Avoiding Snake Bits

Snakes can be a real concern for hikers, backpackers, campers, fishermen, hunters and virtually anyone who loves the outdoors. They can be venomous and some are aggressive during certain times of year, but the cold-blooded animals have something of an undeserved reputation-each year more people are injured and even die from bee and wasp stings than snake bites.

Most snake-bite victims fall into one of four categories. Small children who don't know better, snake-taunting show-offs who were asking for it, drunks who stumble into it and herpetologists who got careless. If you're one of the exceptions, remember you're not the first to have been bitten. Stay calm, if you've received first-aid training, apply that knowledge and seek medical attention immediately. The odds are extremely good you're going to survive.

If you're outdoors enough, sooner or later you're going to run across snakes, both harmless and potentially deadly. Here are some steps you can take to avoid becoming one of the rare victims.

Always watch where you put any part of your body. That small, dark crack in the rocks you can't quite see into that you're probing with your hand may be where a snake is hiding from the midday sun. As a cold-blooded reptile they can't regulate their body heat, so you can expect them to move into cool, shady places when it gets hot. In those conditions, think twice about putting your hand someplace you can't see.

As temperatures cool, particularly during certain times of year, snakes will often curl up on boulders or rocks to absorb spare warmth before heading back into their holes for the evening. When you sit down to take in a spectacular sunset, inspect that boulder you're about to lounge on well.

Look before you step over a log, reach down into the water, grab a log for firewood or start that afternoon nap. Some snakes prefer water during the day or hanging out on a shady tree branch. It all depends on the type of snake, so the best defense is to always inspect where you're about to tread.

Never walk barefoot at night, whether you're in camp or not. It's hard to see, even with a flashlight, so the best defense is to put at least one good layer of leather between you and harm's way.

If you do encounter a snake, give it a wide berth. The myth of a rattlesnake being unable to see you when you're standing perfectly still can get you into serious trouble. Stop, don't panic, back away methodically and don't run. Let it have that little area of the forest, the rest of it is yours to enjoy. Remember too, rattlesnakes don't always rattle before they strike. Oftentimes they don't think they have time to issue a warning, but when they do it's one well worth heeding.

Remember too, even if a snake is dead it can strike and deliver venom.

Snakes don't produce venom overnight, and adults instinctively know not to waste it on a human that's too big to eat. Simply avoiding the snake and letting it have its territory is the best medicine.

Venom is so critical to the snake's survival that if you are struck it may have been a so-called dry strike-where no venom is injected. Because of that fact, even if the unthinkable happens there's no reason to panic. On those occasions when you surprise a snake and its bite was an instinctive reaction, you were taunting it or you've encountered a juvenile, the opposite may be true. Regardless, once it happens apply first-aid immediately. Then if you have a spare member of your party to take a picture of the snake while someone else treats and evacuates the victim, do so. Seek medical attention immediately and if you had time to take a picture, offer the photo to hospital staff so they can identify the venom if advanced treatment becomes necessary.

Regardless of preventive measures, if the outdoors is part of your lifestyle you should take a first-aid course from a reputable source, like the American Red Cross. You probably won't be the person bitten-in fact, kids who don't know enough to leave the scaly reptiles alone are their easiest prey-but knowing and having practiced the proper steps can mean the difference between life and death. Recommended treatments continue to evolve as medical professionals come to better understand the body's reaction. A good example is the legend that you should immediately lance the bite and remove as much venom as possible. Today it's not recommended practice and relying on hearsay can have serious consequences. Get good, detailed information before leaving, and if you have the time, take a course that could save your life or that of a fellow outdoorsman.