I worked in the field for 15 years doing seismic exploration. I saw a lot of snakes and many of them were venomous. Every snake I encountered was doing everything it could to avoid me. In those years the crew experienced 3 snake bite incidents. In all 3 it was determined by the victim or witnesses the snake had been captured and was being handled. All those bitten survived. An emergency room doctor advised us if a bite victim could be transported to a hospital, clinic or doctor's office in less than 4 hours than not to do anything to the bite at all.
This was so helpful to me. I’m a photographer and have been in the hills recently. I feel I know a lot more how to anticipate the situation. Thank you!
This was a great, useful video. What I'm always apprehensive of is a single-track trail with the tall grass/brush at either side. Should we poke our walking poles into the brush??? Seems like it could hit one and that'd be a bummer...
Hello Stacy, great question! You can push the brush aside gently. Snake could be slithering through so it can be hard to spot. The slower your movements are the better. Your ears are the golden ticket. You can hear the moving through some times, especially in the summer. If they are curled up there will be a gap in the brush usually. They don't want to be around you, sometimes they will slither out of the way. It's like walking around broken glass be slow and cautious and give them space if you see them. Move your eyes left the right as you go through. Breath in and out if you need to calm your mind. Most people that get bit its because they are messing around with them. Most victims get hit in their hand, fewer cases in the leg, not to say it won't happen. It is pretty clear though that people mess with them, they are the one that gets hit. Hope that helps. Have a wonderful day. thanks for watching the Video!
There are radios that can be used in emergency that have GPS and can give others where you are! There are some for everyone, and there are a lot more for Hams, or Amateur radio! I do not know much about all the different ones that are out there. I do know there are emergency radios for hikers. I know about Amateur Radio. Other than it is a fun thing it is also good to have when things go bad! I do not know the number of repeaters there are in the US, but there are a lot! But in Florida there are 36 linked together, covering most of the state "SARNET" mostly for emergency use but can be used. But there APRS that if you have an Amateur Radio License and a radio that is made for this it can get your GPS from the Satellites then sends that information out where it can be picked up and sent on to others. When it gets to a place that can get it to the internet it goes to computers that show where you are on a map. This is public information! Anyone and Everyone can see this information! This is only a problem if you are doing something you don't want anyone to know about. But then you just turn that off! Check APRS.fi There are other than Amateur radio on there. But if you know a little about the call letters of different radios license you can get an idea what the different things are. But the main point all this long winded is about is that there are ways to have people know where you and let people know you have a problem!!
Thank you for your feedback on this topic in regards to radio and the way to get ahold of people when you're out off in the woods. Although this being stated I still feel that it's important to let people know where you're going regardless of electronic device or not. It great we have these things today you can just imagine what it was like in the old west. Once again thanks for your feedback and for watching the video.
Man, I am afraid I may not know where there at and how close I am to one! I feel like if I really heard one and knew, that was definitely a rattler, I will be good there on. But I sure don’t want to sneak up on one! Thanks for your video!
I'm going hiking in a couple days so hopefully you see this otherwise I'm sure I'll be fine anyways. I've hiked quite a bit but this will be my first time alone and the area I'm going has rattlesnakes. I've encountered one once while hiking and was fine. My fear I guess is if I get bitten and I for some reason dont have cell service. I stay calm and try to get to my car or an area of service and call 911 or drive to hospital if one is nearby (likely a hospital 40 minutes away from where I'm parking). Does that sound ideal? One trail is 10 to 12 hours long so this is why I have that fear. I know you said you aren't a fan of jeans, neither am I, but would you recommend some cargo pants or something then? I was really looking forward to just wearing shorts but if I have to buy like $20 cargo pants or something at Walmart then I will. Thanks so much for your video and guidance!
Hey JC welcome to the Channel. In the Bay Area rattlesnakes are everywhere. What if you get bit., highly unlikely but still could happen. First of your keys and the phone is your lifeline. Also, let someone know where you are going from every trail to ETA to trailhead. If you have a cell call 911if your to far from the car say an hour. Or you can't drive, or you feel unsafe to hike out. The chopper/ or SUV will come out and get you. Most of the times, snakes dry bite, but if you start feeling burning could be Venom. Make sure to try and ID the snake, just by what you see. DO NOT PICK IT OUT OR KILL IT. Give it space. It's very important you stay calm during this (Hardest Part). Elevate the bite if you can. get to a place where you can find someone or where you can get cell service. You have a few hours. Do what you can to get cell serves or help from another hiker or to your car. If you send an ETA to a loved one(Someone that you trust) and they don't hear from you by a time. They will send out the cavalry. As long as they know what trails you are on, safety will be on the way. The people that die from rattlesnakes are usually small children because the body size can't handle a large dosage of venom or its people being very careless. stay on the trail watch your moves with your eyes. Don't powerhouse through the brush, look before you go over a log. As far as paints go, Jean's help but not 100 percent. Leather boots also help too, but there just no guarantee. Snakes don't want to bit you, but they will if you don't give them space or step on them. Just watch your step keep your eyes and hears out. I've been in some Places JC where there infested with rattlesnakes, I just kept my eyes and ears open I come out fine. I have had more problems with Cows and domestic dogs than anything else...lol on the trails. You're going to be okay, respect them and they will respect you. Your safe JC.
Got bit on the top of my foot in Aptos. Feet are numb from neuropathy so I didn't know it until later. Got infected and had a fever but it cleared up in a few days. i think it was just a love tap.
