[pct-l] Rattlesnake Bites / 50% DRY BITES

[Eric Lee]

Don wrote:
>
You are correct, though, that most bites are young males who have been
drinking.  That doesn't help the hiker, though, who walks through some brush
and gets a bite. Not all victims are warned by that rattle. The rattles
break off or are sometimes not used by the snake.
>

Last June I asked the pct-l if anyone was aware of any instances of PCT
hikers getting bit by snakes while on the trail.  There was only one case
mentioned - I guess someone named "Snake Bite Bill" was bitten on the PCT
and had to get off the trail for awhile.

It continually surprises me that with all of the snakes people report seeing
on the trail, and all of the stories of very close accidental encounters,
there are extremely few instances of hikers actually getting bitten.

Eric