Interesting stats.
The one stat I did NOT see was how many people got bitten and WISHED they had died. Google "rattlesnake bite aftermath" and hit "images".......... It ain't exactly pretty. Additionally, the hospital bill that ensues is routinely in the $100K+ range.
I hunt (predominantly) spring turkeys in Wyoming, Nebraska, Texas, Old Mexico, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Maryland............all places that have a variety of rattler species. I'd much rather look around and take in my surroundings and ENJOY my hunts rather than have to look every time I put a foot down. My Irish Setter snake boots were about $150.
In the newspaper today, it had an article about a local lady that got bit by a baby rattlesnake while fishing. It took 34 doses of CroFab to save her at several thousand dollars per dose. Some kind of record for doses according to the article. The recovery didn't sound like much fun either. But at least she did survive.
