Found this snakeskin by my front door ... any ideas what kind?

[Capbyrd]

I've never been bit by anything dangerous. But a coworker was. I mentioned in another thread that I worked a couple of summers at BSA Camp Kia Kima outside Hardy Arkansas. The camp straddles the Spring River. One side is called Osage and the other Cherokee. I worked on the Osage side but was hanging out with a friend on the Cherokee side. One of our coworkers was heading to the shower. Well the path to the shower building is gravel. He decided to make the hike barefoot. About halfway down the path, we hear a yelp and rush out to find him laying on the ground and his foot was already swelling. He was bit by a copperhead. We were able to catch the snake as well. The snake became a trophy/warning for the staff campsite on that side. The guy that got bit had a horrible reaction to it and couldn't walk for quite a while. New rules were setup. It was a rule that you had to wear boots on all trails after that. Kinda scary but made for a really cool story for him.

[MCSCOTT]

And then there was that 10" copperhead that showed up to our secretary's feet that I grabbed with my gauntlets, put in an old aquarium but died two days later.

Reminds me of a guy I know that stopped in the middle of the road one day, picked up a young timber rattler that was about 2' long, and threw it in his Cherokee. Not in a box, cage, or any other container, just threw it in the floorboard and drove home. He kept that thing for a long time in an aquarium. Even though I wouldn't kill a snake unless I absolutely had to, I'm nowhere near crazy enough to be riding around with one crawling around in my floorboard with me.

[Guest jackdm3]

Senior year of H.S. at Germantown '89, we're in history class and the teacher says he knows what Terry Kerr brought in his shoe box. Nobody in class freaked out, but Coach Harrison said he'd straight out deck Terry if he brought the box anywhere near him. Terry told us he'd been dry-bit 2 or 3 times by his cuddly pet copperhead.

[Capbyrd]

Senior year of H.S. at Germantown '89

GRANDPA!

We had a boa in one of our science classes at Craigmont. One day, her food got loose. My buddy Dustin went to get the mouse back. Well the mouse bit Dustin and he had to go get a tetanus shot. While he was gone, we drew a picture of him on the board and gave him rat attributes. He was nicknamed Rat-Boy after that and it stuck for quite a while.

A few months after that, the boa and iguana were both out of their cages at the same time. They got near each other and started a small brawl. If it hadn't been broken up quickly by the teacher, the iguana would have easily killed the boa.

[towerclimber37]

Personally, I don't care what the survival rates are, or which one is meaner than the other, or which one is more inclined to give me a "dry bite" or not...bottom line fella's...I don't what to be bitten by ANY snake...poisonous, or not.

Me....I'm avoiding snake's at every opportunity, period!

That's a wise course to take!

[Ebow1]

Out at a church camp one summer, don't know the name or location of the camp but it was somewhere in TN. Me and my buddies were just old enough to be counselors that year, and sure enough, as I knew would happen, I get stuck with the youngest boys cabin. So I've got a bunch of psychotic little 9-10 year olds that I have to keep track of. Comin' back to the cabin I find a decent crowd gathered around the cabin. They're in awe of the big black chicken snake coiled up under the cabin, and they're playing with it and it's ready to bite. Without hesitation I get all the kids to leave the snake alone and get away from it. My buddy comes along and gets the snake by the tail and holds it up in the air. He gets bit on the hand about 5-6 times because he thinks he's Steve Irwin but he can't grab the head fast enough and the snake kept turnin' around and tellin' him to stop if you know what I mean. Eventually he gave up and let it loose somewhere out in the woods away from the camp. Never had so much as a close encounter with a snake myself and I hope to keep it that way.

[Guest Lester Weevils]

Met a logger cruising his stand of timber on a 4 wheeler, over in Cheatham county, near the WMA, and he was wearing a pair of those cheap plastic snake gaiters for that very reason. I got me a pair of them too.

There was a company that made kevlar snake gaiters, but I think the company went out of biz. About 7 years ago went looking for snake gaiters and the kevlar ones looked best, but had to go looking at a lot of online outdoor stores before finding one in stock.

The tag on these says, "Wise Hunter Protective Products, Leader in DuPont Kevlar Viper Apparel"

They are thin and light with tough outer fabric and kevlar inner. Just a sheet of fabric that wraps around the leg from ankle to knee and snaps to hold it in a tube shape. It expects you to be wearing at least 7" heavy-duty leather hiking boots. The boots protect from foot strikes and then the kevlar takes care the rest of the way to the knee. Supposedly most snakes won't strike above the knee unless you encounter one on an incline or up on a stump or rock or whatever.

These don't weigh anything and fold up small in a pack. I'm neurotic about walking thru high brush, so if out hiking and I get to a spot of the trail that is too overgrown, just snap on the gaiters and keep going. Its a lot easier on the brain than taking 5 minutes to look all around in the weeds after each step <g>. It can take a long time to cross a patch of weeds if you spend enough time looking out for snakes.

If the kevlar gaiters really are not made anymore, seems a no-brainer product for about any company that makes body armor vests...

[Guest BEARMAN]

I'm neurotic about walking thru high brush, so if out hiking and I get to a spot of the trail that is too overgrown, just snap on the gaiters and keep going. Its a lot easier on the brain than taking 5 minutes to look all around in the weeds after each step <g>. It can take a long time to cross a patch of weeds if you spend enough time looking out for snakes.

[/quote

Me too, especially at night when the snakes are out hunting...guess that's why I never cottoned too much to Coon hunting.

How much did the Kevlar gaiters set you back, Lester?

[Guest Jamie]

Guys, any hard plastic will stop a snake bite... It doesn't take Kevlar.

Hell, even heavy leather will do the trick.

J.

[Guest Lester Weevils]

Bearman, as best I can recall, the kevlar gaiters were probably about $50. Maybe a little more. They were not a complete ripoff steep price.

Jamie, the thing I like about the kevlar gaiters is that they are small foldable and light, and don't look incredibly neurotic wearing them on a July hike in shorts and tshirt. I'm not real alert and could easily not see a snake other folks would notice, but admit to being somewhat neurotic about snakes and high weeds, because have stepped on snakes in that situation more than once.

In july with shorts out on a day-hike trail, it would be shameful to be walking around in those big plastic hard-shell gaiters or hunting snake boots to the knee. Just because I'm neurotic doesn't mean i want to be a laughing-stock <g>.

[Guest BEARMAN]

Lots of sporting goods stores sell high top snake proof boots, these days, but they look kinda uncomfortable to me.

I like the idea of easy on, easy off, easy to pack, for hunting purposes.

The plastic ones are also great for weed eating...

[Guest Jamie]

In july with shorts out on a day-hike trail, it would be shameful to be walking around in those big plastic hard-shell gaiters or hunting snake boots to the knee. Just because I'm neurotic doesn't mean i want to be a laughing-stock <g>.

Hey, you could always get a set of these:

Paint 'em the right color and nobody would ever notice.

J.

Edited June 18, 2010 by Jamie

[Guest jackdm3]

But they'll hear ya 3 miles away!

[Ebow1]

Taking a hike in those things would be one heck of a workout. Imagine that infomercial. Those Sketchers shape-ups wouldn't have jack---- on those.

[Guest Jamie]

But they'll hear ya 3 miles away!

Snakes got no ears... so they won't be hearing ya.

And if they detect the vibrations and leave... well, where is that a problem?

Anyway, I think most folks can walk without banging their shins together... unless they're trying to join this group:

J.

[Guest jackdm3]

That was in regards to "nobody would ever notice"

[Guest Jamie]

Taking a hike in those things would be one heck of a workout. Imagine that infomercial. Those Sketchers shape-ups wouldn't have jack---- on those.

Not really... The Romans and other soldiers marched many a mile in stuff heavier than that and didn't have a problem with it.

Besides, an entire suit of armor only weighed about 70 pounds at most. The greaves by themselves are probably only a couple of pounds at most... about the same as a 1911.

J.

[Guest Jamie]

That was in regards to "nobody would ever notice"

Thought I pretty much covered that too...

J.

[Ebow1]

Classic Monty Python.

[Ebow1]

I would've honestly thought the greaves much heavier than that.

[Guest jackdm3]

Thought I pretty much covered that too...

J.

Just wanted ya to know I know a bit about snakes, snakedude!

[Guest Jamie]

I would've honestly thought the greaves much heavier than that.

Nah, they aren't as thick as you might think. Most of their strength comes as much from their shape as much as anything. Pay attention to most armor and you'll notice a lot of curves, and reinforcement ridges. That cuts down on wieght and required thickness.

Besides, we're talking snakes here, not broadswords or bullets; A set molded out of the same polymer a Glock is made out of would probably work just as well. And it could be colored any shade a person wanted.

J.

[kb4ns]

A set molded out of the same polymer a Glock is made out of would probably work just as well.

And if you made a special model with accessory rails, someone would buy 'em...

[Guest Jamie]

And if you made a special model with accessory rails, someone would buy 'em...

I'm afraid to even guess at what people would hang on 'em...

J.

[Guest Jamie]

Just wanted ya to know I know a bit about snakes, snakedude!

Then you must walk very funny....

( Just got a mental picture of a cat with a piece of tape on it's foot... )

J.