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RE: staying safe
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by agkistrodude on May 30, 2005
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Hey Jeremy,Back when I was just getting into venomous snakes,(early-mid 70's) I didn't know of anyone to turn to.(no internet!)I was lucky enough to work at a couple of pet stores where I met a couple of people who got me a job at the reptile dept at the local zoo.(Brookfield,Illinios)I learned alot there,but the most important rule with any snake was "don't be in strike range and you won't get bit".It sounds like a no brainer, but if you take it seriously, you won't get bit.In the field, I would just try to not put my hands or feet where I haven't looked.Long pants and/or boots help,but I rarely wore either.I was usually in short pants and barefoot.Never snake hunt alone,bring along at least a basic first aid kit,bring at least 2 field herp books,and plenty of water,Its amazing the resources you have now to research and stay safe compared to 10,20,or30years ago.Use them.Over the years the most mistakes that I've seen involved drugs and\or alcohol,don't mix them with venomous snakes.In my hot room I always use the proper tools,hooks,tongs,
tubes,shift boxes etc.Good common sense can do wonders there.Anything can happen in the field, always prepare for the unexpected, but pretty much, if you get tagged in your hot room,its your own damn fault.Marty
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RE: staying safe
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by bush_viper17 on May 31, 2005
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Thanks everyone. My friend and I were just talking about how far canebrakes can actually strike. I know of three instances where their strike range was way misjudged by me and my friends. Once I was sitting on the railing on my porch looking at a canebrake that we had in a box. It struck out about 3 feet into the air and nearly got me. In my mind, I "knew" that I was out of range and it exploded. The funny thing is that we were just talking about how calm this one was. Another time, my friend was hooking one like he has done many times. He hooked it at about mid body and as he was moving it, it struck out and bit him on the hand. It was a dry bite. The last time was last week. Two of my friends were looking for timbers and they found one in a rock outcrop. One of my friends jumped over the rock and spotted it just as he landed in front of it. Before he could call out, my other friend jump in behind him. The snake struck out and nearly bit him on the leg. Ive heard people saying that the first person to walk by the snake gets its attention and the next person to walk by takes the bite. I want to warn the "new" snake hunters out there to be very careful while working with canebrakes/timbers. They seem calm on the outside(most of the time) and usually are quiet and then out of nowhere explode with amazing power. I think that canebrake/timbers have a much further strike than the eastern diamondback rattlesnakes Ive worked with. Also, I am just waiting on someone to get bitten up here at the state park because, one of my favorite timber spots is the main attraction up here. Its how my mountain got its name. Parents let their little kids walk all over the rocks and around the fort and dont think anything about it. I remember one time, three kids(about the age of 5) were rolling around on the rocks and jumping around and playing. I told their parents that I would watch them because all of the rattlesnakes. They looked at my in a hateful way like I had no business telling them how to raise their kids. One of the kids got stung by a bee and went over to his parents. I walked passed them and literally 15 feet from where they were playing i found an approximately 3 foot canebrake sunning on the rocks. I almost missed it and I know that there is no way that the kids would have seen it. Actually now that I think of it, there was a teenage girl that got bit by a canebrake and died last summer up here. I dont remember much about the story but i remember that she died before they could even get her off of the mountain. The only warning that the park has is a little laminated piece of paper on a sign at the beggining of a trail with hand drawings of venomous snakes and a little warning. I hate to come up there on the 4th of july because there are literally hundreds of people walking carelessly around the rocks. Well...Im getting off subject, but thanks for all of the advice. Anyone else, feel free to tell your stories also. Thanks.
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RE: staying safe
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Anonymous post on June 3, 2005
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Stories!!!! I cant Jermey it is too painful to tell. I remember Jermey, I remember too much. I just cant talk about it.
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