Caribou Gear

Snakes in Tents?

About spit out my precious morning coffee. :D

Why was a 4 year old picking up tarantulas? My Aunt Dixie was from New Mexico. She knew spiders. She was visiting us in San Diego and we found a large tarantula walking in a dirt field. Beautiful, with dark black hair and eyes, wearing a sleeveless top that was so popular in 60s, she kneeled down and let that fuzzy beast walk right up her arm. I lost my irrational fear of spiders at that moment. I always respect them and understand what some can do to you, but I don't fear them beyond their capabilities.

Hmm, for some reason I have also had a profound attraction to this lady.
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Hell who doesnt lmao
 
Had a black bear put is front paws on rear bumper and look in over tailgate when I was truck camping yrs ago it was almost dark not quite my feet were about 2 ft away from him and I quietly asked him what he was looking for he looked at me for abt 30 seconds or so got down and walked away
But paid another visit at night to see if I was ok
 
Whenever I read this thread, I get an ear worm of old Jim Stafford singing about spiders and snakes
 
Now I understand how spider webs can cover my face every three feet in the October darkness walking into stands.

A few years ago in NM we had a skunk take a liking to our tent. Stole my cake the first night. Second night he woke me up and he was under my partners bunk rolling over his boots. He noticed me awake and made a quick exit right past my bunk with me ducking back into my bag as he passed. The third night we left him two slices of bread outside covered in 🔥🔥sauce. That must have done him in after eating both slices he disappeared.
 
Had to read this one after last spring looking at a house where the blown in cellulose insulation was a huge "worm farm" for big ass worms... Holes in it every foot or so and hundreds of 4-7' long snake skins on top of and half way in and out of those holes throughout the whole attic. I don't mind snakes but was in a big hurry to get out of that attic stepping on the bottom chords of the trusses so as to not fall through the ceiling. We did not put in an offer on the house. Best tent varmint visitor was a simple skunk after my chocolate chip cookies, he got them all un-contested.
 
A few years ago my wife and I got home really late for some reason and realized we had forgotten to throw all the sheets in the dryer earlier so they were still wet. We were tired and didn't feel like dealing with it so we just threw our sleeping bags on top of the mattress and went to sleep. A few hours later I awoke to our cat sitting on my chest purring really loudly and then she dropped the mouse that was in her mouth and it ran down into my sleeping bag. I've never jumped out of a sleeping bag that fast, and I've had Montezuma's revenge on a backpacking trip before.
 
It's just really rare. Not something to rationally fear IMO. In the Lowcountry of South Carolina spiders coat the forest floor. Shining a light, their eyes look like dew drops. Floorless tent only where I can sweep down to dirt and only in winter. I accept the fact that spiders may occasionally climb on me, and almost none of them can/will bite. Of those that do, it will be a mild bite 99.999% of the time. It's so rare, I don't worry about it. Bitten once as a kid, about 55 years ago. Pretty happy with the odds.

But also was picking up turantulas at age 4 or so, so not afraid of spiders in general.
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PEAX Trekking Poles

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