Btw not trying to get too much off topic but I was wearing Filson chaps at the time of my near miss. Have hunted up north plenty of times and you can get by sometimes without brush pants or chaps if you pick your way. I know me though and will not hesitate to bust brush when I hunt so strongly prefer extra cover on the legs, no matter where I hunt. I used to think Filson Single Tin chaps were good enough just over a pair of jeans for snake protection, but I have had a few thorn stabs even through that combination and that is what gave me the most pause thinking if a hot snake strike would make it through as well. Is it maybe good enough, maybe not, probably better than not having anything but........

For me that was last straw an needed no more convincing. I have had enough close calls that I decided to stick with stuff that says snakeproof or snake resistant. Before my rattlesnake incident was duck hunting in Houma, La years before when in college. All I had was cheap thin rubber hip waders. Had them pulled down since it was so warm and while walking around an old trappers cabin stepped on a cottonmouth that was laid out in a flat area that was a thick clover patch, not even thinking there would be a snake there. Felt something squishy and squirmy under foot and looked down to see that hummer whipping around. Its head hit the side of the boot folded down like a flap and it bounced off and I don't think he even got a fang into the wader. Since standing on it snake could not square up, but it did not matter at the time since I pretty much jumped out of that boot and was about 20 feet away from that sucker in 1.5 steps. I thought that would probably be about my last close call with snakes to last a lifetime but if you hunt in deep south enough I figure why chance it. I got lucky twice but why risk a third swing I figure.

You boys be careful chasing them Bob's and good gracious granny stay away from our sneaky snakes.

As I sit in the frozen eastern half of Pa. (2 degrees) my thoughts always drift to the "long-tailed bird". Years ago in the 60's and 70's we had wild birds and state stocked. Now, it's put and take but after the birds have been out a couple days they can be challenging for me and my new one year old brit. In the beginning of november we had a flight of woodcock come in but unfortunetly I missed every one plus 3 pheasants , but in was still great practice for the new dog. I also enjoy doves and stocked chukars.

I'd rather shoot a pair of bull canvasbacks over decoys than any bird that flys. A close second would be a Canada goose over a water set.

I've started dabbling at Morning Dove again and I have started rather late in life playing with those big Canadian webbed foot things . I however would like to start heading to the southwest for of all things Eurasian Banded Dove .

Also looks as if I'm gonna start heading to the Outer Banks of NC for Mallets and Cans .

But without a doubt my preferred quarry is the man eating Virginia Whitetailed deer ! If I were closer to the Eastern Shore of Maryland I suspect the little Japanese Sika Deer would take the forefront .

I will say of the deer I was able to scare to death this year two were done in with Parker 10 gauge guns shooting two different home cast slugs .

"I used to think Filson Single Tin chaps were good enough just over a pair of jeans for snake protection, but I have had a few thorn stabs even through that combination and that is what gave me the most pause thinking if a hot snake strike would make it through as well. Is it maybe good enough, maybe not, probably better than not having anything but........"

Todd, mine are double Tin chaps, heavy and hot but...........might have a chance against a snake

for Traci and I its wild quail over straight tailed dogs with a recessed smallbore hinged pin shootin' stick .... the way to keep your dogs ready is not to spoil em':nono:

:rotf:No sense in having a dog if you can't spoil them!

Go for it. Its whatever you feel comfortable with. That and wear your tallest boot that you like to walk in. Like I said its probably 99.5% that you won't have a run in especially if your cognitive of surroundings. Its that slim chance that always gets you. I think those double tins are pretty tough and stiff but again its what gives you peace of mind. For me when the dogs go on point I sort forget about whats on the ground and I am walking in not thinking snake even that is a narrow window for when your guard is down. Things happen though.

According to so called snake experts that I know, most of bad bites are accidental snake bites that are predatory ones. What makes them worst is that snake thinks your prey and its using its venom for sure and most of the time that is the snake you don't see, especially for big bad old snakes. I mean that goes out the window if you step on one but thats different. Good news is that most of these predatory bites are low or level and not up, but obviously depends on the size of snake and circumstances.

Even though these snakes that are out now they tend to still be lethargic this time of year and odds are more interested in getting away then being defensive. Unless your looking for trouble messing with one you find then its on you. This is problem with deep south though, even though air temp is cool out, when these snakes come out and sun themselves in an area low and out of the wind that ground temp where they are can get high 70's and 80's. Thats hot enough to make em more unpredictable then they already are according to the experts.

Not trying to go overboard or freak anybody out but knowledge is power and maybe this is like a gun safety talk to most, but just like a gun safely discussion you sometimes can never hear those enough. Complacency kills.

Out here in fly over country, all wild birds, quail, pheasant, woods and prairie grouse. No preserves.

And an ice cream parlor in Round Up, Montana .

I like it. May have to head out west. Nice pics Bruce. My neighbors son moved out West and married a gal from Montana. He is in to golf but his wife's family owns a big ranch. May need to hit em up. I mean if you can't ask your neighbors kids inlaws that are 1500 miles away if you can hunt their land, then who can you ask?

Golf is what you do when you can’t hunt or fish. Some manage to lead a balanced life by golfing once a week and hunting or fishing the rest of the time.

The worst snakebite I ever witnessed was in 52 degrees on a cloudy day. A 6' diamondback hit our dog handler right above the ankle. He was wearing a pair of Vietnam era canvas top army boots, heavy wool socks, levis, and a pair of heavy canvas fronted thorn chaps, but the shake hit the thin canvas on the back side of the chaps. It had been very cold for South Texas for about a week, and the snake was curled up at the edge of a prickly pear. We are pretty sure Brian stepped on the snake itself...but no way to be sure. I have been "hit" four times in my hunting career, but a die hard practice of wearing snake boots when upland hunting in all but freezing weather, have saved my bacon each time. There are purpose built snake chaps and gaiters made by Turtleskin and Rattlers that are excellent as well, and do a good job turning thorns and cactus as well. I wear Turtleskin chaps AND snake boots when hunting coastal Saltgrass prairie down this way, as rattlers have an irritating habit of getting on the 20" high Gulf Cord Grass, or locally known as Sacahuista, clumps to sun themselves on a nice day. This practice puts the darn snake at a very unfortunate height! Snakes are an unfortunate, but ubiquitous condition here in deep South Texas! The result is for most of us down here, that snake protection is necessary and vital. I will also say that it certainly enters deeply into the decision of which days I will hunt with my dogs, even though they have all been snake trained, and receive Crotalus Atox Toxoid vaccine. I am fortunate to have never lost a dog to snakebite, but have nursed 4 dogs, 6 times, through the process.

Growing up in Conn it was all about grouse and woodcock. Great memories for sure. This print by Ripley hanging in my den is so spot on it could have been done in my favorite covert. These days living in the Midwest, my boys and I hunt preserve pheasants. And they are equally great memories, maybe better. Anytime you're able to enjoy a fall day carrying a shotgun with friends or family and a dog chasing birds is cause for celebration.

Sorry about that...

Both my dogs have been vaccinated against rattlesnake toxin. FYI it is a two step process. A primary is followed by a booster 30 days later then they get an annual booster. It is said that there can be an adverse reaction but I haven’t seen any.

My local vet had no experience with it but she got a box of ten vials from the university vet school which I paid $125 for the whole box. She keeps the box refrigerated and vaccinates the dogs without further cost when they need the shots . This is a lot less expensive than having a dog bit then rushing the dog to the vet and then all the steroids or whatever they do to combat the toxin . Plus you get some peace of mind.

Bruce, with one exception, a one fang bite in Hobbs nose a couple of years ago, we have still needed antivenin to treat our snakebites dogs, that WERE VACCINATED. Both of those were bad bites though, one in the meaty part of the neck of a setter, and the other in the gut of a Vizsla. Now, in my past experiences with other dogs, and prior to the vaccine, I am certain that both of my dogs would have died before we got them to the vet without the vaccine.

It’s a labor of love though, as antivenin doses Here runs around $800 a vial. The belly bitten dog took 3 vials. Yeas and yeas ago, my big Setter Rambo, took 5 vials, and two weeks of iv’s to get out of the woods! He was lucky enough to be bitten twice, one bad rattler bite, and a copperhead that bit him on the face several times as he brought the snake to me on an east Texas woodcock hunt. Rambo was not the sharpest knife in the drawer, but was still a hell of a quail finder!

You fellas have had way more run ins with those snakes with much worse trouble than me. I am starting to feel a lot more lucky and fortunate than I did before. It takes a big snake to produce enough venom to kill a dog. 4 to 6 foot rattler will do it, that is a lot of toxin. Understand some bites can be dry bites but would not like to roll the dice to find out. That would be like taking the pellets out of shotgun shell and getting hit with the only the wad, but you don't know if its got pellets or not.

Once saw a huge owl sitting on a branch of a big live oak. It was middle of afternoon and limb was no more than 15 feet off the ground. It was just sitting there but only had a profile from right side. Looked in his talons and it was holding a snake with its head sort of chewed off, thought it might of just been a water snake. Walked around to other side and its left eye was so swollen it looked like it was about pop out. Looked almost like a bull frogs eye. He was definitely holding a water snake on closer examination and it was a water moccasin. That must have been a mean old hungry owl to pick up a cottonmouth and eat its head off as its getting struck by the snake. I don't know if that bird lived or not but it if it did it at least probably lost its eye.

Your right if you spend time in the field in some parts of the country, you better have some snake protection. The only recent death i have heard caused by a rattle snake bite happened last year here in Georgia when a guy was deer hunting. Seems he was sitting at base of tree and got bit on the arm. It was not a big snake but seems he had a heart attack. Don't know if it was caused by the venom/toxin or guy just freaked out.

IMHO golf just like bowling and shooting pool is just an EXCUSE to drink BEER :rotf:

Hey Charlie - your ice cream's melting..... Hang Up and Eat!





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True. But I don't limit myself to just those excuses drink a cold one. This fall was a total solar eclipse, that was another great excuse to drink a beer as well.