Venomous Snakes suggestions

[Gunpowder Angler]

I plan on going fishing in a region that has timber rattlers and copperheads. Besides "watch your step," what are some other suggestions for me to use? I plan on getting some gaiters to wear.
Thank you,
Derek

[PYochim]

I carry a Smith & Wesson Governor that shoots .410's and .45 Colt ammo.

[Gunpowder Angler]

Thanks, I never thought of that. I would pack that kind of heat in grizzly country.

[crowebeetle]

I carry a Smith & Wesson Governor that shoots .410's and .45 Colt ammo.

Sounds like overkill for a snake at close range, 22 magnum with bird shot would do the job

[Drifly1]

I recently spent a week in north central PA and found no less than 2 dozen rattlers up to 36” only 1 of which rattled a bit as it was moving away from me. Never once felt threatened, most were pretty docile and want to avoid you rather than be confrontational they look at you as a predator. Be alert, watch where your walking and you’ll be fine I don’t think you’ll need to pack heat.

[cwfly]

I carry a Smith & Wesson Governor that shoots .410's and .45 Colt ammo.

We have both those snakes in Northeast Connecticut.
Please don't travel here. We fish without small (or large) arms.

[Webfly]

I’ve fished and hiked all over the country and never worried about snakes. You are about as likely to get bit by one as you would be to get mauled by a grizzly or hit by a car on your local highway.

[tabrods406]

Watch out for the little immature ones. They haven't learned to control their venom yet so you'll likely to get a full dose.

Tom

[Short Tip]

I’ve fished and hiked all over the country and never worried about snakes. You are about as likely to get bit by one as you would be to get mauled by a grizzly or hit by a car on your local highway.

You're way more likely to be hit by a car. Unprovoked venomous snakebites are vanishingly rare in North America. Being hit by lightning is MUCH more likely.

[quashnet]

About five people per year die of snake bite in the USA. Over 47,500 people per year commit suicide in the USA. So you are about 9500 times more likely to kill yourself than to be killed by a snake. I wouldn't worry too much about the snakes, even the little ones. As Mom used to say, "They're much more frightened of you than you are of them." So why not just enjoy going trout fishing with a nice bamboo fly rod? It's a good stress reducer.

[PYochim]

Please don't travel here. We fish without small (or large) arms.

Please don't tell me where I can and cannot travel. And relax. I have no immediate plans to travel to CT.

[DrLogik]

Gunpowder Angler,

The most important defense against poisonous snakes in the back country, in my opinion, is a sharp and focused mind and keen vision. Guns, knives, sticks and snake boots are of no use if you don't see the snake before he sees you.

The trick for me is I scan 8 to 10 feet in front of me 100% of the time. The only time I'm "sight-seeing" or looking for "alligator lizards" in the sky is when I'm actually fishing.

I try to never waver from focusing where my next 5 steps are. I don't focus on anything specific, I look at the whole scene in front of me. I look for abnormalities, or shapes, or colors, or movement that doesn't belong. When I spot that I stop. I stop without fail. This has saved me probably 6 times in the last 30 years of backpacking and fly fishing in the back country.

On average I guess that's once every 5 years. Ok, it doesn't happen often, but often enough to ruin a trip if I got struck. The places I usually go are not generally a short walk back to the car. Getting bit by a snake or breaking a leg would be a serious matter.

The last time was back in 2017, when my then 16 year old son and I were backpacking in the Smokies for 5 days fly fishing. It was as much a fishing trip as it was a classroom for him. We were walking up the Eagle Creek trail and about 8 feet in front of me I saw something out of the ordinary just on the edge of the trail. I stopped. It was a 3-ish foot long Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake. The second one I've encountered on that watershed over the years. Break a leg in Eagle Creek or get bit by a snake and you're hours from any help.

My son ran into me when I stopped and he said, "What'd ya do that for?" I said, look, down to the right about 8 feet in front. He said, "dad, how'd you see that??" I told him, just what I said here. Never take your eyes off of where your next 5 or 6 steps are and look for something out of the ordinary.

My best advice is to practice this just walking around outside. Don't focus on anything particular. Take in the whole scene in front of you, on the ground, and pick out things that don't seem to belong. After a little practice, you'll be surprised what you spot. The ant walking up the blade of grass, the small twig stuck between the cracks in the sidewalk. The round curly thing in the grass to the right, yep, that's a dog turd...or is it?

It's the same concept as camouflage while hunting. We wear it to break up our silhouette. Animals key-in on monolithic colors...they don't exist in nature, and trigger a response.

Here he is just before he disappeared off the trail. Trying to think back on the moment, I saw him when he was still a little curled up while sunning himself in the morning. I think it was the roundish shape that triggered me. It wasn't normal for the trail.

[crowebeetle]

Interestingly, many snakes including rattlesnakes are protected either by state law or federal. It varies of course so one should be cautious about killing them as well as where one places their foot. Below is a listing by state regarding the killing and protection of snakes.

https://www.wideopenspaces.com/the-stat ... ll-snakes/

[DrLogik]

Crowebeetle,

Good point!

From that article....

It is illegal to even disturb an Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake, Eastern Coral Snake, Pigmy Rattlesnake and Timber Rattlesnake without a permit in North Carolina.

Uh oh, I guess I'm in trouble since I roused the rattler from his morning nap!

[crowebeetle]

Hope it wasn't angry

[twistedtippet]

I carry a Smith & Wesson Governor that shoots .410's and .45 Colt ammo.

We have both those snakes in Northeast Connecticut.
Please don't travel here. We fish without small (or large) arms.

Some of us do!
tt

[Gunpowder Angler]

Thank you all for the help. Dr. Logik, I am a survey technician and I sometimes have to carry our equipment through some woods and what you say is what I have been doing most of my life. I do look ahead about 5 to 6 feet, especially to look for logs that I may have to step over, and other hazards.

[Bee]

If you are in the Smokies are anywhere in Appalachia here are general rules I follow :

I am always highly aware when wading in the stream if I am next to any ledge rock that has a southern exposure to the sun. I try to not put my hands on such ledge rock to keep my balance or pull myself along . Copperheads are notorious warm ledge rock sunners. Cannot tell you how many times I have seen them within a few feet of my head/body on trails or in streams in a warm ledge rock setting.

Anytime I am walking trails or fishing near flat slab rock piles I am particularly cautious. Frequently the old roadways, old railroad logging rail way spans, old house place foundations, or other such stacked stone areas harbour some bad snakes. As do old or new cut firewood piles. And old rock piles at edges of cleared fields.

If Im walking along a gravel or paved road after sundown to reach my vehicle in heat of summer or in the fall I am always very conscious of the fact that copperheads and rattlesnakes love to lay on the warm gravel-pavement in early evening to get the last heat of the day in their body from the dark warm pavement. Very common to see them in the headlights driving out of southern mountains shortly after dark.

Else where in the US I have seen rattlesnakes near trout streams while fishing . A newly famous eastern Oregon tailwater has provided some near misses along its banks in rocky, sandy, sage brush. As has the most eastern Montana trout tailwater close to the Wyo border. If you see cactus on the river edges in northern Rockies you should assume rattlesnakes are in the area. Generally they are . Steelheading? They are on the Salmon, Clearwater river and lower Snake as well.

[GMflyf1sh]

as the herpatologist from St. Louis Zoo said to our club. “most people get bit trying to identify what kind of snake it is.’ Treat them all as venemous and avaiod them

[Red64]

I live and fish in Arizona - rattlesnake territory. I 100% agree with Dr. Logik, a former Arizona resident, to be aware of the surrounding area. Rattlers are not offensive snakes like a Black Mamba, give them a wide berth and they will usually move on. Because they are there gathering heat or ambushing prey, it's no reason to shoot them.