Is there any good reason why I never see the guys in Africa wearing snake boots? Of all the shows I have seen over the years that take place in Africa I cant recall any of the trackers, hunters, PH's, etc. wearing snake boots. You would think with so many deadly snakes over there you would see more snake boots over there than you do here in Texas.

Just a random Sunday question.

You would think, but no one does. On long walks they'd get pretty hot I think. I've seen the trackers up ahead suddenly jump 4' in the air, but I never saw the snake. Saw one baby mamba in an orphanage compound once. The maintenance guys beat the living hell out of it with a hoe. Also saw a big python once, near death, that was chewed all up by a group of mongoose (or is it mongeese?).

Mongooses

Or

Mongi

Don't know if snake boots would do any good with most of the snakes there? Shoot, half of them probably hit you thigh high! or spit on ya LOL

I've always wondered the exact same thing. Heck they wear chukka boots and shorts!

They're tougher than us all we got is little pansy rattlers and everybody with a deer lease wears knee high snake boots. They got snakes that will kill you in ten seconds and chase you down to do it and they are wearing nut hugger shorts and tennis shoes, tough dudes over there.

http://www.africam.com/wildlife/africas_7_deadly_snakes_click_caution

If you're gonna wear boots, probably ought to consider a "suit" with a hood. Some of these hit mid-calf all the way up and some are tree climbers. Imagine getting hit in the face or on the neck.

aren't most safaris done in the winter?

I came in contact with a Mamba in South Africa on my last Safari and snake boots wouldn't have made any difference. The mambas rise up and can be 2-3 feet in the air hiding in the brush waiting for something to cross its path. We were tracking my Eland and my tracker pushed me out of the way and hit the snake with the shooting sticks and killed it. Never saw it until it was dead....he got a good tip for the day!!!

btw i aint lost nothing in africa

One trip to the Okavango years ago we camped in what would be considered "base camp" for a week, we took out every day on dugout canoes. The guides and area tribesmen were only concerned with two things, Hippos and Black Mambas, on our last day as we were packing out we found a Mamba in our hut under the bunk. Talk about "pucker factor"! It was very cool for the season and they seemed to think the snake may have been in the hut the whole time; I like to think he crawled in that morning... as I thought I did a pretty good check each night.

I have been fortunate to make 5 15-day safaris to Africa (Namibia, South Africa, and Zimbabwe), and have been there in April, May, July, and August. We have seen snakes on every trip but usually they are no problem at all. The mornings are 30-40 degrees, but it warms up to 80-90 in the afternoons and the snakes are pretty frisky then. Have run into mambas, puff adders, cobras, and rock pythons, and several non-poisonous ones.

The PH is behind the tracker(s), and they are more afraid of and watchful for snakes than anything else out there. You are behind the PH, so have a couple levels of protection. Like has been said, a mamba can be 10-12 feet long,and can rise up about head high if it wants to. You have never seen anything move as fas as a mamba in a tree either. We had one kill one of our Jack Russell hunting dogs on a trip to Namibia with a single strike of one fang to the face.

Be watchful and you will have no problems. I'd much rather run around there than I would in South Texas!

Damn not a subject I wanted to discuss a week before I get there

Scott,

Don't worry. You are less likely to see a snake then you are on your lease.

I was in South Africa last week. Personally I did not see any snakes, but one of the other PH's in camp saw a mamba about 1/2 mile from the lodge. That was my 4th Africa trip and I saw several mambas and pythons on my other trips.

Its funny though, the conversation of snakes always seems to come up in camp, and every single African says the same thing about being bit by a mamba. The quote is always some version of "Find a nice tree with some shade and just lean against it and relax. It won't be long..."

Well I am hoping to see no snakes

Probably won't. But they'll see you...

Your PH deals with danger every day of his life. Lions, crocs, leopards, buffalo, elephants, and hippos can, and will, kill you under the right circumstances. How about getting impaled on the horns of a wounded bushbuck, gemsbok, or sable? And then we must consider malaria, tsetse flies, dengue fever, and ebola. And scariest of all, we have Julius Malema, who will happily take your property, rape your wife, and enslave your children......after you're executed in front of them.

You think the PH is worried about a snake?

Texans who are paranoid about African snakes are the same guys who are unreasonably fearful of Texas snakes, poisonous or otherwise. In Africa, as in Texas, your truck or hunting vehicle will be your most dangerous adversary.

Wear comfortable hiking shoes, with or w/o gaiters, stay alert, and have the time of your life.

I am not worried about a snake I have bullets

Glad this topic was brought up, like many others I wondered also!

i dont like the snake in the toilet gonna give me nightmares