literature recommendation: If bit on an upper extremity remove rings and watch due to swelling....If on a lower extremity, either loosen or remove footwear....
Truth be told just stay calm, drink plenty of fluids, and walk out. Call for help when you get to signal
Copperhead bite not going to kill you unless anaphylactic reaction. We don’t administer anti venom to copperhead bites unless certain parameters are met.
Rattlesnake is a very serious thing, and your in trouble. You get anti venom no matter what with this.
Pressure bandage and immobilization if at all possible. Heart rate not that much of a factor. If they bite you in a large vessel your in big trouble anyways. Main thing is get to where you can call for help or help can get to you.
Most snake bites come to ER private auto not ambulance. Most have been over a hour by the time they get to us. They are still doing pretty well normally. Most do great, but seen a few I didn’t thing would make it after rattlesnake bites
We have had 5 this year already, which is nearly what we would see all year. Might be a rough year for snakes here
5 already makes me suggest one calls ahead to the emergency room to let them know you are coming. So they can coordinate-doesn’t always happen-with the pharmacy department they have enough anti-venom if needed. And some situations require more amounts than others.
A bite on Saturday may mean they are out of Anti-venom until the next order arrival on Monday afternoon. However, if they know ahead of time they can arrange a special delivery.
Addition: If possible, take a pic of the snake with your cell phone....It will answer questions to those treating. Of course if you are one of those that think having a smart phone stupid and unnecessary, you can go pok a tok with the snake and bring it in.
Luckily, the only venomous snake in Idaho is the Western rattler (there are 3 subspecies including the Prairie rattler). They're timid and in 70 years of kicking around the desert, I've only seen a handful. A few people get bitten every year but I've never known any of them personally. Deaths are rare. The poison can be lethal but usually they don't inject very much of it. Even small dogs usually survive.
One thing I haven't seen mentioned in this thread is jewelry. If you're bitten on a hand or arm, take off anything that has to be pushed on and off, like rings. The hand will swell and a ring or bracelet can become a hazard if it can't be removed quickly.
“In a time of deceit telling the truth is a revolutionary act.” ― George Orwell
It's not over when you lose. It's over when you quit.
In some areas snake gaiters like those made by turtle skin and others are worth it for peace of mind. They double as thorn proofing too. Treated heavily with Sawyers spray they can help with ticks and chiggers also.
Have had many encounters with snakes, stepped on, had them curl up next to me on a picnic blanket, had one slide down my back biting into my shirt but not me. The only really aggressive ones I have encountered are Cotton mouth water moccasins, I have had others strike at me but there was always some provoking the Water Moccasins don't seem to need much to react aggressively.
Think about the cost of gaiters as cheap insurance. Snake treatment can cost $5-10,000 depending on severity, add in a helicopter and costs can double.
Last edited by Tejano; 06/04/20.
"When you disarm the people, you commence to offend them and show that you distrust them either through cowardice or lack of confidence, and both of these opinions generate hatred." Niccolo Machiavelli
We keep enough crofab on hand to handle our area as we cover a large area and lots of the park with tourist. Could handle a couple snake bites in a day then might be having to get a delivery
Copperhead, I'd walk out. It would be near impossible for a copperhead to kill a healthy adult. Maybe a small child or someone with serious health issues. I've known a couple of guys who never went to the hospital after copperhead bites. They had some swelling and pain for a day and were fine.
Rattler's are a tough call for me and something I've given some thought to. I'd probably just die. Many of the places where I hunt/hike have no cell service and even with a partner it could be an hour hike back to the truck and another hour drive to cell service. Then figure at least another hour for help, even a helicopter. I know when I go into these places that I'm probably at least 5-6 hours from getting to a hospital if I have to depend on someone coming for me. And maybe a day and a half depending on the situation.
Most people don't really want the truth.
They just want constant reassurance that what they believe is the truth.
My dad was bitten by a timber rattler while squirrel hunting in early August of 1962. The snake got him in the top of the foot and he said it felt like a wasp sting if a thousand wasps stung you in the same place at the same time. He was on a neighbor's property and made it to the edge of a hay meadow where he was able to discharge his rifle as the neighbor (who was cutting hay) killed his tractor and got his attention. The neighbor drove over, picked him up, and delivered him to my grandparents' house about half-a-mile away. There wasn't any phone service in that part of the county until late 1967 or early 1968, so my granddad drove my dad 13 miles down the road to a relative's house where he called the local hospital to verify they had antivenom and then drove him another 12 miles where he was then treated. It was about 30 minutes from the time he was bitten until he was picked up by the neighbor and a 45-minute drive to the hospital, so about 90 minutes when it was all said and done from time of bite until medical treatment was rendered. The physician first gave him a small dose of the antivenom to gauge his body's reaction before attempting to administer a full dose. My dad said the site of the bite (since it was in a bony area) had a large abscess, which the physician drained and disinfected. The physician determined my dad didn't have any allergic reaction to the antivenom, administered the full dose, and observed him for a couple of hours before recommending that he stay at least overnight in the hospital. My dad (who was 21) refused (because that's what you do when you're 21), was fitted with crutches and sent home where he hobbled around for the better part of a month. He was fortunate that he didn't have a lot of tissue damage that would've required something akin to debriding, just a sore foot and leg.
Back in the '70's Outdoor Life published an article about this, I'll spare you the details which are lengthy, but the bottom line is if you can supply a very high voltage/low current electrical shock to the affected area you'll be good to go. Back then people like professional snake "milkers" used a spark plug wire. Nowdays, we have dog shockers and/or stun guns. I think this subject was revisited back in the mid '80's by the NY Times in a doctors column. You could prolly google it and find it.
Well this is a fine pickle we're in, should'a listened to Joe McCarthy and George Orwell I guess.
Kevin - thanks for chiming in. I'm not especially worried about copperheads but have seen several big rattlesnakes. I'll dig up pics tomorrow but my wife almost stepped on the biggest one we've seen. Got with striking distance but it was docile. Didnt even rattle till I tried to move it off the trail. I find the lighter color rattlers absolutely beautiful. The darker ones seem to be pissed off most of the time we run into them.
Excellent conversation. I agree with whoever said "I'd probably just die". I've been a long ways from the truck in the Smokys. You can get cell reception on a clear day and on top of a ridge but I would bet my life on it. My wife keeps wanting me to get an InReach for my western hunts. Might be time to get one for our extended backcountry hiking. We have 4-5 long trails left in the Smokys that will involve 2-3 day backpacks.
about 10 years ago we had a young woman and her son went camping out in the desert, they had planed well as far as water and food for a weekend camping trip, but not as to fixing a flat. And the few people that new where they had gone didn't report them having been missing for more than a week. They didn't survive even though they were only a few miles from help.
I have a DeLorme Inreach that I've carried for quite a few years. After Garmin bought them out, they jumped the prices way up, adding $100 or more to the devices. I'm glad I got mine before the buyout. I only keep service for half the year. They allow you to suspend it for part of the year if you're not using it. I also have a SPOT but haven't had service on it since I got the Inreach. It works but the Inreach is much better.
“In a time of deceit telling the truth is a revolutionary act.” ― George Orwell
It's not over when you lose. It's over when you quit.
the only thing that helps is anti-venom. you may not get any venom. you may not get very much venom. you may get the venom in a place that takes a long time to get moving (good and bad). best thing you can do is notify medical help and get closer to help. take off jewelry, swelling is likely.
suction won't help. electricity won't help. tourniquet won't help (might hurt). ice/cold won't help. most bites by copperheads. most fatalities by eastern and western diamondbacks (volume of venom probably). Most rattlesnakes bites in California and Arizona.
In some areas snake gaiters like those made by turtle skin and others are worth it for peace of mind. They double as thorn proofing too. Treated heavily with Sawyers spray they can help with ticks and chiggers also.
Have had many encounters with snakes, stepped on, had them curl up next to me on a picnic blanket, had one slide down my back biting into my shirt but not me. The only really aggressive ones I have encountered are Cotton mouth water moccasins, I have had others strike at me but there was always some provoking the Water Moccasins don't seem to need much to react aggressively.
Think about the cost of gaiters as cheap insurance. Snake treatment can cost $5-10,000 depending on severity, add in a helicopter and costs can double.
I'm a big fan of the snake gaiters when I'm working in thick stuff and hiking off trail. I do a lot of weedeating in ditches along my driveway and around a pond, often running a chainsaw and dragging brush in the summer, walking fences in waist high fescue....doing things that I either can't see exactly where my foots going to be or have to focus on what I'm doing not exactly where I'm stepping. The gaiters don't bother me much, protect against a lot of stuff other than snakes (thorns, chips from saws, ticks, weedeater junk). They are cheap insurance and I like the benefits of wearing them even if snakes weren't around....win/win.
In the fall I wear snake proof rubber boots when hunting. Most of the places I hunt aren't that remote but take a fair amount of effort to get to....getting out is mostly downhill so I'd guess that's better than uphill. Several spots get me worried where there are ledges and handholds that are face/chest high....usually I'm only hunting those places in January though.
the only thing that helps is anti-venom. you may not get any venom. you may not get very much venom. you may get the venom in a place that takes a long time to get moving (good and bad). best thing you can do is notify medical help and get closer to help. take off jewelry, swelling is likely.
suction won't help. electricity won't help. tourniquet won't help (might hurt). ice/cold won't help. most bites by copperheads. most fatalities by eastern and western diamondbacks (volume of venom probably). Most rattlesnakes bites in California and Arizona.
Dr Sycamore, This is the internet, so I have no way to verify your bona fides in the medical field. When you say electricity doesn't help, you are flying in the face of medical research in the field of tropical medicine under which snake bite falls. I don't know how to post a link, so please before you share any more of your opinions, at least google > high voltage snakebite. A New York Times 1986/08/05 "Doctors Corner" will come up, with numerous references with studies on the subject by top researchers in the field of tropical medicine. It quotes studies from The Lancet, and the work of Michigan State Univ, Dr Jeffrey Williams, a respected leader in tropical medicine. The OP asked what to do about snakebite in remote locations, a stun gun may be a more viable solution than locator devices, helicopters, taking off jewelry,or wrapping the bite with gauze. I don't own stock in a stun gun company.
Well this is a fine pickle we're in, should'a listened to Joe McCarthy and George Orwell I guess.
Another not so old, Old Wives Tale... If you would take your own advice you'd find that after years of study's its one that has not only never been shown to work... but has absolutely no truth to it.
Not to be argumentative, but I would welcome any information printed or online that conflicts with the Ecuadorian study results that the Brits did. If I remember correctly, 400 snakebite incidents is a fairly large sample size. Hard to dismiss the observed results. But if I am wrong, I will retract and own up to the error of my statement.
Well this is a fine pickle we're in, should'a listened to Joe McCarthy and George Orwell I guess.
