Snake Gaiters

[user 22230]

Anyone on here ever been saved by snake gates?

The problem is Dave you could have had a few strikes and perhaps wouldn't even know if the gaiters worked ? I hate the little buggers and agree re nights, went to scratch a target one night and a brown sailed on past my hand. All good as I relocated him.

 

[user 22230]

I had a mate get bitten by a brown when I was a lad in army cadets. He wasn't wearing gaiters and I think it bit his boot first. He was OK in the end. But I remember him just running after he got bit, he was on the trail just a ahead of me.

My daughter trod on a black last summer. Didn't get bitten though.

I guess my thinking it's especially good when we are out solo, I've had a few close calls.

The price for the ones I posted are not cheap, but if they stop fangs, could be worth it. I'll have a gander at the leather ones, diginit, thanks.

Brendo I noted in the one's your looking at they still don't class them as "snake proof" The trick is wear them loose, that combined with thickness of gaiter you would have to be stiff

 

[Solid Luck]

Check out this bloke..lol

 

[Bora68]

I heard a bloke on ABC radio last year tell how he was bitten on the ear by a small King Brown when detecting under a small tree . It was briefly hanging off his ear apparently. Luckily he had a fly veil on which absorbed the venom and he was ok. Unluckily he had found a nuggett and in the ensuing panic missed out on it . So he said anyway.

 

[FindSumStuff]

Anyone on here ever been saved by snake gates?
Good question Dave. Was wondering the same.

 

[mbasko]

Saved by Snakeprotex type:
https://www.prospectingaustralia.com/threads/snake-gaiters.23402/page-9#post-271973
Always been told long trousers, thick socks & boots will prevent most bite penetration.
A set of good metal free canvas or leather gaiters is just a bit more insurance over them.
IMO the biggest advantages in wearing gaiters are:
* keeps lower trousers/socks dry in wet/dewy grass
* keeps burrs, grass, grassy spines etc. out of your socks, trousers & lower legs
I wear DD Leather gaiters even in winter 80-90% of the time due to the above. A bit more snake bite protection is secondary really.

 

[Nightjar]

Genuinely interested in snake bite stories.
The only people I know have been bitten at home or doing mundane things like putting the bin out at night. I did read a stories of a bloke bitten while panning, but I think it was his hand or arm that took the bite.

Has been written many times, snakes generally slither off before being seen and the MAJORITY of snake bites result from people trying to kill them.
This stupid "kill" mentality will get you bitten.
Saw a demonstration at a local country show just how quick a snake can strike if threatened. By the time you lift a shovel or axe they will be hanging off your leg.
Leave them alone and they will do you no harm.

 

[WalnLiz]

I've been detecting for an extremely long time all over this great country of ours and have never had a single problem with snakes...though I have come across at least 50 within close proximity, some even standing their ground . As has been said earlier if you leave them alone they will reciprocate.

I do however wear gaiters pretty well all the time but they are of a very heavy canvass style material which gives more protection from Spinifex and brush rather than snakes. I'm forever kicking spinifex and low brush and without gaiters my legs would have more damage than from a snake bite itself.

I do however still carry a designated snake bite bandage in my kit and rely on common sense as to where I put my legs and feet. Problem with some who invest in snake proof gaiters is they get a "False" sense of security and think that they can just forget about getting bitten because of their so called "protection". A snake when threatened will quite often raise and the bite would probably be above the gaiter level in any case.

For those who get "peace of mind" out of buying an expensive set of gaiters with "snake proof advertising features", the outlay may be warranted. Common bush sense and keeping an eye out when you work snakey locations is in my opinion your best strategy. Remember that you still have a detector coil between you and a possible snake and I would imagine that in the event of an unlikely strike it would be the coil or shaft that would be in the most imminent danger.....just my opinion of course.

 

[davent]

Has been written many times, snakes generally slither off before being seen and the MAJORITY of snake bites result from people trying to kill them.
This stupid "kill" mentality will get you bitten.
Saw a demonstration at a local country show just how quick a snake can strike if threatened. By the time you lift a shovel or axe they will be hanging off your leg.
Leave them alone and they will do you no harm.

https://petkeen.com/snake-bite-statistics-australia/

That link is terrible nightjar!
Some really crappy information in there, like the inland taipan lives high in the mountains....no it does not.....and the coastal taipan is commonly found found in corn fields.....really? How about sugar cane crops.....
point 10 states that "about 20 species are venomous" when in fact over 100 species are venomous. Reads like it was written for American school kids.

 

[Nightjar]

That link is terrible nightjar!
Some really crappy information in there, like the inland taipan lives high in the mountains....no it does not.....and the coastal taipan is commonly found found in corn fields.....really? How about sugar cane crops.....
point 10 states that "about 20 species are venomous" when in fact over 100 species are venomous. Reads like it was written for American school kids.

Have to agree mate, went back and read it, definitely US orientated. Have removed the useless link.

 

[davent]

Hahahahhaa, anyway, where I detect, snakes are the least of my worries. I know they are a bigger problem down south and over west. Dehydration is the biggest problem here, followed by vehicle brakedowns and getting lost or bogged either side of the wet season. I agree 100% what you say about snakes though, just leave them be and there will be no problem.

 

[Nightjar]

Grew up on the farm and it was common for snakes to be sheltering under sheaves of hay (yes, I'm ancient before hay was baled.) Dad used to just flick them (snakes) away with the pitch fork and tell me we don't kill them because they help to keep the mice population down.
Got the "gold fever" in the 80's and rarely saw any snakes until my partner got her first detector. Then every trip somewhere along the way I would hear, "Peter, SNAKE!!!!!!!!"
One trip she called and came running and said there was the largest Mulga Snake she had seen. We returned to get a photo and she said, "It was here somewhere." Then I saw it, not 2 metres away camouflaged in the grass.
We back tracked and never did anything as stupid ever again!
As someone has already mentioned, with the coil swinging in front of you, banging rocks etc the snakes are usually long gone before you sight them.
We wear gaiters but mainly to keep rocks out of our boots and grass seeds out of our socks.
As Davent mentions, keeping hydrated is the number one priority. Using my trusty old sewing machine I attached 2 litre Camel Backs to our harnesses.

 

[meanfreddy]

Grew up on the farm and it was common for snakes to be sheltering under sheaves of hay (yes, I'm ancient before hay was baled.) Dad used to just flick them (snakes) away with the pitch fork and tell me we don't kill them because they help to keep the mice population down.
Got the "gold fever" in the 80's and rarely saw any snakes until my partner got her first detector. Then every trip somewhere along the way I would hear, "Peter, SNAKE!!!!!!!!"
One trip she called and came running and said there was the largest Mulga Snake she had seen. We returned to get a photo and she said, "It was here somewhere." Then I saw it, not 2 metres away camouflaged in the grass.
We back tracked and never did anything as stupid ever again!
As someone has already mentioned, with the coil swinging in front of you, banging rocks etc the snakes are usually long gone before you sight them.
We wear gaiters but mainly to keep rocks out of our boots and grass seeds out of our socks.
As Davent mentions, keeping hydrated is the number one priority. Using my trusty old sewing machine I attached 2 litre Camel Backs to our harnesses.

Yes I can remember the brown snakes when stocking sheaf hay in the paddock, we were the last farm in our early to use sheaf hay

 

[snakelady]

Hey all,

Has anybody used the hunters element venom gaiter v2? The link is below.

Gaiters link

They cost a bit at $189, but they look good for snakes.

Hi I am a snake catcher and have trialed some gaiters but what most people dont understand is our venomous snakes have very small fangs with the exception of death adders and tiger snakes so good thick jeans and wear your thick woolen socks over your jeans as well as good hiking boots with ankle support You are more likely get a spike from a blackberry bush than a snake bite

 

[Nightjar]

Hi I am a snake catcher and have trialed some gaiters but what most people dont understand is our venomous snakes have very small fangs with the exception of death adders and tiger snakes so good thick jeans and wear your thick woolen socks over your jeans as well as good hiking boots with ankle support You are more likely get a spike from a blackberry bush than a snake bite

Thanks for your input, maybe some we see staggering around the goldfields weighed down with bullet proof gaiters like they are in chain shackles will take heed and lighten up and enjoy their hobby.

 

[Solid Luck]

Yeah...I've seen some people that were just about decked out in medieval armour.
And in the summer as well.

 

[user 4386]

Hi I am a snake catcher and have trialed some gaiters but what most people dont understand is our venomous snakes have very small fangs with the exception of death adders and tiger snakes so good thick jeans and wear your thick woolen socks over your jeans as well as good hiking boots with ankle support You are more likely get a spike from a blackberry bush than a snake bite

What about the coastal taipan - they seem rather large fangs....otherwise I agree. I used to live with pofadders, gaboon vipers, cobras and taipans and have seen a few large fangs at close range, and some of those can really sink into flesh. I am not a great fan of front-fanged snakes in general.

I only wear gaiters when moving through places like dense reeds - or on the sides of volcanoes where I don't want ash constantly filling the tops of my boots.

Prior to antivenine, farmers bitten by a tiger would usually go and lie down quietly for a day or two. Mostly they survived. I had a student bitten in western Victoria and we did not realise until next morning - two puncture marks and his ankle like a football. An interesting aside - we mostly know that a male platypus can sometimes envenomate sufficiently for hospital treatment. They recently found a male echidna can do the same in the mating season (they thought the spur was a useless relic, unlike in a platypus).

 

[FindSumStuff]

Leave them alone and they will do you no harm.

Advice from Nightjar has been my experience. Long gone whilst detecting as we move quite slowly through the bush. And when seen just let them get out of the way and admire one of our unique animals. Gaiters for wet grass etc is a good idea.

 

[VicR]

Never had a problem with snakes but Jumping Jack bullants are another thing - last November one stung me repeatedly through thick socks & within an hour my whole body barring my face was covered in red welts - ended up in hospital emergency. They gave me a few injections (also had very low blood pressure) and the red welts cleared before my eyes. Had been bitten before with only local swelling. I now carry a epi pen.

 

[WalnLiz]

Never had a problem with snakes but Jumping Jack bullants are another thing - last November one stung me repeatedly through thick socks & within an hour my whole body barring my face was covered in red welts - ended up in hospital emergency. They gave me a few injections (also had very low blood pressure) and the red welts cleared before my eyes. Had been bitten before with only local swelling. I now carry a epi pen.

Not wrong there Vic...bull ants and spiders in your detecting boots will scare you more than a snake any time of the week.