Snake gaiters or Regular gaiters in snake country

[Sharp stick]

When hunting in the desert or anywhere that venomous snakes live is it advisable to wear snake gaiters or chaps and what is the difference between regular gaiters and snake gaiters? Would regular gaiters work or suffice as snake bite protection?

 

[Bigjay73]

Been living and hunting in snake country my whole life, never once wished I had or felt like I needed gaiters. Vast majority of bites are on the upper body anyways.

 

[N2TRKYS]

I won’t ever hunt or go to the woods without snakeproof boots or snake gaiters in warm weather.

I’ve never once been struck at at my upper body, but have been struck several times on my lower legs.

It’s your life and time, do as you want.

 

[Oak]

Answers will vary depending on the part of the country, but in the west I would not consider wearing any gaiters during snake season unless it was to keep out cheatgrass seeds or other unsavory plant parts from my socks, pants, etc.

 

[Harrier]

I’m in Texas, and I’ve encountered enough rattlers and copperheads that I don’t venture out without steel-toed boots and snake gaiters. You definitely want gaiters specifically rated against snakebite.

I think that whole thing about “most bites are on the upper body” comes from people trying to grab snakes etc. I’m much more concerned about stepping on one in logs or on the trail.

 

[Flatbrimmer]

Gaiter Schmader that stuffs for sissies!!

Totally kidding. Wore them for a couple winters to keep off the snow, but the aftermarket kenetrek gaiters I got were already far from waterproof anymore… Only seen one rattler in my life— when I almost sat on it, in the Missouri River Breaks. Thank God for my wife’s keen eye…

When the fishing is good, you don’t see the storm til it strikes your fishing rod! interpret that metaphor how you please…

 

[howl]

I have only been struck at twice in my life. Both times I wasn't even wearing shoes. There are lots of time when you're around snakes but you're doing something you wouldn't consider wearing snake chaps. I mean you might wear chaps hiking down to the swimming hole, but when you jump in the water where the water moccasins are, what are you wearing?

When hunting I'm paying attention to where I put my hands and feet. When working in the woods, I'm not. So I wear heavy leather boots and chaps.

 

[Bmor19534]

Would get snake boots

 

[NoWiser]

I think that whole thing about “most bites are on the upper body” comes from people trying to grab snakes etc. Im much more concerned about stepping on one in logs or on the trail.

The whole upper body thing is a myth. Most snakebite’s are when people inadvertently step on or near one.

 

[brymoore]

I wouldn’t bother with snake gaiters. I’ve run into rattlesnakes hunting. They rattle and let you know they are there. I’ve never been struck at by a snake.

 

[Bigjay73]

The whole upper body thing is a myth. Most snakebite’s are when people inadvertently step on or near one.

 

[NoWiser]

View attachment 326862

I’ve read studies that basically say the opposite. I’ll see if I can dig them up.

 

[more_cowbell]

View attachment 326862

That is good to know. However, and somewhat joking here: if the California study was limited to incidents in CA, whether the people bitten on the upper body were S. Cal. TikTokkers attempting selfie videos.

 

[MO Betta]

That is good to know. However, and somewhat joking here: if the California study was limited to incidents in CA, whether the people bitten on the upper body were S. Cal. TikTokkers attempting selfie videos.

"Snakes just want to be our friends!"

 

[NoWiser]

The Epidemiology, Clinical Course, and Management of Snakebites in the North American Snakebite Registry

The American College of Medical Toxicology established the North American Snakebite Registry (NASBR), a national database of detailed, prospectively collected information regarding snake envenomation in the United States, in 2013. This report describes ...

www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

It may have been a stretch for me to say the VAST majority of snakebites occur on the lower body, but in this study of 450 snake bites in North America, the majority definitely were. There’s a lot of interesting information in it. That said, I don’t wear snake gaiters when I hunt in rattlesnake country.

 

[mtmiller]

https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1580/06-WEME-OR-080R1.1

 

[NoWiser]

https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1580/06-WEME-OR-080R1.1

View attachment 326940

About 70% of the bites in that study were from nonvenomous snakes. I wonder what the stats on bite location would have been if they separated it by venomous vs non venomous?

 

[mtmiller]

About 70% of the bites in that study were from nonvenomous snakes. I wonder what the stats on bite location would have been if they separated it by venomous vs non venomous?

True that.

From your study....wear shoes and you might not get bit in the foot. hahaahah

 

[NoWiser]

True that.

From your study....wear shoes and you might not get bit in the foot. hahaahah
View attachment 326956

And better yet, hunting boots.

A good follow, if you’re on Facebook, is National Snakebite Support. I’ve learned a lot from it. It’s mostly useless knowledge due to where I live, but still quite interesting.

 

[2rocky]

all you need are a pair of Nocona's