Contributors to this thread:
One of our Pa guys got bit by a rattler. I'm just mentioning this because I know he visits the big game threads a bit. He goes by RutNut. Take a gander over to the Pa site and see the pics he posted, pretty nasty, still fighting it. So instead of Rutnut, he needs to change it to snake bait.
Bill V.
LOL! Yeah, that sucker really baited me in! Never rattled. Was a yellow color phase Timber Rattler and they blend into their surroundings well! Only other Timber Rattler I saw was the darker color phase a couple years ago which really stood out from it’s surroundings!
Darn, that looks awful. Glad you made it. A fellow here was bit by a prairie rattler 2 miles in, and he died a few hours later. You dodged a bullet there, Perry.
Hope the pain subsides. That looks like it hurts enough that your eyelids ache.
Been praying for you buddy. You're a tough old coot to walk over two miles out of the woods after getting bit by a rattler. I'm a little disappointed The snake is alive but we'll address that when we are either at bunny camp this January or sitting in a blind turkey hunting next May. That's probably why you made it out and I wouldn't have, I'da made sure that snake was in 100 pieces before I left. You are a lot smarter than me
Holy smokes! The good Lord was definitely looking over you, Perry! Glad you’re on the mend! This happened in PA, correct? Are rattlers somewhat common there, or pretty rare?
I’m betting once you get back home, ol stick n string will be bringing over one of his world famous tater tot casseroles! Get well soon!.....Troy
In the PA mountains (ok hills) they are quite common if you know where to look. Timber rattlers generally aren't as aggressive as Diamondbacks.
Yeah, they are pretty common in certain parts of the state. In fact, a couple communities have snake hunts or “roundups” every summer.
One thing the toxicologist just told me is the Timber Rattlers are the only one that cause your platelets to crash. So not only are you fighting the effects of the venom itself, but there is a great risk of bleeding out if you bump your head or fall!
That last half mile walking out I was stumbling pretty good(leg not working well) and grabbing for trees to keep from falling. Dr said if I had fallen or just bumped my head on a tree too hard I likely would have bled out on the spot!
That really floored me!!!!!!
T-roy- LMBO!!!!!!! Tater tot casserole! Good one! : )
T-roy, i believe Perry was one of the fried potato homers, so i will have to evaluate the tot casserole situation....;^)
Wow man, that’s crazy. Glad you made it out. What a story to tell your grandkids about the time a snake bit you and you walked out 2 miles to your truck. True grit. Amazing how something so small can cause so much trouble, and in PA of all places!
Man, glad to hear you’re on the mend! Not something I ever want to deal with for sure!
Tater-tot casserole sounds pretty decent and might help ‘ol Rut Nut feel better! Although there may be something more to that story...
My mom got bit by a baby diamond back when I was a kid and I remember how bad that was on her. It took weeks for recovery and she still has weird pains in her leg 45 years later.
Pretty sure that yellow timber rattler skin would have been gracing a longbow or recurve if he’d bit me and after that little ordeal... would make one hell of a conversation piece! Might even require some snake hunting expeditions to the area!
Hopefully you’re back up and 100% soon!
Unfortunately, treeline, rattlesnakes are protected in PA for some reason. Guessing he could've killed it when it bit him but I don't think he could go back and hunt one down. Its a crock and i can tell ya how i will handle ever seeing one...
Now that is a stupid law!
Honestly guys, My first reaction was to get as far away from that thing as possible and to stay calm! I had my pistol in my pocket and never even pulled it out! I knew I had 2+ miles to go and just started walking. I knew if I passed out on the trail somewhere I was dead. It was 6:30 pm when it happened and I would have not been found til at least the next day.
I also assumed as I walked the leg would get worse and less functional. So I just tried to walk as fast as I could w/out raising the HR too much. Just keep moving. Thank God he helped me to stay fairly calm and rational. The guy I flagged down at the trailhead said he started to get worried while waiting for the ambulance. Apparently I started to get whacky................although it seemed to me I was thinking clearly.
Apparently I called my wife around 11pm and I have no recollection of that. I thought I had texted her. I also apparently told her they drove me to Altoona Hospital, in reality I was life-flighted!
Talking it over this morning, I realized if I had wasted any time trying to kill the snake OR attend to the wound, I would have run out of time! It took just over an hr to walk the 2 miles and I was pretty useless soon after getting help.
Got bit by a copperhead last year in NC and was drinking beer in 12 hours(though still very uncomfortable) Was nothing like you’re going through. Get well man
Between the non-rattle and the severity of your after bite, I’m guessing he dumped his venom. Seems like most bites I hear about hear about aren’t as severe as what you’re dealing with. Although having to walk yourself out 2 plus miles didn’t help. You are one tough son of a gun. Makes me remember why I’m so jumpy in rattler country.
Snake Bait aka rut nut,, Do you remember my rattle snake joke at the elk hunters weekend??
Holy crap! Glad you're ok. I imagine the "I Was Prey" tv show will reach out to you lol
Not to minimize a copperhead bite, but the toxicologist said compared to Timber Rattler venom, copperhead venom is mild.
Yes sir deer Slater- they said considering this was a big Timber, I got a very large dose! (Young timbers USUALLY inject more venom) Also it was several hours until I got the first dose of anti venom
No Ed- don’t remember
RutNut, best wishes for a full and speedy recovery ! Timber rattlers are "protected" here too, but they can't read so it doesn't help them much. I've had some very close calls with copperheads and cottonmouths, and I tend to watch for snakes really well. It's gonna happen when you least expect it though. I used to be pretty squeamish about sitting down under a mesquite tree before daylight when turkey hunting, but I never had a run-in with a rattler. THAT I KNOW OF !
It's not quite accurate to say they are fully protected. You can get a venomous snake permit and kill one Timber Rattler and one Copperhead a year. The Rattler has to be 42" and a male which is determined by catching them with snake tongs and putting a tube over the head, measuring the snake and counting the scales between anus and the rattle to determine sex. It's quite a bit of a summer sport in some places.
Not sure if it’s a boy and not checking! Glad I had heavy boots on when he struck out of the sagebrush! Will look good on a longbow:)
Not sure if it’s a boy and not checking! Glad I had heavy boots on when he struck out of the sagebrush! Will look good on a longbow:)
Hell, I thought Colorado’s season on rattlesnakes was idiotic! I think they even have limits!
Those rules Back east are just insane!
Basically, it’s snake season anytime one tries to bite me or if I need another skin for a bow!
My buddy said he’s pretty sure if you get bit by one, you automatically have a lifetime permit! ;-)
I hate the "kill the snake" threads. Senseless.
Fuzzy- you might change your perspective after getting bit by one! ;-)
I would not wish this on my worst enemy!!!!!!!!!!!
Went over to the PA forum and saw those pics...dang!
Sorry you had to go through that, RutNut ! I feel so fortunate to have escaped that experience in my 50+ years of tromping around in Snake Country.
Thanks Jeffrey! NOTHING can prepare you for a TIMBER rattler bite!
But guys..................Please keep this thread positive! I don’t want to turn this in to a debate about rattler protection vs eradication!
(At the risk of sounding dramatic) I am just SO HAPPY to be ALIVE!!!!!! WAs simply at the wrong place at the wrong time! Not my fault and not snake’s fault. It was just one of those unfortunate things in nature.
DO IT Scoot!!!!! Or maybe you can borrow a pair? Being diabetic you even have more reason to use them than I!
I think I will buy Chaps instead of boots. Will probably hunt with them next season. We are told there are rattlers here in the Poconos although I have yet to see one.
But I do NOT want to ever go thru this again!!!!!!
Sorry to hear this brother, prayers your way, heal up fast, archery season is coming fast!
I forget the statistics but around half the time a rattlesnake falls short of striking when try. On level ground they can strike about 1/2 their length. About half the time is a dry bite. So, only about 1/4 the time is a rattler going to hit you with a wet bite and the fangs may not strike home on a wet bite if hits boot or clothing. I have encountered plenty of rattlesnakes and only two stuck at me. Both fell short. I was not near camp so each time I let the snake go on his way and I went on mine. I did not try to catch it or kill it. If a snake shows up in camp then my patience is much less.
Thanks! Yep gotta get ready for Archery! : )
Treewalker- I believe I stepped right next to it. Bite was pretty high on my shin. (13”). My daughter says she read Pa has an avg of 3 poisonous snake bites per year
Can someone post the link I want to see the pics . Why did he strike you did you step on him??? Only asking because I am scared to death of snakes and just came back from hunting Tule elk in California and was scared to death that I might run into one.
Thanks for posting link dang that's nasty
Got bit by a Western Diamondback years ago. Not fun. Had a bad reaction to the anti venom. This is what I do to them if I get the chance.
Bowman- I was getting water. In a swampy area with small creek running thru it. Stepped over creek and it must have been sunning on bank. Think I stepped right next to it. Never rattled- next thing I know it was striking my shin. Lightning quick, then recoiled. I jumped back- then got the hell out of there!
Every time I walk my leg turns colors/new “design”. This is latest
Scoot, Get a pair of these! Well worth the money! They were just recommended by a PGC Employee friend that works in the area. Gonna be my first purchase! Will be wearing them for the early Archery season in sept! ;-)
You said it was a timber rat is there more than one kind in PA. I'm in NJ . I got 21 points in AZ for elk and believe me when I draw the tag I will have this on my mind.I get chills thinking about it I hate those things
Yes, 2 kinds but the other one is more rare and localized to NW PA:
Along with the Northern copperhead, the timber rattlesnake maintains a widespread presence in Pennsylvania's forests and wildlands. The only other species of venomous snake native to Pennsylvania is the Eastern Massasauga rattlesnake, considered endangered and found only in the northwestern part of the state.
Makes me want to move out of the state! Glad to see that you are on the mend!
Tom, I have lived in Pa most of my life. Only ran into 2 rattlers in all that time. I ain’t moving! Just will be VERY cautious from now on! ;-)
Here’s a free and extremely useful app on snakebites for the general public. Please pass it along. It just may save someone’s life. https://www.crofab.com/SnakeBite911/SnakeBite911-Public
thanks for the the link, great info on a quality product. a must have if you hunt in snake country. Praying for your continues heling and recovery Have a God Day My Friend
You’re welcome! Definitely a must for all of you hunters in snake country. Take Care and God bless.
It appears I put the link in the wrong place. Sorry!
It appears that I put the link in the wrong spot. Sorry!
That looks like a great app - thanks! I will check it out over the next few days and see how it “jives” with what the toxicologists told me.
Looks like I have at least a few more days in the hospital.
I found out this morning I got a total of 30 vials of CroFab(anti-venom)
I've been bitten, perspective is the same.
You’re welcome Rut Nut! 30 vials of Cro- Fab..... Wow! That’s a lot!!!
They tell me I SHOULD be dead! ;-)
BUT God Has Plans for YOU My Friend.. and we here on Bowsite are glad
Thanks Bogie - I BELIEVE THAT!!!! : )
Wow, sure glad to see you're ok sir! Maybe the snake died!
ElkNut/Paul
I would just like to thank all the First responders that helped save my life- there were a LOT of good people that played a part. THANK YOU just seems so inadequate right now................,..., but it’s all I got! ;-)
ElkNut1 25-Jul-18 Wow, sure glad to see you're ok sir! Maybe the snake died! ElkNut/Paul
WHY does everybody keep asking that???? LOL! : )
Man, this makes me nervous. I see copperheads several times a year when fly-fishing in the mountains. Saw one last week, actually. If I hadn't been in the creek, it could have been bad; he was hid good. It would be nice if they would make wet wading chaps, or something of the like, that were snake proof. Glad you are doing well. I've seen one timber rattler in the mountains, when hiking out from fishing. He rattled and I saw him about 4' away. Partner poked him around and he slithered away, by which time I was 20' in the distance. I know three people that have been bitten. My uncle fly-fishing up on Big Creek on the TN/NC state line. He waited too late to go to the dr. and it ate a lot of tissue out around his ankle and he never walked the same again. My older brother tried picking one up on a mountain road at night, after he had been ginsegning. Not good. Hit him on the hand and his wrist swelled up 8-9" around. Venom got up his arm and just below his armpit - too close to heart for comfort. He was in UT Hospital for a week nearly. Buddy got hit by timber rattler on the arm working a pile of firewood one winter. His arm turned all kinds of shades of purple like your leg. I'll leave them alone if I can, but dern right I will kill it if I feel at all threatened or it is close to where families are camped out or the like.
Get better, friend!
The rattlers are pretty bad around here in certain places. I've only hunted in PA snake country for a few years so I have no historical perspective, but I don't go looking for them and manage to see a handful every year. I really clench my butt cheeks when I am walking through huckleberries or ferns and can't see the ground. I think its time for some chaps. I tend to get a little careless about it so this was a real wake up call.
Perry's pain shouldnt go for naught. A nudge for those on the edge and a wakeup call for anybody not thinkin bout it at all.... Stay safe peeps. Like the small town city limit signs say "we have many children, but none to spare". Replace children with bowsiters....
You guys that see snakes, get yourself some protection. Especially when you can’t see where yer stepping. I’ve caught 4 rising to strike me. The one was thigh/nuts level on a steep so the boots shouldn’t replace caution. Don’t expect them to rattle.
Thanks guys!!!! I sure hope this convinced a lot of guys on the edge to invest in SOME snake protection! That is why I am posting all this nasty stuff! Hope it saves just one person some major pain and possibly their life! Then it was worth it!
I bought snake gaiters for my antelope hunting in South Dakota years back. They give me some added peace of mind but I am still very cautious. On one occasion, I had to scold myself for being too wimpy to go through a brush choked ravine in order to get closer to 5 antelope bucks. After turning around a couple of time, I finally just sprinted through it. Hope that you fully heal and have no further encounters.
Just checked out the Snakebite app that EMT suggested. Looks like I did everything right except putting ice on the wound
Studying more about bites. Proper scientific name for Timber Rattlesnake: Crotalus Horridus................how appropriate!!!!!!!!! ;-)
rule # 1 Kill all snakes Rule # 2 refer to rule #1
Even after my ordeal, I do not agree with killing all snakes! Some are in fact beneficial.
Rut Nut - really glad you are ok! That's a hell of an ordeal. It will make a great story in the years to come, and clearly is helping a lot of folks be safe. That's all awesome... but not as awesome as you still able to wake up in the morning! Well done!
Thanks Will! Yes, hopefully some folks end up benefitting from my pain! That is my wish- that I did not go thru all this in vain.
Hopefully I can work something out with Pat to tell my story and get as many folks as possible to see it. There is a LOT of mis-information out there regarding poisonous snakes and bites!
About 20-22 years ago while camping during a fishing trip at Devils kitchen lake in southern IL I had my first run in with a rattle snake. Was celebrating catching the biggest bass of my life at that time, a 26" 8lb-8oz bucket mouth. We're enjoying quite a few beers next to the campfire when I went to get some more wood from a near by brush pile. As I started to pull a long branch about the thickness of my forearm from the pile I heard the unmistakable warning rattle of I guessed a timber rattler. No one was more surprised than I at the calmness at my reaction of simply letting go of the branch and backing away. My friend obviously now under the influence expressed a wish to find and kill the snake for its hide, I quickly put an end to that idea and we stayed as far from that brush pile and area in general as we could for the rest of our stay. Glad you're making a recovery. Rattle snake venom is some horrible stuff, can easily cause the loss of digits, limbs or worse. Have had several more rattle snake encounters since then, what I found most scary was IIRC about half didn't rattle.
Rut nut glad you are recovering. Years ago when I started hunting the South Dakota prairie for turkeys I bought a pair of snake chaps. Never seen a rattler. My partner on the other hand had a close encounter. He needed to use the rest room and when he went to find a spot he dang near squatted on a rattler. He said the snake came striking out of the bush and almost got him on the unit. LOL he would have been in trouble. True story so he says.
DMTJAGER- from what I am reading, it is very common for Timbers to hide in wood piles to wait on mice and other prey to come by. And also common that they do NOT rattle!
Butternut- not to make light of your buddy’s situation, but I think Teton has a joke related somewhat..................
Maybe Teeton can pm me the joke :)
I’ll give him a chance to post it here.
OK Butternut, Seems Teton is busy. I’ll give it a try.
2 guys are hunting up in the mountains when one of them is bitten by a rattler right in his manhood. The other guy tells him to stay in the tent and he will go for help. The hunter runs into town to the local Dr. and asks what to do. The Dr. instructs him to make an incision across the fang marks and attempt to suck the venom out, then get the man to town as quickly as possible. So he runs back to his hunting partner, who asks him: “So what did the Dr. say?!” His partner says: Sorry man, you’re gonna die!” ;-)
lol yep probably would have said the same thing.
LOL! THANK GOD that is no longer the treatment of choice! ;-)
I never kill a Rattler under 5ft.Skin is too small for use,and not enough meat for a meal.In Az.they are better than cats for pest control!
