[Opening Day]

Originally Posted by Todd Poer

Hope you enjoy your South Jawja Romp. It will probably be nice by then. Btw if its in the 50's or better consider some sort of snake protection. Those rascals will come out and sun themselves. Its pretty rare and I used to never even think about wearing snake boots when quail hunting since the area I used to hunt did not have many bad snakes and it was always cold enough, never a thought. South Georgia and Florida its almost anytime when weather is 50+. Once in early February hunting in South Georgia dogs were on point and shooters walked in to flush. Thick bramble cover about waist high and hard to see where your feet were going, though walking in at the ready was not looking at the ground but looking for shooting lanes and anticipating the flush. Covey breaks as I am still on the move and I get a pair, actually was hunting with Parker and one of few times I ever doubled with it. Guide looks at me and says he missed. I said no way I got both birds, and he said he lost track and he was looking down at the ground and when he let me know "lucky for you that fellow right there on the ground missed you".

I look down at just the right time to see rattles of a big snake slinking back down into a hole under an old pine stump. It freaked me and the guide out since neither of us even thought about snake boots. Guide knew the area and even assumed it was too cold and did not wear snake protection, that changed his mind since it was sunny and low 50's out. Seems, according to guide that caught the action out corner of his eye, as I walked, hesitated, then took another step forward to shoot the snake whiffed right as I moved my step forward.

I am not afraid of snakes but respect the hell out of them. Odds are greatly in your favor to never get bit much less die from a bite and more likely to be killed by a lightening strike, but I try and avoid getting struck by lightening and snakes more so now then I ever did. My rule is that in deep south if its high 40's and know its warming then snake gear comes out. I have some heavy Orvis leather snake boots and wearing them and walking alot is a work out but I guess worth it. Just read were someone got knicked in florida this fall by rattler and about $100k later and pretty long hospital stay they were in the clear.

BTW I like the cache of your trilogy and it has a little more air of prestige but it reminds me of some of the same components for a successful weekend based on the Redneck Trilogy.

1. Burning Gas
2. Shooting Guns
3. Drinking Beer

Hopefully it safely goes off in that order, but more times than not, the order gets reversed some. However, as a rule of thumb shooting guns is always in the middle.

You know Rich, you laughed at me last year with me wearing my Filson chaps (after being told they killed to over four foot rattlers in the previous two weeks) so this year I think I may wear them again.............