Avoiding Snakes While Hunting

One of the most dangerous creatures out in the woods is the poisonous snake. Even though such snakes are elusive and tend to avoid humans, they can still be present in the back country and along hunting paths. If you plan to trek off into the woods and set up in a random area, you should always be aware of a potential encounter with snakes.

When you have found a location to set up your site, ensure that it is in a clearing and avoid rock piles or deep brush. Scan your location and pay close attention and make note of the possible area where snakes might be present. Some hot spots for snakes would be thick bushes, rocky areas, and distinctive in campgrounds, woodpiles. Make sure that your gear is clear of any possibility of a snake slithering into your boots, clothes, or pack sacks.

Snakes are coldblooded creatures, mostly roaming when it is hot outside, and during the cool days they are curled up under a warm log, rock or in a snuggly bush. During the cool days, if you are going to sit or settle down in an area where a snake might be, look around before sitting. Snakes will only attack moving objects, so once you have looked over you seating area and made sure no snake is nearby, you can enjoy your comfort. Take care when flipping over rocks, logs, or anything large enough for a snake to be snoozing under.

If you are in rattle snake territory and all of a sudden hear its rattle, don’t move until you know exactly where the snake is. Once you have spotted it you can avoid by it staying out of its reach. If you have to back away from a snake, make sure your path behind you is clear so you do not fall or even back into another snake. While stalking on paths or in the bushes, always scan your pathway, even if some else has passed there ahead of you. If you come across a log or rock, don’t step over them — step on them so that you can see what is on the other side, and only then you step down. If you have to walk through tall grass, carry a walking stick and sweep the grass in front of you before walking ahead.

Another hot spot for snakes to be curled up in are fire pits with rocks piled around them or even little holesin the ground around the pit. For this reason, once you have started a fire in a pit that has not been used for a while, stand clear of it until the fire has reach a temperature too hot for any animal to withstand. Snakes will usually crawl out of the fire pit before the heat burns them and most time will be a little agitated.

Avoiding snake bites is just a matter of learning a bit about the snakes that you might encounter in the area you are hunting. You won’t get bitten by a snake if you know what to look for. Always look before you step down; never reach into holes in the ground, trees, and bushes. And by all means, if you see a snake, leave it alone and enjoy its beauty for what it is. But if you find the snake is a nuisance, don’t try to shoo it away or even worse, catch it; leave that job for an expert.

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