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Snake proof gear, do you bother?
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by ALA_herp31 on November 17, 2004
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Hey ya'll, I was wondering how many of ya'll use Snake proof gear wile in the field herping? To let ya'll know why I ask. Last spring I went herping in a swamp that sets in the TN River flood basin in AL, witch is only bout 2 miles from my house. The swamp is a very open swamp not many trees or bushes to offer cover. Well to make a long storie short, I steped down beside a old peace of drift wood that set about 4 ft. from the waters edge and felt somthing hit me just above the top of my foot, I looked down and saw a 1 1/2 ft. cottonmouth laying their. Thank God I had on some thick leather boots. Well to put it short, I made a desecion that from now on I would wear Snake proof boots wile herping, even if its in open areas. This was a wake up call for me, I have spent most of my life hicking and stomping around in the swamps and hills here bouts and thought I knew what I was doing. So you see, I learnd the hard way that knowing what your doing in the bush dont keep you safe all the time.........Thanks ya'll, I enjoy this site very much and would like to hear if im the only brush buster that has had this kind of experence......Happy herping Wally
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RE: Snake proof gear, do you bother?
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by Buzztail1 on November 17, 2004
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Wally,
The Boss and I wear boots that cover the ankle and blue jeans while out herping. We are very careful not to put our feet or hands where we can't see them. It can be very dangerous to put your foot down next to anything that a snake might hide under and so we avoid that too. Perhaps we miss finding a few snakes because we don't get into the thickest places but we find our fair share.
We do not wear any "snake-proof" equipment such as gloves, boots or chaps so I cannot recommend any or say that they work.
Karl
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RE: Snake proof gear, do you bother?
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by ALA_herp31 on November 17, 2004
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Hey Karl, I have a pair of Snake proof boots on the way for next spring. I realy dont think im gone bother with buying any gloves are anything like that either, but I am gone make good use of the boots after that little scare LOL. I am very careful what I do and me steping down next to that log was a bad mustack that I should have avoided, but I look at it this way, it tought me a good leson and that is to never trust yourself fully when out herping, always take care to use what could posably save ya life, at least thats what I got from that encounter. I always use hooks and tongs and never, I mean never atempt to pick up any venomous snake with just my hands, guess that stands to reason huu? Being I almost got my first tast of toxic love LOL, and I was more than 3 miles away from my truck to boot. So like I said, from now on I will be wearing Snake proof boots wile herping......Hey thanks for responding, I would like to hear from more memmbers to see if im the only herping fool that has had such a close call in the brush........Happy herping Wally
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RE: Snake proof gear, do you bother?
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by Snakeman1982 on November 17, 2004
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I just bought a pair of snake proof boots a couple of days ago for $100. They are made by Rocky and are super light weight. I'll be using them in Bolivia and they should be great. Be careful about the shoe fittings though. I tried a size 12 in Texas and couldn't get my foot in it. I was going to buy a pair 4 months ago but couldn't find any my size. I find that the shoe size is one smaller than labeled. But these new size twelves seem perfect. So I don't know. I bought them at Academy sports and outdoors.
This summer I wore snake proof gaiters for a while. I did this while radio tracking timber rattlesnakes. But eventually I stopped wearing them because they were too uncomfortable and hot.
Other than that I really haven't worn official snake proof material. But I am sure that many boots would be next to impossible for a snake to bite through anyway. But the snake proof ones go up close to the knee.
Robert
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RE: Snake proof gear, do you bother?
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by Crotalus_Catcher on November 17, 2004
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I wear chaps when I'm hunting in the field getting WDB's out here. They're good help w/ the cacti and briars in the field, but I wear them more for the brush than the snakes. I hope I never have to find out if they work for snakebites or not. However, when I'm road cruising for WDB's, I don't wear them. I'm on roads and not in the brush where I can't always see the ground, so I don't feel I need them. So basically - Field, Yes, chaps. Roads - No. I've never heard of the "snake-proof gloves" being effective. Has anyone had positive or negative experiance with the gloves?
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RE: Snake proof gear, do you bother?
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by ALA_herp31 on November 17, 2004
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The boots I orderd are made by Rocky to, aint never tried any of the gloves before, but if I do start a reptile house down the road (hopefuly LOL) I will probably invest in a pair, if they realy work that is. I saw a show on NGC with Brady Bare, they was looking for Pygmies and useing some sort of Snake proof glove to handle the Snakes. So I would think that they would work for at least some species. Hey thanks guys for responding, hope to hear from more ppl as well......Happy herping Wally
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RE: Snake proof gear, do you bother?
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by jared_cormier on November 17, 2004
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boots, once in a while, I'll wear thick leather gloves when working with large colubrids, simply because, while nonvenomous, it still hurts...venomous reptiles, as I never plan on using my hands to pick them up or turn over anything (potato rakes are the best) I have no real need for them, long tongs and snake proof boots are among my gear on a regular basis when I'm in the forest looking for coppers
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RE: Snake proof gear, do you bother?
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by Snakeman1982 on November 17, 2004
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I wouldn't trust snake proof gloves. There is a good professor/herpetologist in Florida who used welding gloves or something like that to do research on pigmy's. He has had two bites through the seam of the gloves and apparently had a bad reaction to the last bite.
Basically, I would say that snake proofing is a good thing to do to prevent bites from unseen snakes, but I think that proper handling techniques are better when you can see the snake. Elapids may be ok to use those types of gloves but I doubt it.
So I wouldn't use gloves personally. Unless, you have a nice pair of guantlets lying around, lol.
Robert Jadin
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by guttersnacks on November 17, 2004
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Is there anyone out there who can ACTUALLY attest to the protection provided by the so called "Snake proof" boots. I wanna buy some, but I dont wanna waste my money if they're not all they're cracked up to be.
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RE: Snake proof gear, do you bother?
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by ALA_herp31 on November 17, 2004
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Hey Tom, of what I know Snake proof boots "that is the good ones" do work. They are made from the same stuff that chaps & gators are mad of "I think" and they are known to work well. So as fare as I know they actualy do work well and im sure they would work very well against most of the Snakes in North America. So I would say yes, from what I know myself, you mite want to ask around a little more thoe, just to be sure........Happy herping Wally
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