I use a pair around the Hill Country of Texas, wouldn't these be better than shorts? Maybe some "turtleskin" gaiters? I just have a real problem w. the idea of being in snake country w. bare legs.

I would think they would be too dang hot, but there are a lot of more experienced people to opine.

Not to worry about the snakes. It's winter when we hunt there. They're pretty slow, if you see any at all. I like shorts, even though I come home with hamburger legs. Kind of paying my dues, or maybe just trying to be macho. Makes my wife shudder when she looks. Unfortunately I don't get much sympathy.

You can go with the zip-off leg style. I find the nylon gaiters are a boon in keeping the seeds out and protecting a few inches of ankle. Get them at REI or Cabelas.

There is a golden rule in Africa: You must be the fourth in line.

If you follow it you will have no worries.

The first tracker wakes up the snake.
The second tracker pisses off the snake.
The snake bites the PH.

Hopefully the PH is carrying a nice rifle, which you can bring home as another trophy.

As far as snakes go, the one that is most likely to kill you, the mumba, probably won't be biting you on the leg. These snakes usually rear up and bite on the upper body. Most frequently, bites are from the puff adder, the least toxic of the three most commonly encountered venomous snakes( the cobra is the third) in southern Africa, Puff adders are a rather sedentary (lazy?) snake and don't like to move even when they know you are coming. People are usually bitten when they step on the snake and it whips back and bites the offender. My rule is just don't step on "sticks". BTW although you may not necessarily die from the bite, puff adder venom carries a lot of collaginase, and you could lose a lot of muscle and tissue. So just wear your shorts and enjoy the weather. I have gone to Africa 12 times in 13 years, wearing shorts every time, and never come close to being bitten. Remember, the snake knows you ae coming long before you get there, and he no more wants to be stepped than you want to be bitten. Have a nice day and don't worry so much.

Geronimo

How about a really long leather kilt?

(Sorry, couldn't help but overflow from the other thread.)

Kyler

quote:

There is a golden rule in Africa: You must be the fourth in line.

If you follow it you will have no worries.

The first tracker wakes up the snake.
The second tracker pisses off the snake.
The snake bites the PH.

Hopefully the PH is carrying a nice rifle, which you can bring home as another trophy.

Good one Will!!

Good advise from Geronimo. Most puff adder bites is on- or just above the ankle. Good boots and gaitors will prevent this. Very few bites are on the legs. Mamba and cobra bites normally to hands, arms, upper torso and face/ neck area. But you really should not worry about it too much. I have hunted and lived here my whole life, and so has a lot of other people on this forum, and I bet that very few have been bitten by a snake WHILE OUT HUNTING. (I was bitten once, but I played with the damned thing when I was still in high school.) Now scorpions- thats a different story- but just shoes and common sense will prevent them stinging.

quote:

Originally posted by Will:
There is a golden rule in Africa: You must be the fourth in line.

If you follow it you will have no worries.

The first tracker wakes up the snake.
The second tracker pisses off the snake.
The snake bites the PH.

Hopefully the PH is carrying a nice rifle, which you can bring home as another trophy.

Not much good if the PH only uses one Tracker...

Wear leather chaps and you will save a lot of money on trophy fees. They will hear you coming a mile away, both the snakes and the game.

465H&H

Well then what kind of fabric makes a good choice for pants in thorn country, the snake issue aside? Do the various upland bird hunters' brush pants work?

Like many, I hunt in shorts in Southern Africa and have for the last 20+ years. Finally decided to act to add some protection to legs -- from thorns, not concerned about snakes.

Last August, bought a pair of Dublin riding chaps (about $35 from State Line Tack) and used them hunting in Natal and then in Namibia. Now, these chaps are soft enough leather to be as quiet as skin, have elastic so they fit, but only cover to just below the knee. Problem is that you can wear them with shoes, but not with hunting boots, and your shoes have to have a heel because an elastic loop fits under the shoe right in front of the heel. The chaps themselves give good enough ankle support for me and I used a Cabela's kangaroo shoe with a vibram lug sole.

Did they work? Yes, except for thorns above knee level. They also keep seeds out. Were they comfortable? Yes, and not at all warm. Am I going to use them again? Only in Natal where I was in very thick stuff (will hit them with Permanone to deal with the pepper ticks there, too!) In Namibia will switch back to just shorts and leather gaiter for seeds.

Regards

In CA I've always hunted in extremely thick brush where jeans were just barely enough protection (no thorns to speak of here).

So my first trip to Africa I wore heavy Carhart pants for protection again the thorns. The noise from the thorns on the pants was rediculous. I had to switch to shorts.

Flesh tears quietly!

Kyler

boots? long pants and a pair of boots between ankle and knee high will work.
and not to throw a spaner in the works here but the 2 most poisonous snakes in africa are found in trees - vine snake and the treesnake ( boomslang) very very deadly, chances are you wont make it if they do bite you. the upside however is that they are very shy and seldom seen. reason why puffader and mamba bites are more frequent: puffader doesnt normally get out of your way and will continue to lie still untill you step on it. black mamba is very territorial and will attack without hesitation.
but as was said earlier, when its winter snake sightings are less frequent, but they dont hibernate they are just less active untill later in the day when it gets warmer

quote:

Originally posted by Will:
There is a golden rule in Africa: You must be the fourth in line.

If you follow it you will have no worries.

The first tracker wakes up the snake.
The second tracker pisses off the snake.
The snake bites the PH.

Hopefully the PH is carrying a nice rifle, which you can bring home as another trophy.

Bloody classic

I had a German guy come down to South Aust with a pair of green half leather pants to hunt one October.

He nearly melted.

I rarely wear shorts in Africa but do wear long,lightweight hunting pants. I also like ankle high leather, uninsulated boots and ankle gaiters. I don't dress for snakes except when hunting the south and south west of the US. I have seen many snakes, including Mambas in Tanzania but have never seen a snake in Zimbabwe or South Africa. Trying to figure out which snakes have the worst bite is like trying to decide whether you'd rather be run over by a truck or car. Either way is going to hurt and leave a mark. It would be foolish not to stay aware of the possibility of snakes but I won't worry about dressing for the occassion.

Here is my two bits: I live on ST. Thomas where our "catch and keep", cashew, and other sticky vines are easily as bad if not worse than anything I have seen in Africa and I wear regular cotton work trousers working here and hunting in africa. Wear leather gloves and long sleeve cotton work shirts, and get along just fine: pull a few threads, but, have never torn the clothing very badly. Also, my experience in Africa to date tells me that our heat and humidity are worse than I experienced in Africa.