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Snake Season

dalton916 said:
I spend more time than most in the woods since my job has me there as well as my hobbies and I don’t wear snake boots. We don’t have cottonmouths in the upstate of SC and rattlesnakes and copperheads are pretty docile. Like has been said already, as long as you don’t step on them they’ll leave you alone.

On a side note: I absolutely loathe baiting, be it in season to hunt over or out of season for trail cam purposes, but I can’t help but laugh and shake my head when I see folks post trailcam pictures of snakes or talk about how many snakes there seem to be nowadays when they go and dump out more corn.....

Corn = vermin...... snakes eat vermin.... your bait is the reason you’re seeing all the snakes
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Im in the woods every day since I work, hunt and live here. I did not step on the the "docile" copperhead that struck at me. And certainly don't believe I have to step on a snake to get it to bite. As a matter of fact only 1 of the 5 Ive known that have bitten actually stepped on the snake. I believe you get in a bodies length of a snake and you are at a high percentage to be bitten. Theres no bait around here 2 squares miles. Maybe more
 
Nutterbuster said:
I misspoke. According to this site:

http://ufwildlife.ifas.ufl.edu/venomous_snake_faqs.shtml

20-25% of venomous bites are dry. However, given that there are only around 7,000-8,000 snake bites documented per year, and an annual average of 5-6 fatalities, I just don't think it's as big a deal as we think it is. You're 9 times more likely to be struck by lightning.

Contrast 6 deaths per year with the 33,000 that wikipedia claims die in US auto collisions every year. And don't even get me started on coca-cola, McDonalds, and sedentary office jobs.

Treestand deaths are harder to pin down, but in my home state of Alabama, we had 4 deaths in 2011. I'd be willing to bet the odds of a injurious or fatal fall exceed those of a bad snake bite.
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Your a lot less likely to be struck by lighting because most with half a brain to take precautions when it starts to thunder. Like go inside. Pretty simple. If we went outside and stood in a pasture every time it started thundering and lightning you would be putting yourself at a waaaay higher risk than the smart guy that simply walked inside. Just like walking into the snakes home which is what our woods are. We are putting ourselves at a higher risk of it happening. A guy in a office chair had 0% chance of being bit by the snake I saw.

Your focus deaths from snakebites is not what this was about. Its about awareness.
If I was worried about dying from something on the ground out my backdoor id never leave my house.. or just go outside a face the music.

Human beings scare me way more than any creature in my woods.
 
The only people I personally know that have been bitten were 2 old ladies tending their garden and a jogger running right after dark on a dimly lit road. I personally avoid gardens and jogging to avoid bites now! I also watch NatGeo shows where the locals wear just flip flops or no shoes in countries that have snakes that will truly kill you in minutes.

https://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/florida/sfl-0409snakebite.box-story,amp.html

This thread is just our special spring version of scent control. Everyone of us has an opinion and we are all wrong and right at the same time. If boots or chaps make your day, wear them. If not, don't!
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Someone woke up cranky this morning, lol.

If you want to wear snake boots then wear snake boots, it’s entirely up to you. I’m merely stating my observations for the folks that don’t have the snakes we do so they can see that it’s not some big scary death trap that we live in down here.

I will, however, stand firmly by my statement that copperheads and rattlesnakes are docile creatures because they simply are. I guarantee you they see you long before you see them and they aren’t laying there thinking “I’m gonna pop his arse when he gets over here...”. They strike to kill/capture food and they know they aren’t going to be eating you. That only leaves the fight or flight strike which you have to step within striking distance to get. A 4’ copper head is a GIANT copperhead, so you pretty much have to be within 18” to get struck.....let’s just meet in the middle and call that “stepping on”.
 
I wear them whenever I go in the woods here in Florida. I stepped on a small moccasin once and was just far enough back from his head that he could “chew” on the side of my snake boot without getting turned far enough to square up on me.

Last year one of my dogs got bite 5 times in the face by a 20” Pygmy rattler in my yard. He used to lizard hunt the shrubs and grabbed it in the middle of its body. It hit so fast he couldn’t let it go before it got him. Cost us over 5k to save his life and still almost killed him. Some people would say it’s just a dog but he’s my buddy and whatever it took I was willing to pay. 88EE8946-CCDF-4CB9-A187-E3504342C801.jpeg
 
dalton916 said:
Feisty looking pooch, I like it!
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Believe it or not we had DNA done and he’s an almost 50/50 mix of Staffordshire Terrior and Chihuahua. How a pit breed a chi is beyond me but that guy is truly mans best friend. Basically a 55# chihuahua. Alpha at my house.
 
dalton916 said:
Someone woke up cranky this morning, lol.

If you want to wear snake boots then wear snake boots, it’s entirely up to you. I’m merely stating my observations for the folks that don’t have the snakes we do so they can see that it’s not some big scary death trap that we live in down here.

I will, however, stand firmly by my statement that copperheads and rattlesnakes are docile creatures because they simply are. I guarantee you they see you long before you see them and they aren’t laying there thinking “I’m gonna pop his arse when he gets over here...”. They strike to kill/capture food and they know they aren’t going to be eating you. That only leaves the fight or flight strike which you have to step within striking distance to get. A 4’ copper head is a GIANT copperhead, so you pretty much have to be within 18” to get struck.....let’s just meet in the middle and call that “stepping on”.
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Not cranky at all. I had an outstanding morning and day working in the woods, I hope you did as well, but if everyone else is going to give their opinion I certainly am going to give mine. Especially when opinions start getting delivered as facts..
 
dalton916 said:
You feisty like that dog, lol, I like it! It’s all good, brutha
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I resemble that remark.. And yessir it is all good.. I certainly didn't mean to offend anyone.. I believe if you spend enough time SH you are all going to try and "look out for" or bring awareness to this community about maybe small but potential hazards we may or some may never run across in our woods. I ran across one and did. Not the first one though. I appreciate bringing awareness to the wildlife as well. I don't think we need to be giving the snakes a bad rap or killing all them cause we saw it. I believe they have a right to the woods as much as I do if not more. I did not kill the snake that struck at me. His and my lucky day. If one of my dogs gets bitten in that area by a similar looking snake I will regret that decision. I could find a rattler on my back porch but Im not gonna put on my snake boots every time I walk door either. But Im also not gonna knock the guy who choses to take the precautions. I have friend who lives on the edge of the Congaree swamp, if your familiar with that area, and his feet go in his snakes boots at the door every time. Found to many rattlers hanging out under his stairs of his porch. I can't blame him for being cautious.. Hope y'all have great day!!
 
Anyone hear about the girl at summer camp that got bit by a copper head. Over $160000 in medical bills. Smdh


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
This is from a post on facebook not my brother. Although my brother was also bitten by a small copperhead several years ago just a short hospital stay and a lot of swelling.


Lewis Smith Lake, Alabama
Yesterday at 6:07 AMMy brother Chum Baker was bitten by a copper head tonight at our lake house. Was unconscious within 2 minutes. I did mouth to mouth until paramedics arrived. Were going to life flight him from our house but wasn't stable enough. Did CPR on him for 30 minutes in ambulance and at hospital. Life flight to Huntsville because no beds available at uab. In very critical condition. Wait and see condition. Please please pray for him.


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SUNDAY UPDA
Everyone please be careful about snakes. My brother was bitten by a baby copperhead tonight at our back door and is not expected to make it.
SUNDAY UPDATE: Neurologist just met with us. MRI showed no structural damage to heart, lungs and brain. But today's EEG showed "subtle " brain damage. No way to tell extent yet. He has a high fever and waiting on bloodwork to find reason. Dr said it's not brain related but probably from the snake bite itself or the bazillion tubes. Still comatose, intubated and renal failure, and liver levels are extremely high. Still in very critical condition. Please keep praying!

‎Grace Edwards Koozer‎ to Lewis Smith Lake, Alabama
2 hrs
It is with a very heavy heart that I have to let everyone know that Chum Baker was not able to pull through
The family is waiting for the rest of the family to get there to say their good byes
RIP CHUM. WE LOVE YOU AND WILL DEFINITELY MISS YOU.
 
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Isee venomous snakes almost every time i go in the woods and the only time 1 has struck at me is when i accidently put the end of my walking stick on the back of a pygmy rattlesnake. I love snakes
 
We’ve seen an insurgence of moccasins in my club as of late. Swamp is drying up and the snakes are on the move. I killed a 3’er this morning and our president killed a 4’+ in the same water hole couple hours later. Nasty dudes.
 
When I was a child my Father had me so afraid of snakes I would not get off the blacktop. I have spent a lifetime trying to get over the fear of snakes so I could enjoy outdoor activities. I hunt in north Alabama along the backwater of the Tennessee river. I see snakes frequently, but I decided I would not allow them to rule my life. I hope I never get bitten my a venomous snake and I have compassion for those who have. This is a good trend it brings awareness along with caution.
 
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