Snake Bites

The following was posted on the Tracker email list (now defunct) in August 1999 by Mike Andreasen:

The following applies to snakes of North America.

1. You are not on the snake's menu.  He is not going to strike you in order to eat you.
2. Even if you have so threatened the snake that he bites you, his venom is too slow acting to make a good defense.  Anything can kill him even after being bitten.
3. The venom is valuable to the snake.  It is after all, his next meal.
4. Only 1 in 5 snake bites results in the venom being injected.
5. Very few snake bites with venom injected result in death.  Your biggest fear is fear itself.
6. Your next biggest fear is infection.

Given all the above, this is the best advice I can give: Stay Calm

If you can not get immediate help (i.e.; you are in the deep woods alone) put yourself in survival mode. This means the following priorities:

• Calmly locate or create a shelter.
• Insure that you have adequate water for 3 days.

• Follow proper first aid for snake bite, including wound cleansing.

Basically, if venom is injected, you will be very sick for about 3 days. You will not feel like hunting water, shelter, or firewood after an hour or so (varies according to how excited you get and where bit).

If you move through the woods properly, you will probably not get bitten in the first place.  The most snake bites are experienced by 10-12 year old boys, on the hand.  Occurs when they try to pick the snake up.  Second most is rock climbers, on the hand or face.  Happens when they put their hand on, or stick their face over, a ledge the snake happens to be sunning on.

Lose your fear and become a part of the flow.