I apologize in advance if this is a repeat post. I know I posted on this topic somewhere on the Internet, and cannot for the life of me recall where. Talk about a senior moment.
Anyway, wondering if you prefer boots, chaps or a combination of the two when hunting in rattlesnake country.
I am thinking good snake boots would be enough in New Mexico, which lacks the really big Eastern diamondbacks you see in the South.
The Red Wings on the Cabela's site sure get great reviews.

I do my quail hunting in Baja Mexico, Southern CA, and Arizona and use Turtleskin gaiters and chaps for protection against rattlesnakes. They are lightweight, comfortable and not inexpensive.

I have a friend who was struck by a small to medium mocassin while wearing the boots. It hit him right at the top of the boot. He said a bigger snake could have struck him above the boot.

If the snakes are that big a problem, keep that in mind.

I wear Chipewwa snake boots when hunting grass and low brush here in Texas, but if I am in heavy, tall brush I wear Orvis brush chaps, not just for snakes but thorns as well.

If you know there are snakes then Max protection.... Chaps
If small chance of snakes then;; boots

but more is better because the down side is something you don't need to deal with

There is an outfit in South Texas that makes knee high snake boots that are popular with ranchers in South Texas....Ive never used snake protection other than Cowboy boots in West Texas and don't know anyone who has..In all my life the only snake bite I got was in the web of my hand reaching under the school house for a baseball, the poison spewed out the other side as I was very young with a small hand. It took the coach a block to run me down..spent the night in the hospital, and sent me home, got lucky..

Thanks gentlemen.

Just a though, but the longest rattler I ever killed was in New Mexico in the mountains south of Silver City. I drove a full size ford PU and that snake hind a good 6" off both sides of the tailgate of my truck.
I grew up in Florida where the eastern diamondbacks live but the longest I killed in Florida was a couple inches over 5'.

The only snake chaps that I have been able to find are only double-layered from the knee down. I doubt that the single layered material would provide much protection against large rattlesnakes. They are great for brush though.

I live in the Rio Grande Valley. We regularly kill diamonbacks down here 6-7'. I've seen them much larger than that. A snake that big will hit you so hard that he will knock you down. But when that big they are easy to see.

I wear snake chaps here at the house. If you're going up a ridge and a snake strikes it will be above what a boot will protect. The chaps are hot but they work I got hit by about a 3.5-4ft rattler. It hit me 2 times the chaps worked I had a bruise about the size of a golfball these easterns hit harder than you would think.

quote:

Originally posted by swampshooter:
I live in the Rio Grande Valley. We regularly kill diamonbacks down here 6-7'. I've seen them much larger than that. A snake that big will hit you so hard that he will knock you down. But when that big they are easy to see.

I worked in a national park while I was in college . There was a guy there who was a lineman at Alabama. We got called in because of a 6' plus rattler. Bill decided to mess with it by sticking a shovel in front of it. When it struck it knocked the shovel out of his hand. I saw it.

When you say they strike hard, I believe you.

What do you guys think of the TurtleSkin brand of chaps?
I'll be in the Hill Country of Texas next month. Are they necessary, or...?
Thank you!
Brittman

Brittman, I have looked at the Turtleskins and the Snake Guardz for less than half the price. The Turtleskins seem to win for comfort, but if you only occasionally use them, the Snake Guardz should save you some money.

Thanks, Bill. I appreciate your comment. I think I'll order the Snake Skinz.
Brittman

Sorry - Snake Guardz...
Brittman

Some years ago my brother was a soil scientist for USDA. He was sent to Florida one winter to categorize soil there. Standard issue for the field were front and back aluminum shin guards that looked like medieval armor. He said the first time he was struck the armor rattled. The snake rattled too after striking, not before. Jake rattled the snake permanently with a .357 shot load. He also wore heavy chaps up the legs under the leg armor.

Vol, I read an account of a California bicyclist who was struck in the back of the calf by a Mojave rattlesnake, which gets no bigger than four feet long, and he said was like getting hit with a 2X4. I can't imagine the blow a 20-pound Eastern diamondback could deliver in a Florida palmetto swamp.

When I was stationed in Southern Georgia I ran across a dead rattler that was draped over a mile marker sign, since it was such a large snake I wanted to take a closer look. As it turned out it was a humongous rattler, I mean big and if someone tried to tell me they could get that big without proof I'd call them a liar. I estimate this snake to be over 7 feet at the thickest point was as large as my triceps. These signs where at lease 5 feet high and it came darn close to a foot off the ground on each side. To me that sucker could strike you in the chest so unless you had a a full body suit stay out of Georgia. I was with another guy who would not allow me to put it in the trunk for the purpose of scaring some other people.

The strike from a large rattler will knock you down.
Chaps are only double layered from the knee down. I don't know how effective the single layered upper portion of the chaps would be

Bill, I've been using these for a long time. They are lightweight and come in many colors:
http://www.snakeguardz.com/

David, I expect to go with those, too.

David,

I already bought a set of ScentBlocker Snake Gaiters from Cabela's for TX next month.
(I hope they won't be USED?)

Thanks!
Brittman

quote:

Originally posted by swampshooter:
The strike from a large rattler will knock you down.
Chaps are only double layered from the knee down. I don't know how effective the single layered upper portion of the chaps would be

That's funny, I was bitten by a 5' rattler and didn't know I was bitten until I lifted my pant leg and saw blood dripping down my leg.

Most of my life I wore cowboy shotgun chaps or batwings, killed lots of snakes on the ranch, but never got bit by one except at school and suffered no ill effects from that due to the circumstances in my previous posts...If you are aware, and pay attention you will see or hear them 99.9% of the time..Ive never been concerned about snakes other than its a good way to get bucked off a horse on rare occasions. Lots of horses get bit on the nose while grazing..If that happens run a section of water hose up their nose, same with a dog. the swell up closes the nose and they suffocate. I had two dogs that had been bit so many times they were more or less immune in that they had little swelling and laid around for a day or two and got alright..They had been bit nemourous times..Most folks that have been raised in snake country pay little attention to it.

I guess I am more like Ray than the rest of you guys; I see snakes all the time but never wear snake chaps. I went out yesterday for my weekly ultra long range practice and saw a snake about three feet from me. It rattled and while I stared at it, it just dropped into a hole. I wasn't going to waste a .338 Edge round on a stupid snake so I just watched it.
Interestingly, it had just shed its skin (or that was a different snake's skin).

In AZ, I pay particular attention to snakes when the temp is 80 to 85 - which is typical in Oct during quail season. When it is above 100, you rarely see them. Yesterday it was overcast for a bit and actually rained for a bit where I was. The desert in AZ normally has very little grass so it is pretty easy to spot them. If they are out sunning they will have an "S" shape, which is not normally the shape of a stick. Otherwise, any disk shape is a red flag. The white and black markers on their tails stick out pretty well too.

I was traveling this past week but Ms AZW said there was one by the house, next to one of the garage doors. She heard it rattle when she took the trash cans out last Thursday.

Russell boots has a nice custom fit snake boot you cant go wrong with a Russell boot. Down side is it takes some time to get your boot

The funniest thing I ever witnessed was when my dad and I were horse back hunting the rimrocks of far West Texas..He hopped off his horse with gun in hand knelt down on one knee, pointed his gun at a deer on the other side, then stood up tried to take his pants off but his chaps voided that so he pushed pants underwear and chaps down around his ankles then fell on his face curled up in a ball, kicking both legs, and doing some really weird manuvers, including yelling "don't just stand there, cut that SOBs head off..That's when I noticed a a big rattler had struck the bat wing of his chaps and hung up!! I grabbed its body and pulled tight and cut the head off and scraped it off his chaps...

I damned near choked to death trying not to laugh, but just couldn't help it, The sight of a grown man with his chaps, his wranglers, his long underwear wadded around his spurs that stopped the total process, was a hoot..He finally said, I guess that was a funny sight, and I said "Dad, it really was"..Snakes have been pretty entertaining in my life time, fortunately most of them just make you hurt yourself!!

Ray, dang it, you've got to write that book, mister!
The two diamondbacks I have seen so far here have been relatively small -- probably no more than 4 1/2 feet at the most. The other common species in this part of New Mexico is the black-tailed, a smaller and less aggressive snake.

I prefer chaps having been hit by a rattler twice. Once about 6 in above my ankle and the last time at the top of my thigh. I was going up a ridge when it got me. If your mostly in flat land and don’t have big snakes boots will work but here in north East Tennessee southwest Virginia these thing get over 6ft regularly

Reb, I'd wear chaps as religiously as a Baptist after a thigh strike. The westerns get six feet here, too -- and there are just enough of the wretched Mojaves to keep it interesting.

quote:

Reb, I'd wear chaps as religiously as a Baptist after a thigh strike. The westerns get six feet here, too -- and there are just enough of the wretched Mojaves to keep it interesting.

Bill a good idea.

When I was regularly hunting hogs in Texas I worn boots.

Then after coming on a large rattler it measure 5.5 feet.

I realized that my boots were not high enough. Coiled there with it's head off the ground his head height was well above my knees.

After seeing limbs that have been solidly bitten by rattlers and damage that is done.

All of you can say all you want about not worrying about snake bites.

I well wear boots and chaps.

One can avoid safety equipment when doing dangerous things and never get hurt.

But that doesn't make the thing less dangerous.

Plus boots/chaps protect you from all kinds of things that can poke you.

I know a guy who uses a short(to the knee)section of stove pipe. Obviously can't bend your knee if you go any higher.I killed one in west
Tx. that was sunning on a stretch of road that was cleared by a D9 cat. Head + tail were in the grass on either side.That cat's blade was over 8'He could have easily struck above the knee;big as he was probably broke a leg as well.

Randy, I think the sheer foot-pounds of punch the buzzers can deliver is underestimated and poorly appreciated. I'd love to see it quantified.

quote:

Originally posted by samir:

quote:

Originally posted by swampshooter:
The strike from a large rattler will knock you down.
Chaps are only double layered from the knee down. I don't know how effective the single layered upper portion of the chaps would be

That's funny, I was bitten by a 5' rattler and didn't know I was bitten until I lifted my pant leg and saw blood dripping down my leg.

I do not question the accuracy of either statement. It seems logical to me that one might not feel a bite from a large snake as much if it connected at the very end of it's range. The same snake might connect with much more power if the distance was right.

I have a friend who works on a 28,000 acre tract of land north of here. It is a snake paradise. He has been struck by a small to medium sized moccasin while wearing snake boots. He was standing in the middle of a dirt road at night. It crawled up to him and struck him. That one didn't particularly hurt him.

A few months ago, he was doing some tractor work. He got off the tractor for some reason which I do not recall. He walked around front. He said something hit him in the leg that felt like he had been hit with a baseball bat. It rocked him badly. He is a BIG man. 6'9" and I would guess around 300 pounds. Strong as an ox.

He ran a few steps and looked back. He could see the vegetation moving. He ran over and saw a snake disappearing in a gopher hole. He freaked the f#@k out as the most likely culprit was a rattler. I 100% agree with that assessment. He pulled up his pants leg and there was a massive red spot but no fang marks. He was incredibly fortunate. Somehow, he got struck but the fangs did not penetrate.

This red spot became a massive bruise which stayed for weeks. He was incredibly sore. I would like to see that snake. Given the injury, it had to be a big one.

Let me add another general comment. My wife is a hand surgeon. She has described to me in GREAT detail the operation she has had to do on people who have been bitten by poisonous snakes. I have seen the pictures. Gentlemen, it ain't fun at all. In fact, I would describe it as horrendous. You don't want to endure an operation like that at all.

I don’t know about knocking anyone down. I know the one that hit me on the lower part of my leg got my attention quickly. The snake was 3.5-4ft and with the chaps it bruised my leg.

I have never found a comfortable snake boot. Sometimes the blisters are not worth the trouble.

My place is in SE Arizona at about 5100' elevation. We have nine species of rattlesnakes and coral snakes.

I recntly bought Chippewa zip back snake boots - not for hunting, because the snakes are mainly underground when bird season is open... but for working around the place, dog training, setting trap machines, etc. Easier to remember to put on snake boots than to boot up AND put on gaiters. IMO.

A friend of mine told me about back when he was a teenager in the 50s he was riding his horse through a narrow pass + a rattler struck out about waist height from a shelf + got his fangs caught in his chaps. He was lashing all around on that horse's belly (thank goodness they were in a narrow corridor) until they came out the other side. He + the horse went in2 different directions + he shucked those chaps in a heartbeat + ran for home. His dad took him back later to retrieve the chaps + the snake was gone. His dad said you slipped out of those chaps with your spurs on? He said to try to put them back on. He couldn't do it. Adrenalin is amazing stuff.