Just a Mention About Snake Gaiters for You Prospectors

Here is one of the best prices for snake gaiters I have found. http://www.forestry-suppliers.com/product_pages/View_Catalog_Page.asp?mi=82301&gclid=CMbJnNDEtLQCFYs7MgodOnwA0Q
$39.99

 I have on a couple occasions seen rattlers moving along the high bank of an arroyo; I think they wanted to come down into the sand but I was there and kept them from slithering down. These were times when I was prospecting and each time I was going back to my truck from my prospecting site to pan some samples - walking along the arroyo bottom and coming up the side. I had plenty of distance and the snake had no interest except to go on his way.

As a boy, I loved to go out in the desert in Arizona and explore. On occasion I lost track of time and started home in the early evening just at or after sundown - my dad always told me to get out of the desert and be home before the sun set. Each time I encountered one I got surprised because I wasn't paying attention to my surroundings. I either approached one headed into its hole or coming out? It really turns the hair on the back of your neck when you are 10 years old and see something as tall as you on the ground. I am thankful I never have been bitten and am very cautious now in my 60s. Let your boys know what's going on.

 I had a dear friend who was a teacher and whom I worked with for years who saw a small snake in his garage in Tucson and thought it was a garter. He reached over and went to pick it up and it bit his hand. Yes, it was a new rattler. Oh, you should have seen what happened. He was in the Tucson Medical Center being treated with anti-venom and yet the swelling of his hand and arm was absolutely amazing. They had to get a lot of the anti-venom even calling out to other hospitals. He made it, but not without a lot of pain, time in hospital, and a scary flare in his blood pressure. It is nothing to mess with, and all of you, especially if walking through thick high grass where you can't see should have the gaiters.

My gaiters are Whitewater snake gaiters - supposed to be snake-proof, briar-proof, and water-proof. So far I haven't been struck, but these are nice ones that I trust. It's adjustable and comfortable. See www.whitewateroutdoors.com I think I got them at BassProShop for about 40-50 bucks, so this is another choice.