re: Snake bite through boots?

A guy I hunted with climbed in a ground blind in MS and dropped something. When he reached down to pick it up he felt something latch on his hand. He had to peel a cottonmouth off his hand.

He was in hospital for two weeks. Burn unit I believe. Bill was like $200k. He said it was the most painful thing that he ever felt or can imagine feeling.

Snake boots are for the mind, not for snake bites.

When you think about their fangs are designed for piercing frogs, rats, etc. Any decent pair of boots are thicker and stronger than a rat’s skin. The biggest advantage is their height. But I don’t know a single person that has ever been struck above their normal boot.

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One day we were traversing through a swamp of the wolf river around Memphis and had a close call with an average sized cottonmouth. I asked the surveyor/engineer who I was training under, and who had 35 year's worth of experience, of how many surveyors he ever knew that had been bitten.

He said one. And that's because he was messing with it. One. Coming from a guy who literally worked in the southern jungles everyday for nearly 4 decades and who knew many accomplices who did the same, that statement was striking to me.

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Yep. Snakebites are rare in the US. Truly accidental snakebites are even more rare. Most of the bites happen because somebody is being a dumbass. Accidents do happen though. A couple of years ago, a friend of mine reached to get something out of a shed and a copperhead bit him on the thumb. Those things happen, but it's usually some drunk idiot intentionally messing with a venomous snake.

As far as the OP's question - I've wondered myself. I think most snakebites probably wouldn't go through a tough boot. But, it would depend on where on the boot the snake bit, how large it was, and how serious it was about biting you. I've seen photos of snake fangs and hypodermic needles side by side under an electron microscope, and the fangs were cleaner and sharper. If you think about it, it wouldn't be all that difficult to push a hypodermic needle through most boots.

That said, when I go out looking for rattlesnakes to photograph I'm usually wearing low hiking shoes and shorts.

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how many of ya'll actually know anyone personally that was bitten by a venomous snake in the US..... that they were not handling or trying to mess with?

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My cousin when she was about 10 years old. Walking at dusk in flip flops on their gravel driveway. Bit on her pinky toe by a copperhead. Spent a week in LSU hospital.

A buddies camp member got bit last year climbing over a barb wire fence in October. Once he hit the ground he felt something pop the side of his boot. Looked down with flashlight and a copperhead was there. He had snake boots on so no harm but when my buddy picked him up he said he was white as a ghost.

I wear some old uncomfortable chippewas. I just cant stomach walking out the woods in the dark when its hot. Gives me peace of mind.

They didn't make snake proof boots years ago

You sure about this statement? Had a pair given to me 40 years ago so maybe we talking about pilgrim times?

I wear these Chippewas year round, unless it's below freezing

Never really think about snakes, though,. The boots are just comfy. They protect me from briars more than anything

Are those Chippewas waterproof? been thinking about getting a pair

I’ve been in the woods either hunting or working as a forester for 60 years. We were always “down the Bayou” or in the swamp in Avoyelles parish starting about 7-8 years old.
I’ve been struck 3 times.
First day of cruising timber, I heard a tapping on the hard plastic wrap around zipper leggings I was given by the company. Looked down between my feet and a little copperhead about 8” Long was hitting the plastic. Squashed him with my boot.
Next time was probably 20 years later when a huge copperhead hit me hard on the side of my right leg. I had some industrial type black rubber boots. He didn’t get through, had 2 small holes with venom sliding down the boot.
Got a 4” thick limb and pushed him down in the mud about 3 ft.
Last time was about 10 years ago. Was on my 4 wheeler in a swampy area. Had to back off the trail to turn around and felt something hit my leather boot. Thought it was a stick until the guy behind me on the seat showed me the big cottonmouth I had run over.
Had a few scare me with maybe sudden movement near my feet, maybe a strike.
Never had a problem with the 4 or 5 rattlers Ive been in range of.
Canebrakes are cool snakes. I haven’t killed the last 3-4 I came across.