Contributors to this thread:
I'm from Minnesota and heading south for a Rio Grande Turkey Hunt. The outfitter said that snake boots are a must. Does anyone have any specific boot recommendations or personal encounters where their boots saved them a bite?
Gokey makes some nice ones.
I never wore them in twenty yesrs of hunting in rattlesnake country every season, but that doesn't mean I didn't think about it while walking to and fro in the dark. Lots of options out there, but lots of guys use Chippewas lace up boots.
Depending on where you go, you might need snake proof waders :) Seriously, the rattlers I encountered near Uvalde were so damn big, snake boots wouldn't have done any good, they would have struck you above the knee. We killed three on one trip that were from 5.5 to a little over 6 feet long. Be careful about where you sit down and where you put your hands.
twice , this yr, and 5yrs ago . Lacross
I like the turtle armer snake gaitors, I live in and hunt in rattlesnake country.
99.9% of the time bites are between the ankle and the knee or the lower protion of the arm and hand.
Scar.
I like Rocky and I do not like zippers. I have literally lived in snake boots the last twenty years.
Red Head, $99.00, I have had mine for over 10 yrs.
Lived in and hunted in S. TX from 1984-2016 and wouldn't walk a Sendero or Prickly Pear Cactus flat without Chippewas protecting my feet ankles and calves. My second choice, if price is a factor and if I wasn't going t o use them regularly would be Bass Pro's Redhead brand Snake boots. They're a good value and reliable protection.
Spring Rio's are fun, remember be careful where you're reaching when you're clearing brush before you set up.
Chippewa are the most comfortable boots I have worn, a must when turkey hunting, lots of walking. they will last many years. Forrest
Thanks, Guys. I appreciate the input. I'm really hoping not to find any rattlers.
What size boot do you wear? You can borrow mine, and send them back when done, if they will fit you.
Bring some duct tape and tweezers to get cactus needles out with!
Thanks for the input, everyone.
And thanks for the offer Medicinemann, but I actually pulled the trigger on a pair of Irish Setter Vaprtreks. About $200 but good reviews and they are a quite a bit lighter than some of the other snake boots out there...
we used gaitors and chaps when oryx hunting.I bought both off ebay