake boots and gaiters are clever marketing to feed your paranoia and fear, and take your outdoor dollar.
Do the research...
There are, on average 8000 venomous snakebites in the US annually. There have been a total of 14 people die of snakebite since 2000; two of which were 'religious snake handlers' in WV and KY. Only a total of 28 deaths since the year 1900.
If you keep your senses alert, and your eyes open while you hunt or walk the woods; and if you don't do stupid things like step over logs rather than stepping up on them and looking before you step down, chances are you'll not get bitten.
QuoteOriginally posted by KenH:
Snake boots and gaiters are clever marketing to feed your paranoia and fear, and take your outdoor dollar.
Do the research...
There are, on average 8000 venomous snakebites in the US annually. There have been a total of 14 people die of snakebite since 2000; two of which were 'religious snake handlers' in WV and KY. Only a total of 28 deaths since the year 1900.
If you keep your senses alert, and your eyes open while you hunt or walk the woods; and if you don't do stupid things like step over logs rather than stepping up on them and looking before you step down, chances are you'll not get bitten.
Great advice for sure. But, I figure if I do get bit I want to have protection..guess it's the same with safety harnesses. If you do fall it's better to have a safeguard.
I can't argue with those numbers and I don't personally worry too much about snakes as I've handled venomous snakes for over 50 years,but even those who survive can have long lasting complications and the cost of treatment these days can be $160,000 and up.It is a serious deal that no one wants to go through.
A gentleman not far from me had a horse get bitten recently,after spending a lot of time and money getting it trained.The prognosis is that he may never be able to ride it.What would a bite like that do to a man?
I don't wear anything special to ward off snakes but if chaps or boots give a person peace of mind,I see some value in that.
For most snakes in the US,except for the big diamondbacks,a 10" leather boot with the pant leg over it,is good protection.
I picked up this guy in June,while bowhunting for bears and got another one yesterday while checking cameras.
(http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a140/jbrandenburg/BearSeason2014044.jpg) (http://s10.photobucket.com/user/jbrandenburg/media/BearSeason2014044.jpg.html)
I just purchased a pair of snake boots from BPS.
I read too many things about snake chaps being too hot and uncomfortable. If you decide on boots, make sure to get some with zippers. Much easier to get on and off.
Many of the snakes that bite people were being handled by those same people. I know three who have been bitten; copperhead (handling it), cobra (handling it), and prairie rattler accidental non-handling.
I hunt a lot of thick wet terrain, water moccassins, some rattle snakes.
Non poisinous snakes are not an issue.
I value my health and my family's. I think I'm going with the Lacrosse Alpha Mudlite Snakeboot 18".
Folks do get bit that are not messing with the snake.
I figure it's better to be safe than sorry
The best swamper I know Robert Carter (RC) wears snake boots when he hunts which is 3 or 4 times more then the average guy because of snakes. Enough said.
...and you have heard RC state many times.."If you hunt with me, you better have Snake boots or you stay in the truck." :thumbsup:
I don't for one second believe that cautious walking will protect from snake bite! Several years ago I stepped right on top of a copperhead, and I have always considered self very careful. The only reason I wasn't bitten was that I stepped so close to his head he could not get to me.
I used to wear chaps, but they were hot and noisy. I now use snake boots, still hot, but at least they are not noisy.
Next to my bow and quiver, my snake boots are the most crucial bit of gear I take hunting.
QuoteOriginally posted by KenH:
Snake boots and gaiters are clever marketing to feed your paranoia and fear, and take your outdoor dollar.
Do the research...
There are, on average 8000 venomous snakebites in the US annually. There have been a total of 14 people die of snakebite since 2000; two of which were 'religious snake handlers' in WV and KY. Only a total of 28 deaths since the year 1900.
If you keep your senses alert, and your eyes open while you hunt or walk the woods; and if you don't do stupid things like step over logs rather than stepping up on them and looking before you step down, chances are you'll not get bitten.
I gladly spent some of my "outdoor" money for peace of mind and protection. A friend of mine was hit in the calf by a timber rattler and it left a baseball size bruise on him. He was wearing snake boots so he didn't get the poison.
I sometimes walk up to 3 miles from my truck on public land and I don't like the odds of having to walk out that far if I got bit. I don't fear snakes but I do respect them. They can do some damage and even disfigure you.
QuoteOriginally posted by cahaba:
QuoteOriginally posted by KenH:
Snake boots and gaiters are clever marketing to feed your paranoia and fear, and take your outdoor dollar.
Do the research...
There are, on average 8000 venomous snakebites in the US annually. There have been a total of 14 people die of snakebite since 2000; two of which were 'religious snake handlers' in WV and KY. Only a total of 28 deaths since the year 1900.
If you keep your senses alert, and your eyes open while you hunt or walk the woods; and if you don't do stupid things like step over logs rather than stepping up on them and looking before you step down, chances are you'll not get bitten.
I gladly spent some of my "outdoor" money for peace of mind and protection. A friend of mine was hit in the calf by a timber rattler and it left a baseball size bruise on him. He was wearing snake boots so he didn't get the poison.
I sometimes walk up to 3 miles from my truck on public land and I don't like the odds of having to walk out that far if I got bit. I don't fear snakes but I do respect them. They can do some damage and even disfigure you. [/b]
Yep. Kinda like body armor for a police officer.
He may not ever need it but it's better to have it on if he takes a round from a thug.
I think the chances of getting snake bit really depends on the area you live. Here in south Bama in some areas they are thick.We usually kill 6 or more every year just in our yard.I have been bit about 8 times.I NEVER play with live snakes and it gives me the full body shivers to even think about that. Two of the times i was bit were by ground rattlers in my drive way that i stepped on going to the car.My son was bit on the foot in our drive also. Twice i was bit by mocs while wadeing around ponds fishing and another moc when i stepped out of a boat by a fishing stringer with some catfish on it that someone had left.Once by a copperhead when stepping out of my jeep in tall grass and once by a rattler that got me high on the back of my upper leg,almost on my arse cheek , while i was squatted down picking blackberries in a brush pile.Another while i was looking for some angle iron at a local scrap yard.I do skin a lot of snakes for the hides, and twice i got sick just from the poison that got on my skin. If the snakes head has been smashed or shot the poison is often all over it.This happened to a friend of mine too and he got pretty sick from it. I now wear rubber gloves when i skin poison snakes. One of the mocs i stepped on while wade fishing i actually had to pull a broke off fang from under one of my toes.My son goes frogging by a creek in Baldwin Co. and he says the mocs are so thick in the woods along the creek that you cant walk 20 yards without seeing at least 6 of them.The often read thing about snakes crawling away from you is pretty much not true here. Copperheads seem to rely on their natural camo and will usually just lay very still but are so well camoed you more than likely will not see them even if your looking.Rattlers i think, do crawl off most of the time when they since you comeing but my also just lay there hopeing you will not see them. Now the Mocs,,they are firm belivers in the hold your ground laws,they are mean , nasty, and truly the curse of the south.
Kituwa, I dont live too far from you..here in southwest Mobile County. I've been hunting state land just a few miles from the coast since last season. Haven't seen any mocs yet but we have a lot of hogs, maybe they're eatin lot of the snakes.
I would rather encounter a rattler than a mocc.
North Mobile and Washington county has a LOT of rattlers though.
TG, i live in Conecuh Co. but i have hunted and fished a lot over in the Mobile delta area.My 18 year old son hunts and fishes in Baldwin Co. all the time,,i think he is there right now. He has been gone two days now,lol.He and his friends are reguler swamp rats and are always out in the woods or camping on a sand bar on the Alabama river.I always love hearing the stories he comes home with.My health is very bad so i havnt got to hang out with them out in the woods as much as i used to.That has been really hard on me but my boys make sure to keep me filled in on their adventures. You are probobly right, those hogs would clean up on snakes when they have the chance.Chasin hogs is one of my thangs,,i love it.At one time i was sort of famous.Everyone around here that wanted a hog came to get me to guide them in the swamps.I not only pretty much lived in the hog swamps, but it was said that the only safe way to be out in the river bottom was to have me along because if there was 6 guys along the snake would always only bite me,lol.Used to be i was the guy everyone came to when they lost a deer. I miss that a lot, i loved trcking and finding peoples wounded deer.Used to be common for me to get calls or a knock on my door late at night from guys that couldnt find their deer.
Great country in Conecuh county..good sausage too ..lol
I pray that your health gets better. I just had colon surgery in June, goin back to work tomorrow.
I will keep you in my prayers.
I'm planning on hunting Perdido WMA next year, didn't get over there last year.
God bless, please watch out for them snakes!
Thanks TG. I just got out of the hospital a few days ago and my wife just told me she is draging me back in the morning.I have a very bad case of lupus that is CNS involved so i have seizers and i just found out i now have diabeties so they are trying to get my sugar regulated but that isnt going very good so far.There are several other trad gang members in our area. I havnt had a good chance to meet any of them but have talked back and forth with JAG. It sounds like he makes self bows and stone tipped arrows.That is another one of the things i want to do is to kill a big hog with a self bow and flint tip.You need to get up with him, he sounds like a top notch guy.
Wear good boots, hunt smart and stay alive. Feed those hogs, so they grow bigger and kill more snakes.
QuoteOriginally posted by achigan:
I've often wondered, out of our thousands of brothers and sisters, how many have had a snake strike at them or actually bite them?
I was bit on my butt by a rattler. I had squatted down to pull up a small bush that had died in my yard. What had happened was I dug up around the bush and walked off to get a drink. I came back, squatted down to pull the bush out and felt like someone punched me in my butt. I stood up and saw it drop off my backside. I guess it had taken shelter under my shovel and I scared it. I learned how to fly very quickly and got out of there. Luckily it hit my wallet and not me. It's venom rotted my wallet away though.
I'd much rather deal with being a little warm, than dealing with a snake bite.
Bitten on the wrist by a small rattler as a stupid kid. Wanted a pet rattlesnake. You guess the rest.
Haven't seen much of them this year, not sure why. My wife still has to convince me to wear shoes anywhere, including out shooting and in the woods. I cite my great-grandfather, who is still hunting barefoot.
Two days after my last post here, my eleven year old nephew that lives across the road from us got bit by a copperhead.My daughter was outside and heard him screaming down by the corn crib.He was trying to catch. It by holding its head with a stick and was going to grab it behind the head like he saw on one of those snake TV shows.It got him with one fang on his index finger.He spent three days in our small local hospital and then he was transported to a hospital in Mobile for three more days.Two dad after he got out he developed a bad kidney infection that is common with copperhead bites.I had the kidney thing with my first snakebite too.He is doing well now but his finger will more than likely stay numb for life.HE was a sick boy for a. While and that from a single fang on the top of a finger with nothing more than. Skin over bone.Not sure he would have made it wittth a bite on his leg where it could have really injected him good.Yesterday I skinned two timber rattlers and a diamondback that we. Killed by our yard last week that I had in the freezer.I wore rubber gloves but still somehow managed to get poison in in two tiny cuts on one finger a a tiny cut on my pinky on the other hand.By bed time my two fingers were swollen so tight I couldn't bend them..I was feeling pretty rough all night and still hurting and nauseated today.And that from what couldn't be but a small trace of venom.Wear your boots, better safe than sorry.
I have always figured my lacrosse lagranges are thick enough? Hope I never test that theory though.
Had a copperhead strike by boot toe many many moons ago. I had stepped between tow large brush piles. Yeah almost a heart attack at a young age.
Seen some bites in my fire work and it is nothing to mess with. You most likely survive the bite but depending on species you could be disfigured. Mainly the way they relieve swelling pressure if it is a limb.
Since I would only need snake boots for one week per year (annual SC hog hunt) I have been reluctant to spend the money. Where I live and hunt in PA it's just not neccessary.
After reading this thread I started checking them out again. I found a pair of boots that were discounted enough to make me go get the credit card.
Better safe than sorry.
Ive been contemplating about geting a pair. Especially for when your heading in or out of the woods in the dark and I dont normally use a light to go in or out. A budy of mine got bit by snake about 20yrs ag. He was walking to his stand one morning crossing weed field and something hit his Great Northerner rubber boot. He waited until daylight to see what had hit his boot. He found 2 small holes with what looked like the rubber had turned black around them. Luckily it didn't go to his skin.
I like the concept of the snake gaiters but I dont like the fact that the foot area is not protected.
Piece of mind means a lot. I'm out a lot and have had a few run ins with rattle snakes but have avoided being bitten. A couple of years ago I had a pair of Muck Woody Armour snake boots stolen from the back of my truck or my camp area. I havn't replaced them yet but they are definitely on my to do list. Comfort is the key. If they are not comfortable you will not wear them. For that reason alone I would not purchase the snake leggins or chaps. :campfire:
My wife is way scarier than a snake so I wear them to appease her.
QuoteOriginally posted by bigbadjon:
My wife is way scarier than a snake so I wear them to appease her.
LOL, I think the snake boots are the best all around option because they cover the foot area.
"The best swamper I know Robert Carter (RC) wears snake boots when he hunts which is 3 or 4 times more then the average guy because of snakes. Enough said"
I haven't seen anything from RC in quite a while, sure could use a south Georgia hog story. Wish you all the best, RC, hope you and the family are doing well.