Southern Early Season Hunting/Scouting

[Bigrivermarine]

Swamp areas here in the southern states have a Huge number of Cottonmouths as big around as your wrist, Timber Rattlers, Copperheads, and farther south you add alligators. Hard for me to wade in before light especially in the early Sept/Oct. bow season. What are your thoughts, and how do you southern guys deal with that. You ain’t stripping down to your skivies and taking your boots off like Dan does I know.
Our swamps are a bit different than the northern swamps!!!

[Bogle]

I dont hunt much in the morning outside of the rut. However, I just wade/walk to my stand like I normally would. I've usually been scouting on and off through out the summer so I've already been dealing with them pretty much all year. I do wear my snake boots alot of the time during the early season in Florida.

[Bowhuntercoop]

Snake boots or hip waders. Watch where you step. I also don’t hunt many morning anymore until it gets cold here, 50s haha. Scouting wise now is the best time before green up.

[jbone23]

Ive done hip waders with snake chaps over them. But now just hip waders with a walking stick and watch where you step. Mostly dealing with cottomouths...lots of them and plenty of alligators

[checkerfred]

I suggest rubber snake boots with Dan’s snake protectors. Makes a good snake/waterproof hip boot. Alligators I can’t help with lol. Snakes just watch where you put your hands and you should be good

[austin1990]

Here in my part of AR I generally don’t hunt mornings Til late October just because of that lol when I do though I wait til gray light and go slow and watch very carefully. Not had an issue yet! Worse part to me is the skeeters in the river bottoms, they get big and mean here!

[Bigrivermarine]

Here in my part of AR I generally don’t hunt mornings Til late October just because of that lol when I do though I wait til gray light and go slow and watch very carefully. Not had an issue yet! Worse part to me is the skeeters in the river bottoms, they get big and mean here!

I’m from Arkansas too. I hunt around the Augusta area. The skeeters here are the size of small hummingbirds. Snakes bite but then 10 billion skeeters will drain ya. Lol

[freezeAR]

It is brutal with the snakes snd skeeters. I was driving around a refuge a couple weeks before thd opener and I seen a freshly ran over timber rattler that streatched from the yellow line to the white line, huge. I don't think most snakes, except for a cotton mouth, want to bite you. I also soak cloths in paramethrin to help with the bugs.

[dewayne]

I grew up hunting in Alabama and now North Carolina. I never worried about snakes, gators or any other critters just go hunt/scout. I understand how some people feel about snakes, just get a pair of snake boots and have at it.

[checkerfred]

Going in of a morning or leaving in the evening it’s still dark

[Ahawk116]

I’m with these guys. You just accept it as the norm and bring a thermacell with you. IMHO the bugs are the worst part.

[PK_]

Use a big stick to push them out of the way.

[Buckshot20]

Big Alligators- keep the water knee deep or less

Snakes- most snakes cant bite through your rubber boots let alone a snake boot. Lacrosse makes a nice slip on. If you a in water, don't lay anything down on the high fern patch(there will be a moccasin).

[Twenty Up]

The snakes aren’t terrible but I’ve always been tormented by ticks and chiggers. Seemingly 1-2x a season I’ll forget to permethrin up and have itching welts for 2+ weeks...

Another thing to consider is staying hydrated. I had 3 instances this September where I began feeling drunk and extremely dizzy once setup in the tree. Mix that with limited cell service, hanging-removing a stand in the dark and it could be a problem. Heat strokes and dehydration are no joke...

[dewayne]

Going in of a morning or leaving in the evening it’s still dark

That’s a good point I’ve never thought about that