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Snake gaiters or Regular gaiters in snake country

Sharp stick

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Jan 9, 2022
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126
When hunting in the desert or anywhere that venomous snakes live is it advisable to wear snake gaiters or chaps and what is the difference between regular gaiters and snake gaiters? Would regular gaiters work or suffice as snake bite protection?
 
I won’t ever hunt or go to the woods without snakeproof boots or snake gaiters in warm weather.

I’ve never once been struck at at my upper body, but have been struck several times on my lower legs.

It’s your life and time, do as you want.
 
I’m in Texas, and I’ve encountered enough rattlers and copperheads that I don’t venture out without steel-toed boots and snake gaiters. You definitely want gaiters specifically rated against snakebite.

I think that whole thing about “most bites are on the upper body” comes from people trying to grab snakes etc. I’m much more concerned about stepping on one in logs or on the trail.
 
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Gaiter Schmader 😂 that stuffs for sissies!!

Totally kidding. Wore them for a couple winters to keep off the snow, but the aftermarket kenetrek gaiters I got were already far from waterproof anymore… Only seen one rattler in my life— when I almost sat on it, in the Missouri River Breaks. Thank God for my wife’s keen eye…

When the fishing is good, you don’t see the storm til it strikes your fishing rod! 😂 interpret that metaphor how you please…
 
I have only been struck at twice in my life. Both times I wasn't even wearing shoes. There are lots of time when you're around snakes but you're doing something you wouldn't consider wearing snake chaps. I mean you might wear chaps hiking down to the swimming hole, but when you jump in the water where the water moccasins are, what are you wearing?

When hunting I'm paying attention to where I put my hands and feet. When working in the woods, I'm not. So I wear heavy leather boots and chaps.
 
I think that whole thing about “most bites are on the upper body” comes from people trying to grab snakes etc. Im much more concerned about stepping on one in logs or on the trail.
The whole upper body thing is a myth. Most snakebite’s are when people inadvertently step on or near one.
 
I wouldn’t bother with snake gaiters. I’ve run into rattlesnakes hunting. They rattle and let you know they are there. I’ve never been struck at by a snake.
 

It may have been a stretch for me to say the VAST majority of snakebites occur on the lower body, but in this study of 450 snake bites in North America, the majority definitely were. There’s a lot of interesting information in it. That said, I don’t wear snake gaiters when I hunt in rattlesnake country.
 
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About 70% of the bites in that study were from nonvenomous snakes. I wonder what the stats on bite location would have been if they separated it by venomous vs non venomous?
True that.

From your study....wear shoes and you might not get bit in the foot. hahaahah
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True that.

From your study....wear shoes and you might not get bit in the foot. hahaahah
View attachment 326956
And better yet, hunting boots.

A good follow, if you’re on Facebook, is National Snakebite Support. I’ve learned a lot from it. It’s mostly useless knowledge due to where I live, but still quite interesting.
 
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