How many of you have those snake-proof high tops of one brand or another?

Has anyone on this board ever "avoided" a snakebite (i.e., been bitten in the boot by a snake, and thus unaffected by the snake bite) because you were wearing those high tops? (Tell the tale. I'd love to hear about the experience!!)

I haven't hunted turkeys in a lot of dangerous snake habitat, to my knowledge (Southeastern Minnesota, Northeastern Missouri, Western and Eastern South Dakota, East-central Kansas), although I believe the (rare) poisionous snake can be found in Dakota and Minnesota, so I don't have a pair of high-top snake boots and question their necessity and utility. It appears to me that they may be more a "tradition" than a good practice or necessity. What do you southern snake habitat turkey hunters think?

(I know you are all going to tell me that you'd rather not risk the snakebite and so will keep on wearing the hightops--and it is true that it is better to be safe than sorry and all that--but when I hunted quail in Texas snake country, we wore chaps or hunting pants that had 1000 dernier cordura lowers, not high-tops.)

Just asking what you all think. . .

SD,I've hunted in snake country all my life and still like chaps better than boots!The main reason is not only are chaps snake proof they are sticker briar proof,to that end they come up over your thigh/ham too.Take Texas for example,everything they have pricks ya and when I wore my chaps I could walk right through most of that low lying choya!Yes they are a little warm but a little sweat never kills anyone but picking out stickers can cause an aggravating pain!!

[:@]
Alright big man, I'll give you my two cents on this issue. First off, I hunt in the southern most tip of the Florida Everglades. Where one has Cotton mouths, Water Moc's, etc, etc.

I've seen sakes in excess of six feet and as big around as my arm.

I wear both 16" snake boots and snake chapps. Call me a wimp if you want I don't care. But if you ever want to hunt an Osceola way down south in Florida, I'll recommend it to you in passing. I won't press it though.

To me, get the boots at least. And come home safe to your family and friends.

Hunting in the Green Swamps of Southestern North Carolina as I do, believe me you can consentrate much more on your hunting if you are wearing some sort of snake protectoion. I personally like the codura gators. They are comfortable, don't hinder your movement, much cooler than chaps, and provide plenty of protection.

No need for snakeboots or chaps around here, thank goodness! I seldom ever run across one of those slithery critters while turkey hunting and when I do, it's usually just a harmless blacksnake. But they'll sure make you jump if you don't see them first!

this will be my first season hunting turkey, i live in rockingham , north carolina. i was out yesterday doing a little scouting by a beaver pond and almost stepped on about a 4 foot cotton mouth. i poked at him with a stick thinking he would take off but he wasn't impressed to much and he just sat there inviting me to get closer. i know from that i will have me some snake boots when the season comes in. check out bass pro , they have a pair of red heads for 99.00 bucks that look pretty good.

2 years ago I was scouting during the early bow season with my two sons.
We came up on a nice looking oak hammock and I told the boys to stay right there while I went throught the palmettos to check it out. I walked in and looked around a bit and as I was walking back out, ( on the same path I went in) I got nailed by a 5 ft. diamond back. He never rattled once until after he bit me. Im guessing I must have alerted it when I first walked in. After a screaming 30 yard heeby jeeby fit I managed to collect myself and took off my rubber boot to see just how bad he got me. Fortunatley the fangs went through the rubber boots, through my jeans and barely scratched the skin on my leg.
I now wear 18" Bass Pro Snake boots. I never had wore snake boots during the 20 plus years before that day. But I realize now its good insurance.

ben--that's the kind of stories I was interested in hearing, though you weren't actually wearing those high-top snake boots at the time.

dhf--you're not a wimp because you are smart enough to want maximum protection and are rightly interested in your own health and safety. I was more curious about how effective those high tops actually have proven and why they would be favored over chaps.

[8D]
I use them both for this reason. The boots only will not work for me due to the water where I hunt in the glades.

Let's say that you get 18" snake boots but have to walk in water between your knee and hip. Then along comes Mr. MO. And Mr. Mo is coming for you.

I love my boots and my chaps. Like AM. Express. Never leave home without them.

The best turkey boots I've ever seen are made by "Wolvereine". Nice bad boys to be sure.

My father got a pair at a NWTF fundraiser. Their on my list of "things to get".

I grew up in the swamp country of northeasten NC where there are lots of cottonmouths. We used to run across them frequently while we were bushing duck blinds or bull frogging, as well as fishing up in the cypruses. We used to wade out after frogs at night in water chest deep. But I never have worn snake boots and have never felt any concern for getting bit. I also lived in AZ one year and hunted quail out in the desert and grassland while there, and never felt concerned about snakes there either. Hunted down in central FL after osceolas two years ago, and the only thing I was concerned about was gators. Well, okay -- after seeing that panther one day, I did get spooked by an armadillo while I was roosting a turkey later that evening. Hope nothing ever happens that makes me start being concerned about snakes, if you know what I mean.