You need some special Aussie hunting boots:



We call 'em thongs; I think you blokes have a different idea about thongs, but I don't know your word for 'em.

HA! Ben, the fellow that guided me in Oz called those flip-flops his "mud boots" (as opposed to bare feet, of course).  I spent a couple hours watching a pretty little green snake chase gekos around the porch one evening, then told the Aussie about it.  He went a little funny - something about pretty little green snakes being poisonous.

Jer - them chiggers will go places you don't even want to think about.  If you get into 'em soaking in a REAL hot bath with a half cup of Clorox seems to help.

R

Jerry   seriously,  consider trying to get down on hands and knees (gloves and knee pads please . .  don't ask how I know this)  wearing dark clothing and appear as if you are feeding on the corn.  Doing this, mosey in on the javelina.  Not certain if hogs will allow this but I KNOW the javelina will.

Also,  consider making a large black hog or cow silhouette and using that as a means to get closer.    If nothing else, it is fun to play.
Chuck

I was in oz and with the red back spiders and brown snakes and tiger snakes I didn't get much sleep in the swag.

Anyway I guess I will see when I get there. hopefully the boyz I meet won't play with me too much (practical jokes side that is).

If they will do it I will...

Hey Chuck - if I do that I will be sure to get ticks and fleas right...wink wink....or shot at maybe.

I know when I was Dall sheep hunting I wore off white hunting clothes....it was pretty warm and I fell asleep on the hillside and woke up and i had a few lambs and yews scattered around me...that was cool.

Jer

It depends 100% on what part of Texas you are going from. I grew up in southeast, live in central, and work in south and have family just about everywhere else. Texas landscape changes about every 2 hours. I would hunt barefoot where I live. Very few thorns and briars just a cactus but they are easy enough to spot, waterproof boots are a must back east, and some nice thick britches for down south.

If your not use to watching for snakes I would get some snake guards/gaiters just something to protect a little above the boot. Be sure to bring some needle nose plyers for removing cactus and other thorns. I carry a leatherman when i hunt. PM me if you want some more detailed info.

QuoteOriginally posted by nightowl1:
It depends 100% on what part of Texas you are going from. I grew up in southeast, live in central, and work in south and have family just about everywhere else. Texas landscape changes about every 2 hours. I would hunt barefoot where I live. Very few thorns and briars just a cactus but they are easy enough to spot, waterproof boots are a must back east, and some nice thick britches for down south.

If your not use to watching for snakes I would get some snake guards/gaiters just something to protect a little above the boot. Be sure to bring some needle nose plyers for removing cactus and other thorns. I carry a leatherman when i hunt. PM me if you want some more detailed info.

This makes a lot of sense!

coby pm sent ok

I live down here and dont own snake boots. Ive seen exactly 3 rattlers in the last 10 years. I dont worry about in the fall and winter. Spring turkey and summer I just pay attention. I've stomped many of fields dove hunting in prime snake time too. Come to think of it- that probably wasnt too bright though.  

Jerry, to your question ... "and what the heck is a CHIGGER"? let a scratch-scarred Texan try an answer. I've been suffering God's wrath or chiggers ... same thing ... for decades here in TX. While scratching chiggers one day faster than a cat shaking peanut butter off its paw, it came to me that Adam and Eve sometime must have sorely tried The Good Lord's patience, and as a punishment He created the chigger. This little demon gets on you, punches down its tiny straw, drinks his fill, then disappears. You are left with a maddening itch that can only be compared to the feeling of battery acid spilled on poison ivy rash. You can't see or feel these tiny devils as they crawl past your boot, sock, leg and on under fruit-of-the-looms to the worst possible destination on an hombre. Plan for about a week to either spend time in private and scratch, or go out in public and suffer the "worse than a thousand skeeter bites" itch in an area where rapid hand movement could result in disapproving stares at best, and explanations to police at worst.

The best strategy, short of staying indoors from April until November, is to tuck your pants inside boot tops and then spray Deet on boots and pants. Whatever else you do, never sit down in any grass or on any logs. Those areas are chigger condos, and they will be glad to accommodate you if you offer your belt area close to their hangouts.

If chiggers get on you and do their evil, the only real cure is the passage of time. Digging them out with pocket knife, calamine lotion, bleach baths, ... I've tried them all and the only thing that works is about a week of scratching. I remember my father-in-law used to say "Ticks don't bother me for long. They just get on me, swell up real big, and after a few days drop off." Chiggers are tick's mean little brother. Lots of great souvenirs you can take back home from TX, but chiggers aren't one of them.

Best of luck on your trip, and I hope you get to enjoy your time here in the Lone Star state without wearing down fingernails from scratching!  John
         

SO are they only in TEXAS - I am going to florida too and out to arizona?

They sound bad. I hate things I can't see that BITE

JB

Chigger are all over the south. I use permithrin(sp)concentrate from tractor supply. I cut it and mix in a spray bottle.Use it only on your clothes. Spray it and let dry -its good for a few washings and is oderless once dry. Never got bit by the buggers once last year.
SL  

We've got chiggers galore here in Missouri, so no, they aren't just a Texas phenomenon.

Little buggers are true, pure evil.

Yep. Chigs Spray your clothes and let them dry before you put them on. Best medicine. Don't go out without it. They may not be out when you make your trip, but I sure wouldn't take the chance. They are pure misery.
What may be worse than the snakes themselves is stepping on a covey of quail at dusk with rattlesnake on your mind.

As far as thorns go Oldtimer makes a trapper pocket knife that has a needle and tweezers that slide in the scale handles. I recommend it. There are some mean ones down there.

Ok looks like I will be picking up some Permethrin when I get to Kitchener - then i can do up my hunting clothes for the trip.

Wow what you don't learn - but thanks everyone for your input here.

jer

Jerry:

If you are going to be hunting in the brush country of south texas, I would definately bring some chaps.  If you shoot something, the tracking jobs can be very brutal without some type of protection for you legs.  Every bush has thorns.  I would also suggest wearing some tyoe of glasses when tracking because it is pretty easy to catch a limb in the face.  When the limb is full of thorns it can be dicey.  You don't have to wear the chaps all of the time, but they are nice when you have a tough tracking job thru the brush.

As for the snakes, I suggest you wear some type of high top boot.  I have hunted alot in south texas and have had some close calls with rattlesnakes.  The boots never saved me from being bitten (yet) but they make me feel a little more. comfortable.  I agree with the bug spray -- chiggers and ticks can take the fun out of a hunt in a hurry.

Paul

I was thinking of just getting these pants - then putting the Permethrin to them..

Turtleskin Snake armour hunting pants - they should do the trick and with the bug dope I should be ok...have gloves and good boots.

Jer

That quail stuff above is just plain funny. I quit quail cause of it. Tired of wearing my spincter for a necktie.

Redbugs (chiggers) are out anytime it isn't real cold. They congregate on tops of plants in order to attach themselves to your clothes eventually bypassing everything but hard to reach skin where they bury into a sensitized flesh cacoon. Uncontrolled (as in the wild woods) there may be hundreds on any one plant waiting for a warm ride. They're ultra small red dots the size of the tip of a new sharpened pencil. W/o chemical preventions you'll itch from your head to your toes as many as 30 or more welts to be stress scratched at the same time. They're responsible for a lot of our Texas slang which you'll pick up quick if stricken. You'll live.

South, June, snakes, skeeters, & redbugs? Guarantee, it'll be a worthwhile trip you won't soon forget. You'll love Southern hospitality especially if you can hook up off the beaten path in Acadiana (Louisiana/Sportsman's Paradise) a day or two!

Thanks Forrest - I will definately be spraying up the clothing. this permethrin looks safe enough for humans so I will get lots of her on the clothes I hunt with.....anyone put it on their normal clothes too or do you just avoid the areas unless your hunting etc.

Well Acadiana is on the route from milton - i'm game, but I don't know anyone.

JB

Chiggers....Check it out:
http://insects.tamu.edu/extension/bulletins/L-1223.html

Chiggers and ticks are way more prevalent than snakes. I've killed 3 rattlesnakes in 28 years in TX. I've probably gotten 3 chigger or tick bites every day I've spent outdoors in those 28 years.

Of all the things to bring, just bring a good attitude and enjoy the ride. Texas is a great place and super fun to hunt.