"My biggest fear is a rattlesnake big enough that it would bite higher than my snake boots cover. How likely is that to happen?"
I guess it depends on how high your boots are Sam.Timber rattlers/canebrakes don't strike from a high "s" position like diamondbacks so they usually hit ankle height or a little higher.You always have to be aware of terrain that might put the snake up a little higher than your feet.
Don't step over logs without making sure the other side is clear.When walking downhill,don't step over rocks or small ledges that might have a space for a snake to lay under,unless you can see it is clear.
Even with snake boots on,it is a good idea to be aware of what is around your feet.Just a hit on the boot could cause you to have an accident.Most of us would like to forego that kind of thrill.
Another point worth mentioning and something I learned a long time ago when snake hunting,when you spot a venomous snake you tend to get tunnel vision and rivet your gaze on the snake.I learned as soon as I located one to stop and survey every inch of the terrain around me before I made a move on that one.When you get in tunnel vision mode,it is very easy to miss seeing another snake.
I once spotted a yellow timber rattler in some rocks but he slid down a hole before I could get close enough to grab him.I got down on hands and knees and poked around where he went in,tried to move a few rocks and see if I could get to him.After a couple minutes there was a blurr in the leaves next to my left hand and a copperhead shot down the same hole the rattler went down.
I had riveted all my attention on the brighter colored rattler and didn't notice the copperhead,coiled next to him in the oak leaves.It held tight,using it's natural camouflage until his nerve gave out and he shot into that hole like a rocket.Lesson learned.
Just know that you will get tunnel vision when you see a venomous snake.Stop and survey your surroundings before deciding on a course of action.
Keep in mind that snakes are cold blooded.They aren't as active below 70 degrees and the hotter it gets the more fiesty they can be.In the fifties,they will be so cold they will be of little threat.
Just be very aware when the temperatures are 70 and above.Snakes actually can't take too much direct sunlight when it is hot like 80 and hotter.At these times they will be in the shade,underneath the edge of a rock slab or other
shelter that will protect them from the sun.On overcast days though,they can tolerate those temperatures and may be out and about.
Someone mentioned after a rain being a good time.Some of our best snake hunting days were after a brief thundershower on a hot day.Snakes that are holed up from the sun come out immediately to drink water droplets off rocks or foliage and to take advantage of the break from the heat.
When I hunted timber rattlers and copperheads,we never went out on windy days.They hate the wind and and seek shelter from it just like they do from hot sun.
If you learn a little about how snakes react to temperature and weather,you may find that half your days in the field may be non snake friendly days,even in the warm,early season.
I'm not as familiar with the Southeast but in the Northeast and many areas in the West,where snakes use communal dens,they will head to these dens in late August when night temperatures drop in the 50's or lower.This means most snakes will not be out and about over most of the country so you would be relatively safe unless you stumbled into a den and they aren't common.
Dens will be in rock slides or ledges,usually with a Southern exposure but may be East or west but never North.Another good potential den site is a big sawdust pile at an abandoned sawmill.These provide amazing insulation from the cold and many different types of snakes use them.They also are home to rodents and enough trees have been cleared around them so snakes can sun when they need to and they can get shelter from the heat as well.In September,be carefull around potential den sites.
Just a lot of rocks,doesn't automatically mean there will be snakes or snake dens.The undergound rock structure has to be such that there are small crevices that let the snakes get down below frostline to hibernate.In this country,that means more than 6'.All rock structures aren't created equally and only a select few are suitable for dens.Another requirement is water within a reasonable distance.
I suspect that in the Southeast,there aren't as many communal dens and a lot of snakes would den alone or with one or two others in rodent burrows etc.In the mountains,there may be communal dens in rock ledge areas high on ridges.
Anyway,just be aware and don't let the presense of snakes ruin your hunt.They aren't looking for you.They are just trying to stay cool or warm or get a nap and occasionally go on a hunt.A lot like me.Just be aware of where your feet and hands go and you will be fine.
Topic: Snakes (Read 1016 times)
