This could happen to any of us.......

http://www.foxnews.com/health/2018/01/23/5-year-old-girl-survives-rattlesnake-bite.html

This is a scary situation that could happen to any one of us or our family members. Emily has now had over 40 vaccinations but thankfully is doing much better.

I post this in an effort to help the family gain exposure to their situation and gain the help that they need. I know that Emily and her family will be extremely grateful for any and all the help that they can get. I would also like to use this time to remind everyone that even though it is the winter time and rattlesnake activity may not be as high, they are still out there. Wear your snake boots and purchase a pair for the whole family so that we can all enjoy the great outdoors safely.

Thanks everyone for reading and I hope that you have a safe and successful 2018.

BadCompanyFT

I would also like to use this time to remind everyone that even though it is the winter time and rattlesnake activity may not be as high, they are still out there

I always hear this, but just from personal experience I have killed more rattlesnakes in January, February and march than any other time of the year. At least in south Texas. What are yalls experiences?

This is so true, I was down in Big Wells and walked out to put my snake boots on which I always wear and because they are comfortable and to keep from getting snake bit. A rattler was curled up next to my boots on the concrete soaking up the heat from the afternoon sun. The temperature couldn't have been higher than mid 50's

I hear ya Ryan. I've killed more during the winter as well but my experience is a little different as I spend more time out there in the winter. Biggest thing to remember is to not have a false sense of security. Rattlesnakes don't know they are not supposed to be active in the winter.

Also don't let the area let you get your guard down. This poor girl was in the middle of a park when it happened. Not trucking through the brush like I know a lot of us do.

I killed one last Saturday in Coleman County - pretty sure it was drunk

wow, having a flash back from the mid 1970s. I worked a summer at Longhorn Cavern back then and it was privately owned (not a SP), there is no telling how many rattle snakes we killed out doing the grounds upkeep around the parking areas and entrance to the cavern. Just a bit west of the cavern entrance (~1-2 miles) is a beautiful scenic overlook off park road 4 that overlooks the Colorado river valley where you can see Buchanan, Inks and Lake LBJ. We used to go to that overlook and drop off the west side to cut down a cedar tree for a Christmas tree, so mid December time frame. One year, I was bailing off the rocky hillside and my brother yelled snake and I looked back to see a small ~16-18" rattle snake actually following me down the trail trying to strike while crawling. We ended up killing several baby snakes within a few feet of where we stood and got the quebee-geebees that the parents couldn't be very far away, and we abandoned our mission of finding the perfect tree for our home, at least down in that area. Evidently, there are still a pretty good number of snakes in that area. Glad the little girl is doing better!

Several years back I was driving to my deer lease near Cotulla and we had one of those artic fronts where the temperature in south Texas got down in the teens and low 20's. It was around 4 a.m. and we had just exited off of I35 south onto a two lane farm to market road.
I kept noticing what looked like cow pies that you would see in a pasture scattered all along the shoulder of the blacktop road of various sizes from very small to huge and everything in between. Some areas there would be a few and other areas there would be several and some scattered here and there.
We slowed down after a mile or so and took a look, and it was rattlesnakes seeking the warmth from the pavement since it was so cold!
If someone could have run a tractor with a scoop on the front they could have put a dent in the snake population.
We still had to pull off the road to open the gate at the ranch, and we just prayed we didn't get a flat.

I literally about crapped my pants the other day turning on the water at my hunting lease. Opened up the water valve lid in the ground, there were 2 rattlesnakes sleeping down there right on top of the handle.

People often seem surprised that snakes can be active in "winter time." Snakes do not know what season it is and they don't keep calendars. All they know is whether or not it is warm enough for them to be active. I have seen live snakes at my place outside of Forestburg, Texas during every month of the year.

If I am out hunting, chances are I will be in either snake boots or snake gaiters. I actually like wearing my snake gaiters in winter. They help keep my lower legs warm. My buddies sometimes give me a hard time, "Ain't no snake going to be out..." and that is okay. They are mostly right and my legs are warm.

I came as close to being bit (REALLY CLOSE) as I ever have stepping out of my deer stand one evening in the dark around Christmas. It was very warm and I should of had my boots on and I didn't. I certainly learned my lesson!

I shot an Axis a couple weeks ago at the lease in Brackettville, and made a poor hit on it. It bled a lot so we followed it for about a mile thru some of the thickest brush and pear flats I have ever been in; you were waist deep and couldn't even see your feet at times. Temps were about 50-60 degrees, and I did not have snake boots. I do know if it had been any warmer, you couldn't have paid me to do that much blind walking around in there!. It eventually got back onto Ft. Clark and escaped, so it was not hurt all that bad..

My Grandmother used to live on Fort Clark. Spent many summers in the 80's there riding around on her golf cart.

My wife is from Cotulla, she told me of snakes doing that, not just rattlers.

I worked at Inks Lake State Park during that time, part of the summer hires. You had to be careful going into the restrooms during the summer, snakes would go in there to get out of the heat. While working on trails at the park, we would find black rattlers that might get 20 in or so in length. My granddad called them velvet tails but pretty rare now days from what I understand.

I hate hunting over a dove field on the second or third day. Rattlers are everywhere getting a discounted meal.

Let's see,
Llano County - killed one on December 20, temps in the 40's but sunny. Next day a friend killed one with temps in the 30's and sunny. He said it was so cold it was just making a tick, tick, tick noise trying to rattle. One (about 4') killed on the last day of the season that year, it had snowed the night before.
McCulloch county - stepped on one in late January while quail hunting. I was shaking so bad I couldn't have hit a floor, wall or ceiling if you'd locked me in a closet.
Missouri - snow on the ground in late January for the last of the archery season. Killed a 3' one laying on the road soaking up the sun.

They come out whenever they can warm up a little. Keep your eyes peeled and your snake boots pulled up!