Snake Chaps for use in Texas

B

BILLDAVE

Moderator
Earlier I asked about Texas dove hunts and had sevreal responses, but now I'm curious about the rattle snakes near San Antone. Are Chaps nessesary? Any thoughts.
 
Two years ago I was dove hunting here in Florida. It had been dry, so the grass made sounds when bugs and stuff moved in it. I was sitting on a cooler and enjoying the day when I heard the grass moving behind me. I looked around and there was a 4 1/2 footer stretched out less than 6 ft behind me. He was as big around as my forearm and his head was almost as wide as my fist. I was so close, that my first shot missed (shot didn't have time to open up). I backed up and the 2nd shot took his head off.

I was wearing only shorts and tennis shoes. Never again. From now on, I'm wearing either my chaps or snake boots.

Texas has more rattlers than Florida.
 
Only time I ever wore chaps was when working cattle in mesquite. That way, I only lost shirts. :D

I dunno. I generally try to walk where snakes aren't. Best for both of us. And if you're sitting by a bush waiting for dove birds to fly in or over, chaps aren't gonna do a lot of good, anyway.

Art
 
It's too dang hot to wear 'em...I hunt S. of San Antonio, and never use them. Walk very loudly. Watch when you drop a bird. Yes, there's lots out there, but if you make pleanty of noise, you won't see any snakes. It won't scare off the doves either. It's been Very, Very, wet this year, and cover may be very thick, so you must be extremely carefull...I'm still not wearing them though...Hope I don't eat my words...:eek:
 
I never saw a snake while at Camp Bullis (NW edge of San Antonio) either on training exercises or while hunting there. That does not mean they weren't there, just that I didn't ever see them...
 
We had a nest of buzztails under our hunting 5th wheel out near Graham, TX a few years ago. I started wearing snake boots or heavy waxed canvas chaps over nylon faced pants until the cold forced them underground. We also had a dog take a single fang in the nose. Lucky for the dog the bite seemed to terminate in the empty part of the sinus cavity. He blew the poison out with copious amounts of blood. We penned him for the rest of the day, but he never showed any signs of toxicity.
 
rattler_1.jpg


Just a pic I found online...

I don't need them around here but once you get down into SW Okla and the drier areas of TX they are a lot thicker. I don't know how Academy & BassPro sell all of those crazy chaps & boots they have in stock because you don't need them in most areas.

Fish, lucky dog there! Glad to hear he caught a break.

Here's a range map of the Western Diamondback in Texas, showing county by county its range...

http://www.zo.utexas.edu/research/txherps/snakes/crotalus.atrox.html
 
In hotter climates, rattlers tend to be active just after sunrise and in the late evening / sunset hours. They can't take the mid-day Texas sun and tend to hole up.

Generally, it's a simple matter of watching where you step and where you put your hands. Remember, rattlers don't always rattle before they strike.

Fisherman:

We penned him for the rest of the day, but he never showed any signs of toxicity.
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More than likely, he never got a dose of venom. A large percentage of defensive strikes by rattlers are dry bites, where no venom is injected.

In my rangering days at Grand Canyon, another ranger and I were doing a back county patrol on the North Bass Trail. Jim stepped over a small ledge that just happened to house a snoozing Western Diamondback. The snake sunk both fangs into his calf muscle so deep that it had trouble letting go, and Jim ran down the trail with the snake flopping behind. We medivaced him, only to find out at the hosp. that the snake didn't deliver any venom. After that, he was careful not to step over things that snakes might call home ;).
 
I have lived in SE Texas since 1976 and have usually worn lace up hunting boots. Have never encountered a snake yet. I generally make a lot of noise in brush so I dont suprise anything. When the sun is up snakes are looking for shade or someplace cool.
 
Dilley, Texas

I haven't decided yet how to handle this, but if it helps, I'll be near Dilley. Firstfreedom, I like the map, but I have no idea what county Dilley is in on that map, but it looks green as grass. Thanks for all the feedback.
Billdave
 
Dilley? Not far out of SanTone toward Laredo. Brush country. They got rattlers down there that don't need poison. Break your leg when they hit ya! :D:D:D

Mainest thing is not to walk along stupid in high grass where you can't see your feet. For late afternoon and on into the evening at last shooting light, have a flashlight along for the walk back. Snakes sorta stand out in a flashlight beam.

It is fact that dove hunters on occasion have shot a bird and found that it had fallen near enough to a rattler that they had to argue with the snake for ownership. Rare, of course. Thousands of hunters, dozens of years: Stories like that do come up, and some of them are even true.

I dunno. I've been messing around in the boonies for over 65 years, and my closest calls with rattlers have been near my house...

Art
 
I don't think chaps are necessary for dove if you follow some advice already given. Now hunting quail in S Texas is a different story as sometimes you need to chase them through the brush.

If you do come up on one they will usually let you know. Then after they scare you to death with their rattle, you can blast em with your shotgun.:D
 
You guys out west and south have some BIG snakes. We have a little feller up here that lives in the swamp called the Mississauga rattler. They are supposed to be on the endangered species list and brother they are around ME! Some die from cars hitting them when they cross the road, but the ones I see die from lead poisoning. That is one big one in that photo! They say that you are what you eat and I'll pass on snakechops. Have my image to maintain. CB.
 
The down dove thing did happen to me about 20 years ago. It's actually the only time I ever encountered a rattlesnake while hunting. I turned that buzztail into ground meat. Scared the living begeezy out of me. On the other hand, I've had more than my share of Cottonmouth encounters near stock tanks when birds were dropped in them.
 
I haven't decided yet how to handle this, but if it helps, I'll be near Dilley. Firstfreedom, I like the map, but I have no idea what county Dilley is in on that map, but it looks green as grass. Thanks for all the feedback.
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Ha, that's near my stompin' grounds. The south end of Dilley is the La Salle (for you furner's that's pronounced "La Saul")/ Frio county line. It's about the 85 mile marker of IH-35.

Said by Art: I dunno. I've been messing around in the boonies for over 65 years, and my closest calls with rattlers have been near my house...
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Art's experience is the exact same as mine. Well, except for the fact that I haven't even been alive for 65 years yet!
 
i have dove hunted the last two years in Sweetwater, tx (rattlesnake capitol!)
and have still yet to see a snake, now im sure if i went to the same areas in march it would be a different story. Just be careful and watch out and youll be fine
 
Doh, I forgot to actually respond to the question you asked. :o

If you still think you need some snake bite protection, a better option than snake chaps is snake proof boots. I know Cabelas sells them, Chippewa and Rocky are also some brands that make them. I'm sure google will find a lot more. I personally have never owned a pair, but I do see some locals wearing them. It's not too uncommon. I've seen them in a "cowboy" style boot, as well as a work boot (lace up) style. Camo'd and plain. Ought to be able to find something that works for you if you're worried about snakes.
 
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