(un)Packing Fears ~ Snakes

[Kittyslayer]

So the wife and family members seemed obsessed with snakes on the trail (and bears). Not being in the demographic of 14-27 year old males who get 99% of the snake bites I am not too concerned but need to answer family questions (and some of my own).

• Identifying a poisonous snake ~ I am not real keen on getting close enough to identify them, a snake is a snake.
• First aid following a snake bite ~ what should I do? What if I do not know if the snake bite was poisonous?
• Rescue ~ is a snake bite a reason to press the SOS button on my Garmin?
• Bite range ~ how far away do I need to be from a snake to be outside it's bite/strike range?
• Avoiding snakes ~ where to avoid so that I won't be surprised by a snake?
• Sleeping companions(*) ~ I have been sleeping under a tarp in a bivy. Will I have snakes crawling in for warmth?

(*) So my dad was stationed in the Utah desert while in the Army. He would tell stories about guard duty. If on guard duty you were not looking for the Commies, you had a shovel to scoop the snakes off the top of the troops in sleeping bags. Probably a BS story but still lingers in the back of my mind.

[JNI64]

A poisonous snak will have a triangular shaped head and vertical pupils. .


Rinse bite area with cold water and walk out to safety calmly as to not raise the heart beat .


Sos button if it's a posinous snake and your more than a couple miles from your car.


Bite range is the length of the snake it self a 6' snake can lunge 6' .



When walking and stepping over trees/logs on the trail look over before you step over they could be laying on the other side.
Tall grass ,rocky areas they like to lay on the hot rocks.



I wouldn't worry too much about your last concern I've never heard anyone say this has happened to them.

[johnnybgood]

Having been real close to venomous snakes over the years there's a small chance you will ever need to worry about being bit by one.
But having said that, my wife was bitten by a copperhead on her ankle and needed urgent care and antivenom to reduce the swelling. The snake passed a few in front of me and didn't strike again, even when my wife became hysterical.

If ever bitten just remember to stay calm... Yep easier said than done, but remember the venom travels faster through your bloodstream when you are hysterical.
If you're with someone have them call for help or activate the SOS function on a tracker device.

There is a device sold at outdoor hiking stores, forget the name, but it has a suction cup that is applied to the bite that supposedly sucks the venom out into a reservoir. I'm not sure how effective this kit is but whatever you do DO NOT cut the skin or use a tourniquet like we boomers were taught back in the 60's.
Remember always to keep the bite below your heart, in case you're bitten on an upper extremity area. It's advisable to move a safe distance away from the snake.
If you can ID the snake on first glance that's great because when you get medical attention the doctor(paramedic) will ask you if it's a venomous snake that bit you.
If you can at a safe distance take a picture of the snake so the ED staff know what to expect and can begin treating you accordingly, securing antivenom if necessary.

[Traveler]

Johnnybgood is on target. As a child I saw black and white western movies where the cowboy hero would cut a cross on each fang mark then "suck out the poison". A fairly primitive and time wasting response to snake bite that is about as useful as the venom extraction kits on the market that tend to do more harm than good as this information illustrates:

https://www.snakebitefoundation.org/...%20Just%20Suck.

[Odd Man Out]

...There is a device sold at outdoor hiking stores, forget the name, but it has a suction cup that is applied to the bite that supposedly sucks the venom out into a reservoir. I'm not sure how effective this kit is but whatever you do DO NOT cut the skin or use a tourniquet like we boomers were taught back in the 60's..

You are correct that much of what we have been taught is either pointless or dangerous. Snake bite kits are like bear bell. Their only benefit is to make money for people selling them. Selling paranoia helps them make money.


https://www.snakebitefoundation.org/...nom-extractors

"We are an international group of physicians, paramedics, and scientists who treat snakebite patients, establish clinics, donate supplies, train and support local providers, conduct clinical research, and implement public health education initiatives at all levels to save lives and limbs. "

[JNI64]

A good practice of situational awareness is paramount! It's easy if the terrain is easy to not be looking down where you're stepping ,say looking around at a view or animal or simply just talking and bam you step on one!
It's as rare as a black bear attack. Just look at the shear amount of threads here about hiking and I've never heard of a snake bite accident. I've always been more concerned about ticks

[JNI64]

I've seen my share of snakes out there!
Only close call I can think of is one morning climbing out of my tent to go pee I put my hands down on the ground right next to a big black snake ! Almost scared the pee out of me! Scared the snake to

[JNI64]

Meant to add that's what I'm talking about situational awareness.

[magic_game03]

My rule of thumb:
...non poisonous sneks will evaporate into thin air at the presence of humans (unless hindered by cold, a full belly, or currently being chased by another predator.)
...don't mess with the ones that do stick around.
...and for heavens sake run if they come at you. Definitely poisonous!

[TrailsEnd]

I research AT accidents in my spare time. While I concede it's a weird hobby, I am who I am.

Looking through newspapers over the time the AT has been the AT, I've only found two instances of snakebites in the press. One was from 2009, the other from 1978.

The 1978 one was especially dumb, the guy was trying to catch it and bring it to a hospital to "make antivenom". He was bitten in the parking lot reaching into the bag he had put it in to transport to the hospital. It was good fortune that this happened in the parking lot of a hospital I suppose.

The 2009 one was legit. Guy got quite ill.

I'm sure I've missed some reporting out there somewhere but that I've only found two instances is telling.

There are far more bear incidents than that supporting the notion that snakes aren't all that big a problem out there.

[RockDoc]

Yes you might see a rattesnake on the AT! I did in Pennsylvania during my 1974 1000 mile hike from HF to Maine. It was along the trail, lying in the sun, and tried to get away when I walked up. My friend and I decided to kill it and eat it. It was not great, I would not do it again. But we were in no danger, it was the snake that was in the most danger of crazy teenagers.

[JNI64]

Yes you might see a rattesnake on the AT! I did in Pennsylvania during my 1974 1000 mile hike from HF to Maine. It was along the trail, lying in the sun, and tried to get away when I walked up. My friend and I decided to kill it and eat it. It was not great, I would not do it again. But we were in no danger, it was the snake that was in the most danger of crazy teenagers.

That's how folks get bitten aka" dancing with the devil " !
On the other hand I wonder how it would've tasted with some Ramen and hot sauce

[cneill13]

Ninety-eight percent of the bite calls happen to people who are messing with snakes they found in the wild.

If the snake has yellow or white strips down its side, it is not poisonous.

I would bet I have walked past 1000's of snakes while hiking without getting bit. As long as you don't step on one, you should be ok.

[HankIV]

As long as the snake doesn't step on you you'll be fine.

[Wheezy]

As long as you don't mess with them or step on them, you'll be fine. For the most part they know you aren't food and want nothing to do with you. And as someone mentioned, check the backside of logs before stepping over them.

[Montana Mac]

I've seen three venomous snakes (2 rattlers and one copperhead) while hiking the AT.
The copperhead while heading up towards Dargon Tooth that the hiker in front of us noticed and warned us. It was lying next to rocks and blended in very well.
One rattler heading into Harpers Ferry and the other in NY.
This is an excerpt from my Trail Journals post concerning the one in NY ..
Within the first half mile in NY I was looking for a view and not paying attention to where my feet where going. I took a step up onto a rock to see if there was a view, realized there wasn’t and turned to step back down and the guy in the picture was right there. I had to tap it twice with my trekking pole for him to even make any movement or noise. I am very glad that it was sleeping when I must have stepped over it in my anticipation of a view.

Rattler.jpg