EAST TEXAS HOG DOGGERS FORUM

Well i have seen more snakes this yr than ever in my yard lots of copper heads i am just wondering what u guys would do in the woods if one bites u.... any snake...we all go through a lot of brush and swamp but how do u protect yourself...what type of supply do u carry with u in case u get bit...what type of chaps do u were...

Justin snake boots for me.  Usually I get lazy and just start wearing cowboy boots towards the end of summer just to be a little cooler.  All depends on where I am hunting too, swamp, pasture etc.  Rubber boots provide quite a bit of snake protection when in the swampy areas.  I think if I got bit by a snake in the woods I would be more worried about my heart than the snake bite haha

I was standing once and there was a strange feeling on my foot. I looked down and I was standing on a copperhead and he was striking my boot. But he could not get through it. I just killed him with a pocket knife. A copperhead can bite through tennis shoes but not a good pair of boots. The problem is they sit real still and you do not see them. They will bite your hand. When crawling I grab a one or two foot stick and just push the leaves as I crawl. When you push one some will move but most I have seen just look like a strange stick at first glance. Most of the time I forget and do not even worry about snakes. If bit look to see what kind of snake bit you. I had a friend go to e-room and when they asked him what snake bit him he said this one and pulled a dead snake out of a bag. I just try to know where the nearest emergency room. But that is for when I get broken bones.

I 100% agree with you on more snakes this year…. As for what to do in the event you are bitten…. 1. Call 911 ASAP get an ambulance on the road to meet you so they can get a helicopter on the way (no joke)… 2. Do not elevate above level of heart… 3. No cutting or sucking… 4. Do not restrict blood flow… 5. You can ice the area of the bite… note pain level is going to be a 10… 6. You will need to know the type of snake…

Rattlesnakes being the worse type…

Snakebites are to be taken very serious life or death… I joke with the person I hunt with about him wearing shorts… Prevention is the best treatment…. Write down the location you are hunting and make sure everyone knows the location in the event of an emergence…  

I wear danner snake boots but really think about it all that much.  I would wear the boots regardless...excellent arch support, 100% waterproof, and pretty darn comfortable.

there was a guy here in smithville who died 2 wks ago from a rattlesnake he died less than 30 minutes so they really aren't nothing to joke with

Well thanks guys i only asked this cause i had a copper head come between my legs when i was tending some buissness lets just say i was done real quick.....and it made me think about iy when we are hunting just keep a eye open protect yourself....ill post pic of snake soon

I have some horse medecine called dexium that flushes out toxins I have used on a dog and would use on myself with anti-biotics...worked for a dog and couldnt hurt me. 2nd is i would shock the bite, dont know if it works but aint going to hurt, (for long). Try to slow your beathing. I would be freaked out if i was a long way from the truck!

I would be freaked out no matter how far I was from the truck if I managed to get myself snake bit!
Good boots are hard to beat and should be my 1st line of defence with snakes but I haven't been wearing them lately because I need a new pair.
With all the snake post recently I have decided to go and get some.
It just seems like when I finally start running in to snakes its never just one!

Now that I think about it, Im completely unprepared for anyone other than a dog getting snake bit.

I was hunting the last night and I didnt have my nightlite on because of the bugs. Then I decided to get off my four weeler to listen for the dogs and I be darn I steped right on a copper-head! Scared the crap out of me! Smart Idea huh.... Not havin my light on!

Anyone else use a stun gun for snake bites dog/human in an emergency ???

you forgot to tell everyone the snake was already dead !  :o  ;D O0

I have had quite a bit of experience with snakes and dogs. When I was running bird dogs I de-snaked bunches of dogs every year. Personally I have had 5 of my dogs bit over the years--4 bird dogs and 1 hog dog.

Down south on the King Ranch the rattlers were the problem. Snakebites are funny in that it might be  a dry bite and not even affect the dog. If the dog is real hot it is much worse and alot depends on exactly where the dog is hit.

They bought a bunch of stun guns and kept 1 in every guide truck because they heard that direct current would neutralize the poison. They do not work and may kill your dog. A real good young field trial dog got bit and the guide hit him with the stun gun and he went down for the count. When they got him to the vet he was dead and the vet said it appeared to be electrical shock. We had poor luck taking snake bit dogs to the vet in south Texas. It seemed to me that they all wound up dead.

Here is what has worked for me and you can do what you want. I give 2 cc of cortisone in the muscle of the back leg. I also give 2 cc of antihistimine in the other leg if I have it. Cortisone does not have to be refrigerated and antihistimine does. If I do not have antihistimine I will give the dog a couple of benedryl along with the cortisone. So far it has worked for me and all the dogs lived.

I had one cur dog bit by a cotton mouth and he swelled up pretty bad. I always have the cortisone with me so I hit him up immediately and he never even got sick. Another friend of mine had a dog bit by a cotton mouth and he did not get him to the vet in time and the died. I have had them bit by copper heads on the head and I can give them the cortisone and you can hardly tell they have been bit the next day.

Here is the bottom line. If you give him the cortisone he will probably make it unless it is a bad hit. If it is a bad hit he is going to die no matter what you do.

I have heard they now have some sort of antivenom but I have never used it. Maybe it works but I would sure check it out. The deal about the cortisone is that it is not going to hurt them reguardless.

         Firewater is right about the pain level from a snake bite. I can tell you from experience, a rattlesnake bite to the left calf feels like the biggest son of a beach you know hit you in the leg with a baseball bat. Then give it about 5 minutes and it starts to swell and feels like a cutting torch has been stuck to your leg.
          We use pretty much the same method for treating our dogs here in florida as Hog dog mike does. We keep liquid benadryl in all of the boxes.