How many snakes do you encounter?

[GobbleNut]

The "snakes in a tree" comment reminded me of an incident I had just a couple of years ago.

I was prospecting for gobblers in some of the lower country they inhabit here in New Mexico.  I was driving along a forest road and suddenly, "the urge" hit me. At my age, when "the urge" hits you, you best be prepared to get the business done as quickly as possible, so I hurriedly pulled off the road and ran for the nearest cover.  That happened to be a scrubby juniper tree about thirty yards off the road, and I sort of duck-walked around the back side of the tree, tucked myself in as best I could amongst the limbs, and dropped the drawers.

I got the job done, somewhat relieved that I had done so without "complications", and as I was pulling up my pants, I happened to notice an out-of-place object on one of the juniper branches very close to my "deposit" and well within "puncturing" distance of parts of my anatomy that, just moments before, had been in a very compromised position. 

Looking more closely, the out-ot-place object turned out to be a modest-sized rattler that seemed very content to just lay on that limb and observe the goings-on without a fuss.  We parted way amicably, but he will never know how close he came to taking a "load" had I backed just slightly further into that juniper in the moment of crisis.   
...My apologies to all who might be thinking...hmmm, T.M.I.! 

[Yoder409]

The "snakes in a tree" comment reminded me of an incident I had just a couple of years ago.

I was prospecting for gobblers in some of the lower country they inhabit here in New Mexico.  I was driving along a forest road and suddenly, "the urge" hit me. At my age, when "the urge" hits you, you best be prepared to get the business done as quickly as possible, so I hurriedly pulled off the road and ran for the nearest cover.  That happened to be a scrubby juniper tree about thirty yards off the road, and I sort of duck-walked around the back side of the tree, tucked myself in as best I could amongst the limbs, and dropped the drawers.

I got the job done, somewhat relieved that I had done so without "complications", and as I was pulling up my pants, I happened to notice an out-of-place object on one of the juniper branches very close to my "deposit" and well within "puncturing" distance of parts of my anatomy that, just moments before, had been in a very compromised position. 

Looking more closely, the out-ot-place object turned out to be a modest-sized rattler that seemed very content to just lay on that limb and observe the goings-on without a fuss.  We parted way amicably, but he will never know how close he came to taking a "load" had I backed just slightly further into that juniper in the moment of crisis.   
...My apologies to all who might be thinking...hmmm, T.M.I.! 

Prima facia evidence of how easily, sometimes, life can just reach out and bite ya in the.......... You know.........   

[dayna105]

In all my years, I've only run into a couple rattlers........that I know of.  I wear snake boots.  I wear them, partly, so I don't have to pay attention to anything but turkeys.  But, I wear them MOSTLY because I love the ankle support in rough terrain.

Only snake I've ran across while hunting was a cotton mouth in Ga. The ankle support is the biggest reason I wear them also. I wear them when my buddies and I go riding the atvs. Best boot to have on when riding through a patch of briers. The wife laughs at me when I'm outside weed eating. Shorts and my old snake boots. Don't worry about any sticks or rocks my weed eater kicks up hitting my legs.

[Yoder409]

Best boot to have on when riding through a patch of briers.

Good point. 

But I did learn one thing about snake boots when I'm hunting Texas...........  They DO NOT stop pear thorns !!!    

[surehuntsalot]

here in mississippi, I don't go anywhere without my snake boots, been struck before by cootonmouth and copperhead, see some most every year

[RutnNStrutn]

they instinctively strike? or sort of pursue you?

Yes to both!!! The majority of my turkey hunting has been in FLA and SC, which means I've done a lot of swamp hunting. Cottonmouths are mean and ornery, will strike in a heartbeat, and yes, they will pursue you aggressively.

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[the Ward]

Don't recall seeing any while out turkey hunting, as it is usually cool here in spring in the mornings. But i still try and be careful in certain areas "cause you never say never.

[Pluffmud]

I watched a documentary about a park ranger/officer that lived on a WMA of some sort in what I believe was Florida? Anyway, he found some turkey eggs from a hen that was verified as dead, so he took the eggs and raised the turkeys. Maybe one of y'all have seen it and can correct me if I'm wrong, but what I remember standing out in that documentary was how many rattlesnakes those poults found as he took them on daily walks around the woods, after for decades previous hardly seeing any at all. So even though you don't know they are there, they definitely know YOU are there.

[roberthyman14]

I watched a documentary about a park ranger/officer that lived on a WMA of some sort in what I believe was Florida? Anyway, he found some turkey eggs from a hen that was verified as dead, so he took the eggs and raised the turkeys. Maybe one of y'all have seen it and can correct me if I'm wrong, but what I remember standing out in that documentary was how many rattlesnakes those poults found as he took them on daily walks around the woods, after for decades previous hardly seeing any at all. So even though you don't know they are there, they definitely know YOU are there.

I havent seen it.   But was talking to a guy the other day and he got to talking about that documentary.

Prostaff member for Old Crow Custom Calls

[OJR]

I have seen plenty in my 40 odd years of hunting. Rattlesnakes, Cottonmouths, Copperheads. Never was threatened by one. But a few made me pucker up a bit. I just bought my first pair of snake boots last season. I'm getting old, slow and hard of hearing so I figured I needed them.

[fmf]

If I only see one a season it is one too many.  They bother me bad enough when it is light, I'd certainly hate to step on one in the dark without snake boots.  I don't enjoy wearing snake boots, but I reckon it beats the alternative

[g8rvet]

The "snakes in a tree" comment reminded me of an incident I had just a couple of years ago.

I was prospecting for gobblers in some of the lower country they inhabit here in New Mexico.  I was driving along a forest road and suddenly, "the urge" hit me. At my age, when "the urge" hits you, you best be prepared to get the business done as quickly as possible, so I hurriedly pulled off the road and ran for the nearest cover.  That happened to be a scrubby juniper tree about thirty yards off the road, and I sort of duck-walked around the back side of the tree, tucked myself in as best I could amongst the limbs, and dropped the drawers.

I got the job done, somewhat relieved that I had done so without "complications", and as I was pulling up my pants, I happened to notice an out-of-place object on one of the juniper branches very close to my "deposit" and well within "puncturing" distance of parts of my anatomy that, just moments before, had been in a very compromised position. 

Looking more closely, the out-ot-place object turned out to be a modest-sized rattler that seemed very content to just lay on that limb and observe the goings-on without a fuss.  We parted way amicably, but he will never know how close he came to taking a "load" had I backed just slightly further into that juniper in the moment of crisis.   
...My apologies to all who might be thinking...hmmm, T.M.I.! 

Reminds me of the joke about the 2 guys out hunting and one gets bit in a similar location as you describe.  The bitten tells his buddy to call the doctor.  He calls the town doctor who advises to suck out the poison.  He returns to the bitten who asks what the doctor said.  He replies, "He said you are gonna die". 

[aclawrence]

If I only see one a season it is one too many.  They bother me bad enough when it is light, I'd certainly hate to step on one in the dark without snake boots.  I don't enjoy wearing snake boots, but I reckon it beats the alternative

I think back about some of the times I've crawled through the woods in the predawn darkness getting in on a turkey. I'm not sure that I'll do that anymore. Those gobblers can make you do some dumb stuff though.


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