If you are preparing for a camping trip, you may want to pay close attention to the experts, and the professional advice that you can receive from this community online. Even though camping is a great way to spend a weekend or your entire vacation, there are some inherent dangers that you need to prepare for in advance.
More importantly, you need to know how to keep away venomous snakes while you are camping with your family, especially in snake country. So, let’s get started by discussing these 5 essential areas and some important tips for avoiding snakes on your next camping trip.
Table of Contents
Do Repellents Work
First and foremost, you need to learn as much as you can about topics like do camping snake repellents work? Today, there is a lot of information about repelling snakes available online. However, the information that you find can vary greatly based on the source or sources that you choose. For instance, some of the most highly recommended DIY snake repellent options do not work at all to repel snakes.
This is also why some people recommend using sulfur-based products or mothballs as a method of keeping snakes away, even though some of the latest studies show that they are ineffective against venomous snakes.
Also, based on an individual’s experience and understanding, you will most likely receive different opinions. From reviewing unfounded manufacturer’s claims on ineffective repellent products to reading consumer testimonies on repellent solutions that do not actually work, there is quite a bit of information online that does not support the effectiveness of many of the most popular and well-known alternatives in the industry today.
Therefore, whatever the results of your research entail about snake repellents, you can always use other tactics, strategies, and proven methods to keep bugs and snakes away while you are camping. This is especially true for those of you who are looking for the best snake-free campsite to set up your camping tents and other essential things that you need.
Choose the Right Area
As you can see, the topic of selecting the best snake repellent products may not be as simple as most humans may think. Yet, some great expert advice can actually keep snakes at bay. And, that is to choose your campsites carefully. By choosing the right type of camping spot, you can avoid the higher probability of snakes hiding in places that you cannot see. For instance, here are a few guidelines that you should follow when choosing a campsite free of snakes.
- Avoid camping in ideal snake habitats like camping spots that are situated next to rock piles or outcrops. Snakes love these types of areas.
- Avoid locations that have large amounts of heavy brush and deadfall since these are ideally the best hiding spots for most snakes to hide away.
- Stay away from camping spots located adjacent or near to one or more water sources (like a lake or river). These places are highly discouraged as prime spots for camping since snakes tend to utilize these places to hunt and travel back and forth.
- Choose a snake-free camping location to avoid encountering resident snakes.
- Do not camp in a snake territory area, forested, tall grass area or boulder terrains.
- Pay attention and adhere to snake repellents campsite cautionary signs like, “beware of snakes”
- Select locations that have a large open space that make it easy for visibility.
- Select areas where there is short grass.
- Campsite’s that permit campfire that lights up the area around you. This is because the bright lights from the campfire are one of the best ways to repel snakes away from the group.
Clear Out Campsite Clutter, Store Your Food Properly
Once you have found a location that meets the requirements that you are searching for, you need to make sure this site is brought up to a snake-free condition. Because snakes can hide and thrive well in a campsite that’s filled with lots of clutter and food that is not stored properly, you need to make sure that you take special care in snake proofing and preparing your campsite accordingly. For instance, here are some of the most important things that need to be done to avoid snakes and before everyone begins to go their separate ways.
Move stacks of leaves, logs of firewood and piles of branches, and other unnecessary items as far away from your campsite as possible. Moving the clutter away, can indirectly deter snakes from hiding in dark spaces.
Do not store the firewood that you intend to use for your campfire too close to your campsite.
Clean up thoroughly after serving food (i.e. wash utensils and plates) and do not leave back droppings, crumbs or any human food. Store food in air tight containers in higher places away from your campsite (like a tree branch). This way, you can avoid attracting rodents and other critters that attract snakes. Even though snakes will not have an interest in scrounging around for your food, they do have an interest in eating the small rodents that your leftover crumbs and smells will attract.
Double check your sleeping bag. It’s a good idea to shake your sleeping bag before getting in or using them, making sure that there’s no snake inside.
Stuff socks inside your shoes to prevent the snake from getting in. Shake it off before using them. A man died from a copperhead snake bite because he didn’t check his shoes before wearing them.
Do not leave trash bags in your camping area or inside your tent area to keep snakes away.
Do not leave your tent unattended. If you need to leave your tent, zip it and make sure there are no holes or entry points.
Start a casual conversation with fellow campers, or play guitar around the campfire. It can help to keep snakes away from your tent area or camp spot.
What Should I Do If I See a Snake?
If you run across a snake while camping, here are a few things that you can do to stay safe.
Don’t panic. Leave the snake alone. In general, snakes are considered to be shy so they will not attack unless someone provokes them.
Change directions, remain calm and walk away from its presence slowly. Slow movements will keep you safe as it is less threatening to the snakes and will not provoke or startled them.
Maintain a safe distance. If you do not provoke it, it will normally disappear in the ground or in the bushes nearby.
If you see a dead snake, do not touch it, the fangs are still poisonous if it accidentally pierces the skin.
Tips for Personal Safety
Before heading out to the campgrounds, you need to make sure that you have learned everything that you can about personal safety, too. Although snakebites are rarely fatal nowadays, it is essential to know what to do and still treat them as life-threatening situation. So, here are a few tips that you may want to keep at the forefront of your mind.
- Pack a first aid kit. Carry a first aid kit with you to the camp. The items in this kit should contain a variety of medical supplies including items like pressure bandages that you can use in applying pressure immobilization technique. Pressure bandages will help to delay the spread of the snake’s venom entering the bloodstream if someone is bitten. Call 911 immediately and ask for medical assistance.
- Dress appropriately. Most snake bites happen at the lower part of the body. So, for safety, keep your lower body (i.e. lower legs, ankles, feet hands, etc.) sufficiently covered since these are places on the body that they usually attack. Wear clothes with good fabrics like jeans and gaiters. It lower the chances of a a snake’s fang piercing the skin.
- Wear shoes, boots or closed footwear to protect your feet and they also make more ground vibrations, alerting the snakes away from your campsite.
- Watch your step. Keep a safe watch on where you step, especially when you are walking on piles of leaves, branches, etc.
- Walk strongly. Make as much noise as you can while you are walking. These noises will keep them from coming close to your direction. Most snake bites occur because a snake was surprised by a human walking quietly on a trail.
Preparing appropriately for your camping trip is essential for a number of different reasons. One of the most important is making sure that you are knowledgeable about how to keep snakes away while camping.
Thankfully, there is a wealth of valuable information on CampingHikingNecessities, including how to choose the best snake-free camping spots, how to declutter to prevent hidden habitats, and how to react safely if you see a snake.