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longbowpilot

Would you take young kids shed hunting?

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Want to take my 6 and 4 year old out in the desert shed hunting in the mornings but am freaked out about one of them steppin on a rattlesnake this time of year.  Took them dove hunting with me last September and we ran into a 4 foot western diamondback.  Had to dispatch the snake with my 12 gauge but haven’t taken the kids in the desert during warm weather since.  

I know it’s rare to get bit by one but would never forgive myself if it did happen to one of my kids.

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Up north, I would. Flag- Williams, etc.. not so prevalent. And I'd still take precautions.

Anything in the valley- at that age- no. (I have a 3 year old)

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Took my 3 and 5 year old out a few days ago. They loved it. Didn't find any horns. But they climbed a "mountain" and got some great pictures. I guarantee they'll remember it forever. 

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31 minutes ago, Jazz said:

Up north, I would. Flag- Williams, etc.. not so prevalent. And I'd still take precautions.

Anything in the valley- at that age- no. (I have a 3 year old)

My wife stepped on a rattler last week up north. So you still need to be real careful.

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1 minute ago, wish2hunt said:

My wife stepped on a rattler last week up north. So you still need to be real careful.

OMG They're everywhere!!

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You can't not let your kids and yourself experience life. However 4 years old and less need to understand what to look for but you should always be in front. I agree with Jazz, better to go higher elevations but like wish2hunt said theynaremstill every where.  Kids hate being throttled but I always stay in the lead just to keep an eye out for danger, and not just snakes. Your eyes should constantly be scanning.

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28 minutes ago, CatfishKev said:

You can't not let your kids and yourself experience life. However 4 years old and less need to understand what to look for but you should always be in front. I agree with Jazz, better to go higher elevations but like wish2hunt said theynaremstill every where.  Kids hate being throttled but I always stay in the lead just to keep an eye out for danger, and not just snakes. Your eyes should constantly be scanning.

That’s kind of where I’m at, can’t stop living life because you might get bit by a snake.  It’s like a “what if the sky falls” type of thing.  Definitely going to keep taking them dove hunting also they had a blast doing that.  

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19 minutes ago, longbowpilot said:

That’s kind of where I’m at, can’t stop living life because you might get bit by a snake.  It’s like a “what if the sky falls” type of thing.  Definitely going to keep taking them dove hunting also they had a blast doing that.  

May be a good idea to have a dog go with you guys that has snake avoidance training. Another set of eyes and a good sniffer could be a life saver. This thread and the other one in the campfire has me thinking I'm gonna go take my Boston terrier to snake training, especially since she likes to run ahead of us and is a natural born killer.

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On 5/5/2019 at 5:03 PM, CatfishKev said:

May be a good idea to have a dog go with you guys that has snake avoidance training. Another set of eyes and a good sniffer could be a life saver. This thread and the other one in the campfire has me thinking I'm gonna go take my Boston terrier to snake training, especially since she likes to run ahead of us and is a natural born killer.

I lost a cool 1yr old Ausie several miles back in a trail after he was bitten on a mt bike ride a few years ago. That wasn't an easy ordeal, to say the least, but better to have a pup for security especially if you train them for it. I hadn't really considering having the pooch along for that reason, but you got me thinking on checking into what it would take to get our shepherd trained. 

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I spend alot of time out and about. I see way more above 4K than I do below. Like coiled up next to my bed roll lake side at chevlon canyon lake . 

 

If snakes worry you that bad you might just stay home. I think you’ll be to pre occupied to notice the numerous other , more likely hazards.   

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As much as I hate snakes. I would and have taken my kids out when they were old enough to walk.

Our 1st daughter had a knack for finding sheds when she was walking at a very young age. she found about a dozen sheds at the whitetanks in 2-3 years and a few at the base of the mountain by safford.

They find them easy cause they are lower to the ground and can walk through the thick low over hanging brush. and that kid was  snake broke anyway, she seen a ton of them when she was little ;) as we used to go  hunting and shooting nearly everyday out there when her mom went to work.

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