Sleeping on the ground, snakes, rope?

Discussion in 'General Survival and Preparedness' started by Ajax, Feb 10, 2011.


  1. Ajax

    Ajax Monkey++

    I recently watched True Grit and when they slept on the ground they put a rope around them to keep the snakes away.

    What does the rope do? Is that true or is it a old myth?
     
  2. Tracy

    Tracy Insatiably Curious Moderator Founding Member

    Gpa used to say that they wouldn't slither over a horse hair rope.

    I think that's false - rattlers live amongst cacti and sage brush. I don't see a lil ol' rope stopping them from dinner. :)

    Does anyone know for sure? Ever tested it (I haven't)?
     
  3. Seacowboys

    Seacowboys Senior Member Founding Member

    That only works with horse-hair rope. I put a manila rope around a Eastern Diamondback, hoping to keep him in a one spot until I could find a bucket or a bag for him and he crawled right over it. I questioned that and was told it only works with horse-hair rope, which I have never owned or even can confirm exists, especially since most of the horses I have owned had very short hair (Except mane and tail).
     
  4. Falcon15

    Falcon15 Falco Peregrinus

    Horse hair ropes are made from manes and tail hairs.
     
  5. Ajax

    Ajax Monkey++

    Hmmm, I figured it had more to do with the shape of the rope rather than what it was made of but I (obviously) have no idea.
     
  6. Falcon15

    Falcon15 Falco Peregrinus

  7. Ajax

    Ajax Monkey++

    Man, the picture of the horse is crazy, it looks like there is bone popping out of the wound. Snake venom is pretty potent.
     
  8. Falcon15

    Falcon15 Falco Peregrinus

    Did you like the culvert full of western diamondbacks? We open equipment VERY carefully out in west Texas. We find snakes, scorpions, deer mice...
     
  9. cornmonkey

    cornmonkey Monkey+

    Does not work with any rope period. Might give ya a false good night sleep but that's about it.
     
  10. snowbyrd

    snowbyrd Latet anguis in herba

    Been there, done that. I was hunting them with a knife, crazy I know, and got bit on the arm, t'was and interesting time for sure. Took years for the bite to completely heal, itched ALOT for a LONG time.
    Why hunt them with a knife you ask.
    'cuz ya gotta be faster than they are.
     
  11. melbo

    melbo Hunter Gatherer Administrator Founding Member

    I'd rather have snakes on the ground than snakes on a plane.
     
  12. snowbyrd

    snowbyrd Latet anguis in herba

    Won't let me have my knife on the plane.

    you get in an elevator, there is a Rattle snake, a lawer and Osoma bin Laudin.
    You have 2 rounds in your pistol.
    What do you do?






    Shoot the lawer, twice.
     
  13. BTPost

    BTPost Stumpy Old Fart,Deadman Walking, Snow Monkey Moderator

    That is easy, kick the snake, so he bites the Lawyer, shoot Bin Laudin, then shoot and eat the snake... wait for ten minutes and call 911... and split before the cops arrive...
     
  14. Airborne Monkey

    Airborne Monkey Gorilla Survivalpithecus

    I've slept on the ground in all kinds of places where there were all kinds of bad snakes. Actually woke up with a western diamondback in my lap one freezing cold morning on the side of a mountain in the Mohave desert where I was sleeping under a poncho hootch I had strung between two blocks to keep the unexpected night time snow off of me.

    He was still too cold to give me any grief ... I had nightmares about it for awhile though.

    I've slept in central american jungles where we worried more about vampire bats low crawling in on us at night than the many nasty serpents on the ground ... but still, you kept an eye open for the occasional coral snake or bushmaster, which were mean little buggers.

    The natives in some of the villages in El Salvador and Central America have learned to live with snakes of all kinds. Some of them taught us to urinate a circle around your sleeping area ... that always seemed to work. At least it gave us some peace of mind.

    Didn't do a damn thing for keeping the vampire bats out of your bed roll though.

    My son and I urinate all around our pump house to keep the cane breaks out ... haven't had one in there since we started doing that on a regular basis.

    Did have one under the back porch steps though not long ago ... I usually shoo them away in the woods but when they come up to the house I have to dispatch them because of the dogs and the kids.

    Here is my son holding one up that I popped - the one that was under our back stairs leading off of the deck. It was dark too and I was looking up under there thinking the electrical wire was loose on the generator ... the sound was echoing in the space up under there and with the generator noise it didn't quite register what the noise was initially ... but my old blue healer dog, we call him Good Old Dog and rescued him from the side of the road about six years ago almost dead, he came rushing in and saved me from a bad mental mistake. It was good eatin' though. :)

    4904_1100631514284_1181562551_30259299_6540529_n.

    Oh, btw, they say electrical fences don't work on snakes ... just makes them angry:

    I've heard the old wive's tales about rope keeping snakes out .... but knowing snakes, I wouldn't trust it.
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Dec 15, 2013
  15. Seawolf1090

    Seawolf1090 Retired Curmudgeonly IT Monkey Founding Member

    Yep, that pic of the Aussie python in the wire really gets around. They ain't poisonous, but those teeth give a wicked bite!

    As for sleeping on the ground - use a bivy sack or tent, no worries!
     
  16. Ajax

    Ajax Monkey++

    Yeah that's crazy. In FL I have heard of people skiing in lakes and falling in a mating ball of moccasins, that would have to be a freaky experience.
     
  17. Lit 1911

    Lit 1911 Monkey+

    I love hunting snakes with a knife.But i always have my 12 gauge,just in case things get crazy...

    By the way, a tent does good for keeping snakes out.
     
  18. ghrit

    ghrit Bad company Administrator Founding Member

    Not if it doesn't have a sewn in floor. Don't ask.
     
  19. Seawolf1090

    Seawolf1090 Retired Curmudgeonly IT Monkey Founding Member

    A motorcycle camping friend of mine (known admittedly for TALL tales) has a hilarious story involving a friend, a blue tarp, a banana and a black bear. His buddy "Bugshield" has never camped again...... ;)
     
  20. Airborne Monkey

    Airborne Monkey Gorilla Survivalpithecus

    Heard mothballs is supposed to keep them away. Never tried it, but I've heard it more than once.
     
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