Best handgun for walking through woods

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And it's about 20,000 deaths a year world aide, not 40,000.
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So you say-and you may well be right. I know nothing more than what I saw (twice-because I could scarcely believe it the first time I saw it) on a television program aired by National Geographic. And they reported 40,000 deaths by snakebite worldwide. I imagine that any such statistic would be subject to the inherent vagaries associated with any "global data base".

But don't let facts get in the way of a good phobia
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I only reported the "facts" as I beheld them. I've already conceded that I'm saddled with "herpetophobia" and, like any phobia, fear trumps rational thought. I'm also not a big fan of high places (acrophobia) and it's not rational to be apprehensive when looking out the window of a tall building.
Unfortunately for me (and any snake I happen upon when hunting, fishing and camping in the great outdoors), these are irrational fears that I'm stuck with for whatever childhood reason they were incurred and they aren't likely to go away any time soon.
 
Not to sound like a bunny loving tree hugger but now a days when I see a venomous snake- and it isn't that often anyway, I sort of spend some time looking it over and then leave it alone. The only snakes I've shot are trophy sized. I shot a 39" coral snake ( and YEAH it was a coral not a scarlet/king) but that was to put up on the wall. I was in on a 7' Diamondback but I had to grab a dog and the other guy shot the snake and claimed it even though I saw it first. Didn't seem right since it was HIS dog I was pulling off the snake. :mad: That Diamondback was- today- a trophy but some of the old fish camps have larger ones nailed up on the walls. I'm in Florida and it may be that they have been hunted/killed to very low numbers. I was over in Texas not long ago and there still a lot of them there- I am told- so if I move there I might go back to shooting all I see. I don't mind a few snakes but I don't want to see 10 or 20 while I'm out turkey hunting, especially if I'm wearing sneakers.
In any event, except for stepping over the cottonmouth as a kid I've always had plenty of time around snakes. Having to be a quick draw with a gun and shoot a snake before he bites you has not been anything I've encountered.
 
$150,000 for my wife's snake bite. 3 days in i.c.u, 44 vials of anti venom.
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:eek: Jesus, I am in the wrong business. Maybe I should start catching snakes and harvesting their venom. I'll be a multi millionaire in 5 years time.
 
So you say-and you may well be right. I know nothing more than what I saw (twice-because I could scarcely believe it the first time I saw it) on a television program aired by National Geographic. And they reported 40,000 deaths by snakebite worldwide. I imagine that any such statistic would be subject to the inherent vagaries associated with any "global data base".
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I posted a link to the source. Google "annual death by snakebite" you can view the figures for yourself. Vary it some for "annual death by animal attack" put in worldwide, north America, etc. comes up about the same. Could it maybe be higher? Maybe but in the U.S. it's only 5-7 deaths a year. And the number of bites lower than many other parts of the world.

Here mostly you can walk away from a snake. You see it resting on a rock in the sun...avoid it. Your feet and a walking stick are more useful tools for avoiding snakes than a gun.

If you want to hunt snakes that's another thing but the thread didn't begin as a snake hunting discussion. The op wanted to know about "protection" against snakes. The best way to do that is to not sit on them.

tipoc
 
tipoc: "Your feet and a walking stick are more useful tools..."

You could always put a Hi-Viz sight and a piece of inner tube on the walking stick.
 
If I see a rattlesnake or cooperhead it would most likely be on my own property, so I'm gonna do my damnedest to kill the bugger. Shovel, 22, 38, 410 don't matter, if I get him today then I don't have to worry about him tomorrow.
 
I'm all about preserving nature and the live and let live concept for snakes/animals, but with that said, I will get rid of venomous snakes on my land, just to reduce their numbers and the possibility of future bites for my family climbing around on it (rocky elevation changes w/creeks on 35 acres of heavy timber).

Statistics can be massaged to make any case but I would hypothesize that the reported numbers aren't broken down by folks who actually spend time in snake habitats and that bites are much more common to those folks. I.E. India/Asia farmers. By comparison, there's only a small part of the population in US that are in densely-wooded/swampy, non-urban/suburban areas on a daily basis. Out of my 100 closest friends in Midwest, there are maybe 10 of them that have wooded land access, most of which have open farm/pasture land making up 75% or more of it.

As far as the dog bites, makes perfect sense they're higher, cause nearly all of the population owns dogs or is around them in neighborhoods in some capacity. Not so with venomous snakes. I don't even know anyone who owns snakes as pets:). If folks are walking around in venomous snake habitats daily, their odds have to go way up for bites, versus those in population who do not.

I think venomous snakes are fascinating and beautiful, but I have a realistic respect for them too, especially on my leaf-covered timberland ground with south-facing rock banks, creeks, and scattered wood piles throughout. Pretty much the perfect habitat for Copperheads and the two types of Rattlers in my part of MO. Once spring warm weather hits, I pretty much avoid walking through my rocky creek areas, cause I know they are warming themselves somewhere nearby, so why risk it.

Just my two cents worth on this interesting topic...
 
If there's a possibility of confronting bipedal vermin, I'd go with a "J" frame .38 Special. I'd normally recommend a 1911A1; however, ease and speed of changing rounds give the nod to a revolver.
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I'm not worried about snakes, I watch where I step so can go around snakes, live and let live - same with most animals. Rogue bipeds scare me much more, whether in the country or city so I carry a fitting handgun. The advice of a 1911 or revolver makes sense. I choose the Glock 22/23/27 these days, depending on the situation.
 
In the U.S. about 5 people per year die of venomous snakebite.
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Uh, tipoc, and how many are bitten? How many are NOT bitten cause they killed the critter first?

Now yes, usually you can step past them (but if they are under a log, or brush, that might not be so easy.) And if children are about do you let the deadly snakes play? How about your dogs or horses?

For me, if I find one of the deadly ones here in Texas, particularly Rattlesnakes, Moccasins, and Copperheads, I get rid of them right there. Coral snakes are not so bad, but the others really are.

Deaf
 
Uh, tipoc, and how many are bitten? How many are NOT bitten cause they killed the critter first?

Now yes, usually you can step past them (but if they are under a log, or brush, that might not be so easy.) And if children are about do you let the deadly snakes play? How about your dogs or horses?

For me, if I find one of the deadly ones here in Texas, particularly Rattlesnakes, Moccasins, and Copperheads, I get rid of them right there. Coral snakes are not so bad, but the others really are.
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Well now Deaf you're speaking of two or three different things.

I posted the links to the information about how many are bitten in the U.S. and worldwide and how many of those die as a result. I encourage you come down off the big horse and to look up that information. The more ya know the less your family will compare your intellect to that of a rock, which happens often to me.

The op said he was concerned about walking through the woods to a near by creek where he's at in Georgia. He asked what gun he needed to protect himself while out on a hike. Folks have given their opinions on that. I gave mine.

There's over 40 types of non-venomous snakes in Georgia. IIRC about 7 or so in addition to that that are poisonous. I could look that up but so could anyone.

Now that's a different situation from clearing your land of snakes to protect animals, cattle and children. You do different then. If the intent is to kill or drive them off, it's a different situation.

It's also different from hunting snakes for their skins or for eating. You proceed differently then as well.

If a knuckle head wants to shoot or kill every snake he sees, whether a danger or not, no matter the situation, because he doesn't like them, well I have no help for that.

As for how many people did not die from not being bitten by a snake that someone killed, well I don't know. I'll bet that it's less then the people who were not bitten by snakes that died of being eaten by eagles, hawks or owls or that died of old age or that a coyote got. Maybe I can Google that figure?

tipoc
 
Tell him the first thing to get are some high-topped walking boots and maybe even some puttees or snake leggings.

If he still wants a knife, a ditch blade will work just dandy.

Go for a dual-purpose handgun, like a .38 Special or similar. He can carry it in town to deal with urban reptiles, they are dangerous, too.
 
Snakes would kill more except people take snakes and snake bites so seriously.

I love that some people who feel smarter than the rest of us and must educate us on how silly we are for fearing poisonous snakes. I suspect most spend little time outdoors.
My grandfather was bitten by a rattlesnake, my fathers neighbor was bitten and killed by a moccasin, my black Labrador was bitten and killed by two moccasins, a friend of mine was bitten by a copperhead and spent about a week in the hospital, I met a guy on a canoeing trip with half a foot, yep moccasin and my uncle was bitten on his face by a rattlesnake.

Please explain why I should stop shooting poisonous snakes on sight?
 
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