How do you protect against... SNAKES?!

[perdidochas]

Ok.. call me a baby.. but yesterday's experience has me a little shaken and scarred for life...

My 4 year old always insists on going geocaching with me... she normally does really well.. takes the long walks well, doesn't complain... she just wants to do whatever mom is doing. When we have to climb up a vertical incline, I'll usually piggy back her up the bank or my 16 year old son sometimes comes along and he'll help get her up too.

Yesterday her and I went after one that required a 3 mile walk along some railroad tracks in the bushes (that was my plan B - instead of walking through chest high grass and bushes in marsh land - we went the long way around) So, on the way back, we were tired, hot (it was 103 yesterday) and a little out of it... kinda just trudging along.. and we came up on this huge snake going across the tracks, assuming to the river on the left. we were probably like 2 ft away til I saw it and at that point it was MAD and it was standing up almost face to face with my 4 year old.. I was already holding her hand.. so I quick flung her off to my right and threw her down this little bank and got ready to pepper spray this snake. I had 3 knives, 2 stun guns and 2 cans of pepper spray in my bag, but since we just got done coming down this steep 20ft bank, I had everything but my phone/gps and 1 can of pepper spray in my hand. It totally caught me off guard because I wasn't expecting to run into anything on the tracks.. I don't know what happened to the angry snake.. in the 2 seconds it took me to throw my daughter, he must have scurried off somewhere (thank god!) and the rest of the trip back was done with her on my shoulders and me double fisting weapons.

 

Clearly, I was NOT prepared. A 4 year old should have never been put in that situation to begin with... she'll stay home from now on unless we're hunting micros in parking lots. When I got home, I read online that you should never run from a snake.. your quick movement will cause it to strike. But, in that moment of desperation, "fight or flight" kicks in. My first instinct was to get my daughter away from it.. then kill it if it tried to come after her. From what I'm understanding, we got extremely lucky that it just went away.

Second, I've lived in PA my whole life and have heard about snakes, but have only ever seen one in the wild once before when I was 6. We did a lot of tromping through high grass and other stuff we couldn't see in and have never (knock on wood) came across a snake yet... I have no clue what kind of snake it even was... it was mostly black.. I think it may have had grey rings near it's tail.. and yellow cat eyes. I have no clue if it was poisonous or just a harmless bush snake.. if she would've gotten bit, they'd have no idea which antivenom to use. Can you pepper spray a snake? Or would it just make them even more agitated? My dad used to carry a BB gun or other type of gun when we'd walk in the woods as kids... As much as I'd love to carry, my lease (for my townhouse - we live in a development) prevents me from owning a weapon. Part 6.25 says "Tenants household or guests shall not display or use any firearms, BB guns, pellet guns, sling shots, or other offensive weapons, such as swords, knives, blow guns, stun guns, sprays etc. on the property" Now, obviously, I don't have to register a stun gun, knife or pepper spray... so they're easier to get around having if I keep them hidden.

How can I better protect myself and kids/company when we're out some place where we could possibly come in contact with a snake? The only other real danger would probably be a bear or stray dog... but I had always assumed my stun guns (one is 8 million volts and the other is 5 million volts) and knives would help... now i'm not feeling so confident :/

What does everyone else do for protection?

 

First, as I always tell people, the snakes are more afraid of you..... Second, the main thing is to look out for them. Snakes aren't going to hunt you down and kill you. They are going to try to get away unless you corner them or step on them. Third, that part in your lease reads to me like you can't use a gun or show it to anybody. I think you could keep one locked up out of sight. That said, a gun isn't needed--if you can see a snake, it's not dangerous to you. Very few snakes should be killed--primarily venomous snakes close to your house. Leave the rest alone.