Snakeboots or Not?

[Mr Bya Lungshot]

Not wearing high quality boots while hunting is basically playing the reverse lottery.
Chances seem slim that you won’t get bit. Though once you do win the reverse lottery I’ll bet your hospital bill that you wish you had never played to win that snakebite and everything that comes with it.

Chances. Have you had the chance to see the producer’s foot that Bear Grylls tweeted out?
Wonder if he wishes he was wearing a snakeboot instead.

And last if you think that there are zero feral venomous snakes from other countries escaped and living loose in America you got another thing coming.

Saying you have a better chance of being bit in the yard pulling weeds or doing laundry versus being bit in wilderness over your lifetime as a hunter is pure stupidity.
No such thing as a pair of hunting tennis shoes or hunting flip flops.

Who comes across more snakes than anybody else? Hunters do.
If you’ve seen a venomous snake while hunting well you got lucky.
I assure you many more snakes than you know have seen you first.

 

[Stroker]

Nope, not gonna stop fangs. However, any time I am relocating a non-venomous snake, I try to put on some leather gloves. Even those little teeth can make you bleed, but gloves usually solve the problem.

Non-venomous always get a pass. Venomous get a pass if they are where people normally do not go. However, if I find one in my yard, near my deer stand or near anywhere there may be kids or pets, it will be taking a dirt nap.

Rosewood

This. Killed a nice 43 inch copper at camp when I was resupplying the wood pile and he crawled out. A big chunk of oak to the head took care of him.

 

[Stroker]

That's why a lot of people get bitten on the hands by them working in the yard.

A older farmer I work for got bit in his side by a rattle snake as he was trimming the bushes around his house, the snake was in the bush. Spent two weeks in the hospital.

 

[lonewolf247]

I guess a lot of it has to do with the way you were brought up, where you live, and possibly the generation you are from. I’ve been hunting over 40 years, and have never owed a pair of snake boots.

The habitat that I hunt and the terrain, makes home to canebrake, copperhead, and cottonmouths. We have a lot of bottomland hardwood and swamps. During the summer and early fall, when it is dry, we tend to see a lot of rattlesnakes, and copperheads. Cottonmouths are plentiful and we see them anywhere on the lease, especially in the swamp areas, or anywhere near water. We’ve even seen cottonmouths on mild warm winter days.

I’m not saying snake boots are a bad idea at all. I’ve just never owned any, nor has anyone on my club ever owed any. We should probably use them where I hunt when possible, more so than many other types of terrain, because much of my lease, you can’t really see the ground clearly, because of shuck grass, and other swamp grass.

However, one of the biggest problems here, most of the year, a good pair of rubber boots is a must, and once hunting season starts, hip boots are often needed. Leather snake boots wouldn’t last very long.

I tend to be more careful as I’ve gotten older, and don’t walk in the woods that much in the off-season anymore. Also, I do a lot of my scouting for stand locations and such during hunting season and just after in FEBRUARY, LOL.

 

[XIronheadX]

25 yrs ago I would rattlers chaps working in the woods. Mainly for green briars on clearcuts. My first canebrake I stepped on and he struck. Even with the chaps on, I managed to hit a log in some briars on an ATV, and have one coiled up a foot from my hip. And, then once cutting a sapling, one was coiled up in a forked pine tree nest about 3 ft off the ground. My forearm was right in his face by the time i saw it. I was lucky. I wear either snake boots(last 3 yrs) or gaiters most of the time so I can focus out in front of me hunting. Nothing ever happens until it does. Chances are.... just chances added to other chances. I try not to increase the odds the wrong way. Nothing like a waterproof snake boot to enjoy some swamps.

 

[GLS]

I know of at least one hill country TX quail hunter who in sunny winter weather hunts the side of the hill that faces north. That way he doesn't come across snakes which have had body temps raised while basking in the sun. He feels his dogs have less exposure to snake bite following the above. Gil

 

[Back40hunter]

Such an interesting and entertaining thread! I’ll throw in my vote. I wear the snake boots until we get some cool weather, then not so much. Obviously I wear them to avoid getting snake bit on the leg, which, as several have pointed out is very unlikely. But the main reason I wear them is to help me focus on hunting or scouting. With my SB on I don’t have to be as focused on where I step. Also makes it much more comfortable to plow through those tall weeds when encountered. I may still die from a snakebite, but it will be because I tripped and fell on one two hours from the truck somewhere. We all got to take our chances but if boots can eliminate some risk then I’ll wear mine and enjoy the time afield. And my boots are comfortable as can be, maybe a little warm in August but it’s so hot then it’s really hard to tell. Irish Setters ?

 

[rosewood]

How he got bit was trying to stomp the snake to death. If he had left it alone, he wouldn't have gotten bit. Pretty simple.

Here's your sign.

 

[Hookedup]

Have a set of side zip Redhead one. Love them. Actually pretty light weight. I believe they’re around $150. Maybe less. I hunt a small property in south ga with a creek bordering one side. They are a must have. I see or kill an average of 5 diamondback/moccasins per year. Not sure on your place. But I definitely wouldn’t walk my property in remotely warm weather without them. Stay safe ??