Question on something contained in your post- You mentioned that these methods work provided I "can kill the snake and get it into use in the first couple minutes" Why exactly should I kill the snake? I mean, I realize that he wouldn't exactly be willing to give me a hand fixing myself after he bites,. although it would be a great idea to get away before I have a chance of being bitten again... In fact, wouldn't killing the snake put me in further danger of being bitten?

The main reason for killing the snake is so the doctor will have a positive ID on it and so can pick the proper antivenom. Treating a snake bite with the wrong antivenom is bad.

-Blast

Anywhere on the east coast is not usually more than an hour or two hike back to civilization as in a road or town. Now if you were deep in the Sierras, Rockies etc. then you would be truly way too far from civilization.
You will easily have the option of getting to a hospital.
The Sawyer Extractor is another waste of time.
Just don't get bit; learn what snakes do and walk cautiously.
Bill

I don't understand. First you said you will be traveling from NC to IL. Now you say you'll be deep in the woods for a month or two. What?

There's no real way to treat a snakebite on your own. Forget all the crap you've seen in movies. As CK said, snakebite kits are a waste of time.

Snake venom moves through the lymph system, not through the blood. Unless, of course, you take a direct hit in a vein or something, in which case I hope you have some ID on you so your family will eventually know what happened to you.

The only real treatment is antivenin of the right kind for the snake (I believe pit vipers and coral snakes take different kinds, and there may be other differences). One $250-350 vial usually won't do the job; an appropriate treatment might be ten or twelve vials. And they need to be kept refrigerated.

The toxicity of the bite can cause a lot of problems, but the antivenin itself can be life-threatening, and not all the reactions happen right away.

Prevention is far better than treatment.

1) Watch where you're walking, on the ground and in the trees. Carry a walking stick and poke any areas you can't see before you step there. If a trail is going your way, stay on it.

2) Watch where you put your hands, esp when climbing or collecting firewood. Use a stick instead of your bare hands. Snakes tend to stay in the shade or under bushes in the heat of the day.

3) Wear a pair of lightweight Snake Guards on your lower legs.

4) Don't walk at night in snake country without a good flashlight. At night, rattlesnakes will often lie right in the trail to soak up the warmth from the day.

5) PAY ATTENTION! Common sense will go a long way toward keeping you safe.

I grew up and spent a lot of time in rattlesnake country. Snakes are not normally aggressive and prefer to leave the area if you give them a chance. Corner one and tease it, you deserve what you get.

Sue

PLB.

-john

I don't think he has much of a chance of seeing a doctor, given his plans. The little guy might make a nice meal though. Tastes just like chicken...

Hmm... You may have a point there, and thanks for the encouragement:-D. I'll be sure to carry a list of preferred recipes in my pocket, just in case...

I thought that constricting the flow of venom was only suitable for elapids. Whereas for pit vipers, confining the venom to a small area only increases the likelihood of permanent necrotic damage.