Snakes in Tents?

[2rocky]

Woke up one morning at the Nevada County Sportsmans club June Shoot. Arrived in the dark and slept out under the stars.

Woke up eye to eye with a banana slug poised to strike....

 

[Schaaf]

**** this thread.

 

[Elkoholic]

**** this thread.

100% agree with that!!!

 

[recon6036]

Spent a week in Colorado during first rifle in a floor less tent where we put a blue tarp down on the ground. Every night, a mouse, shrew, mole, or whatever the hell it was, kept running around under the tarp making just enough racket to piss us off and wake us up.
Tried stomping on in numerous times but we never did get it.

 

[longbow51]

Never ever understood the floorless tent deal. Ticks, spiders, rats, etc., etc., etc.

 

[Hem]

Never ever understood the floorless tent deal. Ticks, spiders, rats, etc., etc., etc.

....November in Montana a non issue.

 

[RobertD]

Put a rope down around yourself like the old cowboys did it! Hahaha, no idea if that actually works at all

 

[wyoelkfan15]

Never a snake, but one pack trip had a griz come into camp three nights in a row. Third night he got bold and came down our tent line sniffing each tent. My buddy and I were crapping our pants laying back to back with pistols pointed out into the pitch black listening to him sniff our heads from a couple feet away. Bear eventually left us alone but got into the horses. Our gelding broke off his lead and fought him off, which if you've never heard horses screaming in pitch black with the wind howling and a hungry griz floating around, I can tell you it's dirty underwear worthy. In the morning that horse had claw marks down his flank, luckily nothing too deep and it was a non-issue for the last two days of the trip.

 

[LuketheDog]

Never ever understood the floorless tent deal. Ticks, spiders, rats, etc., etc., etc.

It's mostly a non-issue once temperatures drop...

 

[Islander]

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.

 

[ccc23454]

first rifle elk in gila: tarantulas migration (didnt know that was a thing) and the most dense population of curious blackbears i have ever seen

 

[David658]

The above reports are the very reason I cannot ever use a floorless tent in NM. I'll stay awake all night manning a perimeter fire before I can sleep on the ground.

I could do it in winterish weather, or way up in the high country, but I like my trailer...

 

[Schaaf]

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.
View attachment 212620View attachment 212621

You need Jesus.

 

[pre6422hornet]

The above reports are the very reason I cannot ever use a floorless tent in NM. I'll stay awake all night manning a perimeter fire before I can sleep on the ground.

Oh man. I hunted unit 9 a few years ago during the late muzzy hunt for elk. We backpacked in by Black Mesa. My partner ( NM Game and Fish officer) kept teasing me about the floorless hot tent we were running. I had nightmares leading up to that trip. Too cold for snakes then. But still it ran in my mind all trip.

 

[Lasiocarpa]

We were on an archery stalk, hidden behind some willows when we startled the "Porcupine Family". Not sure who was more freaked out!!

Nearly stepped on a porcupine once (foot 6" over its back). Not sure if it was sleeping or just deaf and dumb. I was fairly impressed with my reflexes though, for someone with a preponderance of slow-twitch muscles anyway.

 

[44hunter45]

Misspent youth...

Being the a$$holes that we were, some of us unzipped the bottom of buddy's down bag and put a flashlight in there. He came out screaming and grabbed his 870. We were laughing so hard we barely stopped him from killing his bag.

 

[Hem]

You need Jesus.

I thought everyone had a personal Jesus.

 

[Islander]

You need Jesus.

About spit out my precious morning coffee.

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.

 

[longbow51]

....November in Montana a non issue.

Not ticks, but we had a skunk come into our wall tent (floorless by nature) in November and stole food. Fortunately did not leave a gift behind. Lots of beasties around in November.

 

[Chad Gus]

I've had snakes, mice, birds and squirrels in my ground blinds numerous times. Nothing in my tent other than an occasional mouse or spider.
This little guy was my buddy during gun season a few years ago.