I personally would have a hard time remaining calm too. Years ago I heard of the scientist, Carl Baugh talking about using a stun gun after being bitten but I don't carry one of those either.

All the post are very informative, however the odds of seeing a cottomouth are not real high. Most of the snakes you see on the lakes are Diamond back water snakes or Broadbanded water snakes and they are not venimous. On of the easiest ways to tell them apart in the water is a cottonmouth's whole body floats on top of the water and the others 3/4 or their body is submerged with just the head above most of the time. In most intances they are just being curious and are not looking to harm you. Remember knowledge if power. There is lots of info online about both species if you do not know.

Contrary to what others are saying about hunters sfatey classes and whatever other sources teaching you how to treat a snake bite in the field, most of this information is incorrect.

I spent 9 years in emergency medicine and worked hand in hand with some of the finest emergency physicians in the US and treated a TON of snake bites in the field during this time.

THE CORRECT PROCEDURE FOR TREATING A SNAKE BITE IS:

1. Identify the snake. The antivenom is dependent on what type of snake it is.

2. Stay as still as possible. The less the body moves the better off you are.

3. Lay down and elevate the affected extremity above the level of the heart. If your bit in the leg, then lay back and elevate the leg in the air above the level of the heart.

4. Flush the bite area with clean water.

5. Immediately apply a tournequit. Most people do not know how to properly do this so that is why some sources tell you NOT to apply a tournequit. The correct way to do this is to apply a VENOUS tournequit, which only constricts the venous blood flow. You still want the arterial blood to move to the rest of the body but constrict the venous blood flow so the venom will spread slower. A venous tournequit can be applied by applying a loose tournequit between the wound and the heart and then checking for a pulse in the extremity. If your bitten in the leg, you would apply the venous tournequit and then check the pedal pulse in the top of the foot, if you do not have a pulse in the end of the extremity, the arterial blood flow has been compromised and you need to loosen the tpurnequit.

6. Get to a hospital.

I'm gonna have to go with Redneck on this one.

The main points being:
1. Try and identify the snake. 2. Stay calm...........6. Get to a hospital.

I spend a lot of time in areas with a lot of rattlesnakes. Luckily I have not been bitten. But, outside of fishin', I ALWAYS wear snake boots when there is any potential of encountering a snake. They are the best $175 I ever spent.

Oh, I'd say they are about this poisonous:
http://www.embbs.com/img/i0000011.jpg (Weak stomachs don't click)

Actually, that is a Rattlesnake bite. A rattlesnake is pit viper with the same type of venom as a cottonmouth. Watch out!!

Palerider, i am with you!

In my 36 years on this earth, i have had many encounters with snakes, had a few strike, but I was a little out of range of them, but they were not out of my range. I have killed them with bow, gun, rocks, sticks, stepping on and cutting heads off, etc... Most of my encounters have been with rattlesnakes, from 18 inches to 6 feet,,got he 6 footers skin tanned and it is huge! Five deer seasons ago, i killed three on opening weekend, one in camp, two under my tripod. Bought a pistol the following week.

Now that I hunt more in S. Texas for dove in early fall, turkey in the spring and deer(never seems to be cold enough and snakes are usually out), i bought a pair of snake boots. paid $185 for them and that is the best money i have spent. OH they are hot, but who cares. I told the owner of the store, I want the best, price is not an issue and I want to know how much product liability the company has

Most important thing is to stay calm!!!! When you see one, and if you are bit.

~weeble~ is a man of men!
i do wading at the coast and ray-guards are another good purchase (tho at ~125 i was curious at first) but when i felt that scratch at my boot one late afternoon(third day i tried them), i knew they were all worth it... its a horrible scraping feeling...

Hey Mo was that guy bit somewhere that his buddy didn't want to suck on? Heard that joke several years ago.

rednecktexan - Thanks for the informative post.

Once again. I'm not recommending anyone do what I did. Go to the doctor. I'm just one of those idiots that will wait until I'm at death's door before I'll go to the doctor. Ask my wife.

I've encountered most of my snakes while frog gigging or fishing swamps and creeks where they seem to thrive. We've tried to fish secluded ponds before and I've seen many occasions where the snakes owned the pond and you had no choice but to leave it to them. They will come to a lantern at night. The best crappie fishing is right there with the snakes.

I have been deer hunting just south of Goliad (and just northwest of Refugio) for the past 17 years and have never seen or heard a rattlesnake. Not that I want to. The locals we talk to always talk about seeing them on their front porches, in the garages, barns, etc. When hunting ground blinds (logs piled up) that s my biggest concern but I still have never had an encounter. Of course, walking in thigh to waste deep grass bothers me too. The locals say that the rattlesnakes like to sit on the small sand mounds (about the size of a dinner plate to trash can lid) amongst the high grass. The grass blocks the cold wind but the sand warms up quick making a nice place for them to sun themselves..

Haven't seen any live ones but found several dead ones through the years on gravel roads just outside Evant near my brothers old lease. He hunted Sept thru Feb (dove, deer, quail) for 17 years there and never saw a live one either, go figure..

I carry a snake bite kit fishing and hunting. this is the one I carry. No cutting etc... so far never had to use it but have 2 just in case.

http://www.domsoutdoor.com/cgi-bin/cgiitmls?l=1&p=1.016554

I revise my statement in using ice for a snake bite.

I was quickly scolded at lunch by a doctor friend who listed the four "NEVER DO" items concerning snake bites. He says these are listed in about every current medical publication as "harmfull" and a "liability". They are:
1. Do not apply ice.
2. Do not make incisions to the bite.
3. Do not apply a tourniquet.
4. Do not use electric shock.

In checking the AMA and the FDA.gov website, they also list these four.

Steve,

I been wearing Chippewa Snake boots for so long, if I'm walking through ankle deep grass withot them, I'm a nervous wreck.

No trouble identifying the snake that bites me. When I get to the hospital, him and his head will be in a bag with me.

Although most people say Cotton mouths are very aggressive, for the most part they are one of the most dosile snakes around. Only about 7% of Texas snake bites involve Moccasins. Their poison destroys blood cells and plasma at a rate higher than that of a diamond back rattler, but are less lethal. They do not want to bite you and will only do so if stepped on, grabbed or really irritated. Most rattlers are the same way. Copperheads are responsible for the majority of venemous bites in its east texas range, but not a single death has been reported from a copperhead bite. Coral snakes are the most poison snake in North america. They are equal in toxisity to a cobra, but only 1%of bites come from them. They cannot puncture clothing and most strikes do not envenum the person. As to what to do if bitten, all I know is say o F@#E@