Opinions: To wear snake boots/gaiters or not--why or why not

[aclawrence]

I wear turtle skin gaiters also. I added some paracord to loop under my boot that helps keep them pulled down. I consider my self really observant but I have missed snakes before. Luckily I haven't been bit. It's so expensive if you do get bit it's just not worth the risk health wise or financials for me. I have a friend that got bit by a copperhead a few years ago. The hunt was over and he stepped out of the truck and without his shoes on and got bit right away beside his truck. The gaiters also help protect your pants from briars and keep your pants dry. If turtle skin would make their gaiters as good as my OR Crocs they would be so much nicer.


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[zelmo1]

No poisonous snakes up here, but I have hunted where they are and wore snake boots every time. Mine give great support for these old bones and peace of mind. I will never hunt without them or gaiters over muck boots 

[Sasha and Abby]

I wear the heavy Lacrosse Alpha burly uninsulated...  snakes cannot get through them and they are waterproof.  I have some Russell Snake Boots but rarely wear them anymore...

[Greg Massey]

If you have watched Catman outdoors on youtube or Shane Simpson run-in with snakes this year turkey hunting , i just think it's wise to wear either snakeboots or Gaiters ... but it's all up to the person ....

[CALLM2U]

30 plus years of hunting and this year is my first year wearing snake boots. I had 3 encounters last year and stepped 6 inches beside a rattler in CO the year before. So after a lot of research I bought the Irish Setter Vaprick boots. I don't think I'll hunt in the spring again without them.

Yes, they can get hot but they are very comfortable and pretty light. I have 3 little girls at home that need me so I chose to trade some comfort for security. 

FYI, I'm in TN as well.

[Gumby]

Why not wear them. Seriously

[Happy]

I wear danner pronghorn. I don't think that they are that hot and I like the ankle support and the fact I can tuck my pants into them for extra protection against ticks and chiggers. I have had them for 6 or 7 years now and while they are not completely waterproof they are pretty close. I treat them fairly regularly with mink oil. I have heard the new danners are not as good but not sure about that. I do know I have had several pair of Rockies they are not even close to waterproof.

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[runngun]

I wear Rocky's.  They're like knee length cowboy boots. Leather boot bottom and Cordura tops.  I ain't hunting without them. Had them for years, no leaks. But I rub them with mink oil and occasionally spray with silicone 3m water proofer you can get at Walmart.  These boots have a bunch of miles on them!

Have a good one
Ray

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[Turkeytider]

Always wear 'em. I'm in GA, we have a few snakes. I love seeing them, but don't want to get bitten. Wearing snake boots takes a distraction out of the equation. I don't have to worry about them in the dark when I'm coming in. Or across a trail as I'm leaving. Or in tall brush where I can't see my feet. Or if one gets squirrelly when I go to thump his head. Plus, with high waterproof boots, I can move through creeks without getting my toes wet.

Goes for me too, I'm in GA as well. Piece of mind.

[GunRunner]

 
In my opinion, if  you hunt in the SE ....from Virginia, thru the Carolinas, GA, FL, AL. MS, LA, TX, OK, TN, KY.....you should wear them.

As already mentioned....it allows you to move through all areas and terrain without worrying about watching where you are stepping and allows you to focus on hunting for turkeys rather than snakes. The first snake boots  I saw in the 60's an 70's were made of very thick leather. (Gokey's) . They were heavy and hot. The modern materials used today feature much lighter weight material construction and more breathable. My buddy just bought a pair of Irish Setter "Vaprick Snake Boots", and he says they wear like tennis shoes.

GunRunner

[Bagg-it Tag-it]

Thanks for each of your opinions on it. I've hunted my whole life without a close call and always felt I could see them first. Had a close call the other day. I took alot of you guys advice and researched a bunch of products and also went to Bass Pro and tried on their brands as well as Lacrosse and the Irish Setter snake boots (which everyone says feels like tennis shoes). The Irish Setters felt the best but still felt like they would be hotter than I want to be hunting. I decided to get the Turtle Skin Gaiters. Thanks again.
Matt

[Sir-diealot]

I will be hunting OK in Spring of 2020 or more likely the way things look 2021 I am debating if I want to spend that kind of money on boots for maybe 2 weeks of hunting. I am thinking hard on boots or gaiters myself. One concern about the boots is that when I had my car accident in 88 I really beat up my left leg and I have a very large bump on the leg much bigger than a grapefruit in its entirety from damaging the fascia layer of skin so boots that go up high can at times cause me problems which is why I tend to buy boots at the cutoff of 9" if I am saying that right so I am leaning towards the gaiters but know what my luck tends to be so also keep going back to boots in my mind. That and if there is a way to get myself hurt I seem to find it. I guess either way it is better to have them and not need them than to need them and not have them.

[shaman]

As always, KY seems to be right on the dividing line of things. 

When I hunt my wife's home turf, down in the Big South Fork on the TN line, I frequently run into copperheads and rattlers.  Down there, I would definitely say snake chaps are a good idea.

However, I've done the bulk of my hunting for the past 20 years at our farm about 10 miles south of the Ohio River.  There, although an occasional copperhead is reported, I've not seen one.  I wear no snake protection, and I don't know any of the locals that do. 

[Turkeytider]

Always wear 'em. I'm in GA, we have a few snakes. I love seeing them, but don't want to get bitten. Wearing snake boots takes a distraction out of the equation. I don't have to worry about them in the dark when I'm coming in. Or across a trail as I'm leaving. Or in tall brush where I can't see my feet. Or if one gets squirrelly when I go to thump his head. Plus, with high waterproof boots, I can move through creeks without getting my toes wet.

Goes for me too, I'm in GA as well. Piece of mind.

Should be "peace of mind ?". I wear my Lacrosse boots dove hunting as well, pretty much any time I'm in the woods or field now. Gets warm but I just don't want to worry about snakes.

[BBR12]

I wear a good pair of all leather boots and Turtle Skins. Several other replies about them and they were all spot on. They are nowhere near as hot as snake boots and they are insurance. I feel completely naked if I don't wear them now days.

TIP FOR TURTLE SKINS:  Take a very sharp knife (box cutter works great) and make a small cut on the inside of the bottom where the elastic is and then cut the elastic and they will not ride up on your boots. I wear hiking boots most of the time now and them riding up was a pain. I have seen no issues with doing this and I know its been at least a year since I did my pair. I had actually forgotten about doing it till my buddy asked me about it the other day before he did his.