feild herping safety..any suggestions for the unexperienced

[greg_in_ca]

ive been feild herping all my life...i see a lot of questions from the novice here...lets all chime in and give them some good safety advice for being in the field ...picking up rocks/boards...gear to wear and tools

greg

[ARpythons]

when lifting cover always lift it towards your body so it works as a shield incase there is something venomous under it.
Get a snake hook or something to lift cover so you don't have to stick your hands in a venomous snakes face.

[Freakie_frog]

Don't go sticking your hands in strange dark places.

[mainbutter]

watch wear you step.

wear boots.


Use sunscreen, wear a hat and sunglasses, wear long pants long sleeved outdoors clothing. Use bug spray. Bugs and sun won't kill you(well, sun/skin cancer is a concern i guess) but it's good to take precautions.

lift things so toward you so they are in between you and whatever is beneath.

leave venomous animals alone, don't attempt to pick them up, "catch" them, etc. (important for anyone unexperienced, though you have to start somewhere if that is your goal)

Just as important, leave creatures you can't identify alone. That little 6 inch long baby snake that is too young for an unexperienced person to identify might be packing some heat in its bite.

These are just general common sense rules to keep yourself safe and healthy. I know I have not always followed them every time I went out field herping. I have also had enough close calls with hots when I was a young teen to scare me into being more cautious nowadays than I used to be.

As far as equipment goes, really all you need is clothing(though clothing-optional field herping would be interesting), your eyes, your legs, and your hands. I have never brought a snake hook out field herping, and while it might have been nice for cottonmouths and copperheads, there were always plenty of impromptu tree limbs lying around that work just fine.

[wolfy-hound]

Snake hooks work grand for turning over things without getting your hands near what may be hiding underneath, whether it's a rattler, a ticced off cornsnake, or a scorpian.
PUT THINGS BACK. Don't disturb the landscape more than absolutely necasary. Dont' leave litter.
Wear sturdy shoes, and take a extra pair of dry socks if you'll be out all day. Wear sunblock, and take plenty of water and DRINK IT. Watch for bugs, spiders, poisonous plants and bad trails. A twisted ankle will ruin your outing, although not as badly as a black widow bite.
Check yourself for ticks after your trip. Be sure that you are NOT on private land, which is trepassing. Be safe in knowing where you are going, and don't go alone into areas that may not be safe. Let someone know where you are going, and when you expect to be back, just in case you dislocate your knee and get stranded in the middle of a swamp with no way to get help.
Hmmm... that's all I can think of right away.

[DutchHerp]

Bring a hook. I've had plenty of times where there was nothing lying around. In a forest, not a problem. In a field, bigger issues.

I wear rubber boots because I wade 50% of the time.

In dryer areas I wear tall hiking boots. I never wear shorts and generally wear long sleeved shirts.

I'm not so sure about bug spray, I don't use it when I don't have to. After all, the animals that you touch will always do better without it, so I don't risk it.

[Denial]

Dont get bit!

[Denial]

Actually you know what I take that back. When I field herp I would much rather take the bite then anything musking or going to the bathroom on me! I HATE when they do that.

[stratus_020202]

(though clothing-optional field herping would be interesting)

That was great. i fell out of my chair and choked on my drink. Thanks!!

[greg_in_ca]

hahaha great! hate the musk..espically garter snakes... great suggestions guys,.... hopefully it will keep some newbies out of heats way and make for a great day out! personally my rules are lift twards you... stay off private property... know your specimens / be aware of your surroundings but above all have fun!


greg