HikeArizona.COM

I really want to understand the issue of snakes bites better. I've read ck1's article already, but I'm still a little confused. Let's deal with a specific situation: We're out hiking the Horton Creek Trail and somewhere near the top someone gets bitten by a rattlesnake. You're looking at an hour plus just to hike out. (And let's pretend that cell phones are not working.)

Q1 - Do you send someone to go dial 911 to bring assistance, or, do you have the bitten individual try to hike out to get medical attention?

If you send someone to go dial 911, even after someone returns (hours later) the hiker still has to get out of the woods some how, and I'm assuming hiking out is the only way out.

Q2 - If the venom doesn't really affect you for 12 hours why is it such an immediate concern (other than the obvious issue that you just had a some other living creature sink its fangs into your own personal body)?

Thx in advance for the assistance with this topic. I often hike with people that are extremely afraid of snakes. I want to be better prepared to answer the questions that typically come up.

If I was in that situation, one - two hours from the trailhead and someone was bitten by a venemous snake, I would do BOTH options you mentioned. Have someone run on ahead to have help on the way, while the victim tries to slowly and calmly walk out.
I really worry about it happening out in the middle of nowhere where help would be 1/2 a day to a day away! (However, none of the dozen or so snakes I've encountered in the past few years has shown any desire whatsoever to bite me, thankfully!)

I said it before on one of the boards, so this may be a repeat, but more people die of spousal abuse in arizona every year the snake bites. Very few people actually die from a rattlesnake bite so do not worry about it.

Most bites, something like 80%, happen because the person picked the snake up. Hard to believe, but true. Thus if you do not pick one up, your chances of getting bit are pretty slim. If you do get bit, most bites are dry bites (no venom injected) because it takes a lot of work for the snake to make the venom and if they aren't going to eat you, they won't waste the venom.

Now, if you did get bit and venom was injected, it depends on what type of snake bit you on how long you have. If you got bit by a Mojave (and it used the venom) you don't have much time. The Mojave's nick name is the 3 stepper and you can guess why. The good news is, diamondbacks out number mojaves 10 to 1. If you were bit by a diamondback you have a good 3-4 hours to seek medical attention. More if you are a larger person and/or the snake didn't use too much venom on you and you do everything right.

I'd recommend trying to get a cell signal, call the local sheriff dept, give them GPS coordinates and they'll probably be able to get a helecoptor out to you quickly. And no, the rumors are not true, you will not be charged for you're rescue. If you can't get a cell signal, start walking, but don't leave the bit person alone unless things get bad. There are a lot of do's and don'ts also, but instead of typing them all, you can go to an article I wrote here http://www.sonoransar.org/snakes.htm

Daryl, I don't know much about snakes and also have a phobia to them. I'd rather come, and have, across anything else but a snake. I read the info you have on snakes. In your reply you state, as I have read before that there is not much time if one is bitten by a Mojave. Yet in the info you wrote you have, I think it said, 10-12 hours. I am confused.

Cindy, the Mohave is different from all other rattlesnakes in that it has neurotoxin as the main component of it's venom. This puts it in with kraits, cobras, sea snakes, and coral snakes. The other rattlesnakes have hemotoxin. The difference is hemotoxin attacks tissue. You'll see a lot of swelling, redness and pain at the site with an injection of venom. Neurotoxin attacks the nervous system. There may be little to no redness at the site other than what you'd expect after getting puctured. That doesn't necessarily mean it's a dry bite. The neurotoxin could be working it's way through your body. As with other snakes, the Mohave can control how much venom it injects so a bite is likely to be dry. However, there's no way you'll know when you're out on the trail unless you wait for symptoms to occurs. Then it's probably too late. The best bet is to seek medical attention for any bite. Prevention is even better, don't pick up snakes!

So you see, if a mohave gives you a bid dose of venom things could get back quickly. If he gives you a small dose, it could be hours before symptoms show up so don't assume a bite is dry just because you're still walking around 4 hours later.

Daryl, Thanks for clearing up the rumor of being charged to get rescued. Also, I appreciate that statistic about domestic violence versus snakebites. So if I get bit, I'll go to the hospital or tough it out but I WON'T go HOME!

With a rattlesnake bite, there are many factors determining how long you have AZhiker explained it well. If the bite wasn't a full dose from a mojave you should have 3-4 hours minimum to get help before things get bad. In most cases you won't get a full injection of venem so you'll have a lot more then 3-4 hours to get help.
Your best bet is to just avoid them. If you stay on the trail and avoid night hiking in the summer you'll probably never see one. If you do came across one, they have no intention of hurting you and they do not want to eat you. They only defend themselves, so be sure you don't step on one and you'll be fine.

And to clarify:
The State of Arizona will not charge you for a rescue. However, the National Park Service (i.e. the grand canyon) has been known to charge people, especially if they did something stupid.

Daryl wrote:Most bites, something like 80%, happen because the person picked the snake up. Hard to believe, but true. Thus if you do not pick one up, your chances of getting bit are pretty slim. If you do get bit, most bites are dry bites (no venom injected) because it takes a lot of work for the snake to make the venom and if they aren't going to eat you, they won't waste the venom.

True enough. A rattlesnake is like a loaded weapon, if you learn how to handle them and treat them with respect, you'll never have a problem. But as soon as you go and play around - you get hurt.

I've actually been bit by a copperhead (in Houston) and dry bit by a cottonmouth (also in Houston). What was I trying to do at the time? Capture one. Not too bright. But I was only 12 and I've learned my lesson since.

Give a snake the room it wants, and treat it with respect. Your chances of getting bit drop dramatically.

However, as AZHiker96 says - treat every bite as though it were a real bite, and seek help immediately.