Campers, be careful of snakes and old cowboys’ tales
From April 20, 2004:
Today’s question came with a long preamble about two brothers from Lake Havasu who are going to be tent-camping in the desert for three days so they can work at a checkpoint for an off-road race. They seemed pretty pleased about it, which I guess is their business.
Anyway, it comes down to this:
The area around our checkpoint is prime country for snakes. My brother says that if we take some three-quarterinch hemp rope and lay it around the campsite, the snakes will not cross over it. I think he is a few bricks shy of a load, but no one I talk to seems to know the answer. Do you know if this is true?
The part about the bricks sounds true. Have you considered the possibility that your brother was adopted and his real parents were not quite what you would call gifted? I’ve often thought that was the case with my own brother.
The idea that a hemp rope or a horsehair rope or any kind of rope will protect your campsite from rattlesnakes is one of the oldest hunks of hooey in the book. It’s an old cowboys’ tale.
If your brother wants to try it, fine, but I’d sleep in the car if I were you.
The rope thing is hooey, but there are a few rudimentary steps you can take to protect yourself from snakes on a desert camping trip.
For starters, you could dig a deep moat around your campsite, fill it with kerosene, set it on fire and keep it burning all night. This, however, doesn’t sound very practical, and I bet it’s also illegal. Forget that one.
Try this: Make your camp in an open area, as far away as possible from any vegetation or water or old structures. When you’re up and about in the night, carry a flashlight so you can see where you’re stepping.
Shake your clothes and boots out in the morning, not just to uncover any snakes, but also to dislodge any scorpions or other creepy-crawlies.
Just use a little common sense and pay attention to what you’re doing. And keep an eye on your brother so he doesn’t wander off.