Poison Snakes in AZ & How Leaders Should React During an Encounter

There are 13 species of rattlesnakes and the coral snake which makes up the venomous snake dangers a leader can encounter in AZ.

The coral snake is banded red, yellow and black and can be identified as “red on yellow, you’re a dead fellow”. It can be confused with the Mountain King snake, but the rings are different. Actually, unless you are barefoot or pick one up their danger to adults is minimal as they have a very small mouth and no fangs like a rattlesnake. Their venom is neurotoxic, which is serious, but a bite should never occur on a hike. If encountered, give it space and time and it will usually move on past you. If it does not move, you can gently nudge the tail of it to get it moving or you can go around it if there is room.

Now, the rattlesnake protocol when encountered:

  • Quickly identify the location of the snake and keep your hiking stick between you and the snake.
  • Move away from the snake to at least 8-10 feet, if possible. An adult rattler can strike a distance of half of its body length and 5-6 ft is a good size adult snake. But, you can’t measure one, so getting an 8-10 ft separation is safer and should make the snake less stressed.
  • As a precaution, ask others to look around to make sure there is not more than the one snake close by.
  • It is imperative for safety’s sake to get past this critter as soon as possible. The leader should ask someone to be a spotter of the snake as the group moves past it just in case it decides to move towards the escape path of the group.
  • If needed, the hiking stick can be used gently to redirect the snake or to get it moving.

We see so few snakes considering we hike in snake country, which is good. The snakes can sense the earth’s vibrations from boots hitting the ground from a good distance away so they either get out of the way or freeze in a position that we don’t see them. I have a feeling that many more of them have seen us passing by. They have no interest in a human encounter and will usually avoid it.

If for some unfortunate reason, a hiker is bitten by a rattler, the prescribed behavior is to get the individual off the mountain or trail as soon as possible without running, of course. A tourniquet or cutting the bite area is not recommended these days. Try to call 911 as soon as you have access to a signal to have an emergency vehicle waiting to take the person to the emergency room for anti-venom treatment. There are anti-venom treatment changes all the time and maybe the emergency vehicle will have it available. If a person is knowledgeable of the different varieties of rattlers, they can pass this on to the rescue team.

I am not a snake expert but have read a lot about them since moving into their territory 12 years ago. Most rattlers have a hemotoxic venom (attacks the blood, tissues, muscles), some have neurotoxic venom (attacks the nerves and this venom is more serious) and some even have a little mix of both venoms. All rattler bites are serious even though the level of envenomation is unknown. Sometimes the bites can be ‘dry’ meaning no venom injected and this can vary all the way to a max injection--all of which is not known by looking at the bite.

Please feel free to revise this document as appropriate.

Bob Porterfield

7-25-2014