Reptile & Amphibian
News Blog
Keep up with news and features of interest to the reptile and amphibian community on the kingsnake.com blog. We cover breaking stories from the mainstream and scientific media, user-submitted photos and videos, and feature articles and photos by Jeff Barringer, Richard Bartlett, and other herpetologists and herpetoculturists.
Thursday, June 7 2012
Tromping around the road cuts while snake hunting in the desert at night can be hazardous to your health. The right foot gear and lighting can protect you from all kinds of dangers.
Although I used to walk the cuts in flip-flops when I was younger, I had enough encounters with wildlife to re-consider my actions. The majority of the things that can bite you, stick you, or sting you occur below the knees, and that's why a stout set of "snake proof" boots is a good idea to have in your field kit.
Yes, they can save you from that 4-foot atrox you missed, but more important, they protect you from the myriad cactus spines and thorn bushes, allowing you to work your way through some tough spots. I like the boots I got, the only flaw being that the soles do not seem to offer quite the desired level of protection against penetration, and I had a 3 inch thorn come vertically through the sole like I'd stepped on a nail, which made me watch where I put my feet afterward. | |
| If you already have a favorite set of hiking or field boots, a good way to add "snake proof" protection is a pair of leggings. They'll provide you the same benefits as a good pair of snake boots from the ankles up, and give your shins protection against thorns and cactus spines, as well as any pit vipers you might encounter.
Snake leggings are lightweight, don't get nearly as hot as snake boots do, and with a good pair of shoes are a lot more comfortable. And when you're going to be walking for 4 to 6 hours, you want to be comfortable.
I usually try to keep a set or two of leggings handy for guests who come out and hunt, as you never have to have the right shoe size and they take up very little room in the gear box. |
If you want to keep an eye where you're stepping and you're more of a "traditional" flashlight guy, the 160 Lumens Duracell Daylite is an awesome handheld flashlight with a beam almost as strong as the Cyclops 9 watt spot light, and far more powerful than the halogen MagLites and Streamlites of yesterday.
Powered by Duracell 2-C alkaline batteries, which are included, I have used this both as my primary light, my secondary light, and my backup spare. I have thrown it off cliffs, dropped it off rock cuts, and run it over in my driveway with two different trucks. It might be a little scratched up, but it has yet to fail me.
I liked it so much I got its 80 Lumens AA little brother for my tool kit. And even it's brighter than my old D Cell MagLite. | |
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