As society becomes more aware of the risks of exposure to blood-borne pathogens, i.e., HIV, hepatitis, West Nile virus, etc., it's apparent we must be cautious with more than just HUMAN blood. Any blood has the capability of carrying blood-borne pathogens (a virus, microorganism, or other substance that causes disease).

That scampering squirrel and regal 10-point buck may be carrying a pathogen that could land you in the hospital, possibly even the morgue! So...do you give up hunting? Do you resign yourself to watching hunting videos in the safety of your own home? Look, you could still get West Nile from the mosquito that just flew in when you were paying the pizza boy!

Don't give up the adventures, just take a few more precautions!

Limit the amount of blood you get on you. Wear gloves. Disposable gloves are inexpensive and can dramatically reduce, even eliminate, contact with blood. Wash your hands thoroughly.

Keep the meat clean. Make sure your hands are relatively clean before you even start dressing your game. Soap and running water is the best way to wash, but, if that's not available, use sanitizing wipes. They come individually packaged these days and are small and lightweight enough to carry in your tote. Minimize the meats' contact with the animal's hair and intestinal contents. These also are frequently full of pathogens. Lastly, don't contaminate the meat with other germs. There are hazardous pathogens "laying in weight" for a nice warm piece of meat to invade.

Reduce the growth of bacteria by keeping the carcass cool. 35 - 40 degrees should inhibit the growth of many pathogens. In addition, trim away any blood-shot, bruised or damaged portions of the carcass because bacterial growth will be more rapid there.

Sanitize your knives, meat coolers, work counters and any other equipment that had contact with the meat or animal parts with a 1part bleach to 10 parts water solution. Some pathogens can remain dormant on an unsanitized surface for months just waiting for a new host.

Lastly, cook the meat thoroughly. Cooking to 165 degrees kills most bacteria. This means cooking the meat until it is medium-well to well done.

Don't miss the adventure, just take care, for the good health of you and your family!
Until next time...Maggie.

Everything You Ever Wanted To Know About How To Catch, Kill, Clean, Cook And Eat A Western Diamondback Rattlesnake, But Were Afraid To Ask

Other than spiders and flying, little frightens the average person more than a poisonous snake... especially a rattlesnake. To the hunter or outdoors person the chances are sooner are later you will come across such a snake and if you live and hunt in one of the more southern states, your chances increase tremendously. However this is not an article about how to avoid rattlesnakes, but rather how to find them and eat them. At first this may sound odd, but a big rattlesnake makes a nice trophy and the end result is you will have meat that should not be wasted.

The Western Diamondback rattlesnake, Crotalus atrox, (also known as the Arizona or Texas diamondback) is not the only species of rattlesnake to inhabit the southwestern United States. It is however, the most prevalent of the species in terms of range being found from central California to southern Nevada, eastward to central Arkansas and south through all of Texas and at elevations to 6000 feet above mean sea level. A small group of western diamondback rattlesnakes was introduced accidentally in Wisconsin in the 1930's but it is believed they have all died out. The eastern diamondback rattlesnake, Crotalus adamanteus, can be found along the southern seaboard from Louisiana through all of Florida and along the eastern seaboard up through North Carolina. The western diamondback can be distinguished from the eastern diamondback by the absense of a light vertical line in the front of its nostrils. Size is not so much of an issue, but in the upper limits, the eastern diamondback is slightly larger than the western diamondback. The size differential is approximately 84 inches (213 cm) for the western diamondback to 86.6 inches (220 cm) for the eastern diamondback.

The western diamondback rattlesnake's habit is varied, but the most likely areas where they can found are among cactus, mesquite, in and about rocky terrain, limestone outcrops, thick brush and throughout both arid and semi arid regions. In Texas, the western diamondback has been found in dense populations. It has been reported that within Shackelford County, Texas a rancher killed 1200 western diamondback rattlesnakes while clearing approximately 9900 acres (4000 ha) of mesquite, cactus and scrub brush. Concededly, this occured in the 1920's however the author's son, Adam, has been in Live Oak County, Texas and has personally seen a group of western diamondback that must have been 50 in an area of 25,000 square feet (talk about giving you the creep!...yes, he brought five of the biggest home... alive!...in an act of pure humanity he let them all go by Valley International Airport in Harlingen, Texas). In one of, what must have been, the earlier snake roundups, 3500 rattlesnakes were rounded up in Wilson County, Texas between June 1 and Setpember 1, 1926. The author has located the western diamondbck along riverbanks and in semi populated areas. It is reasonable to assume that where there is a steady food source, you can find a rattlesnake.

The food of the western diamondback is largely rodents. While it is unusual, the prey of a rattlesnake need not necessarily be alive for it to serve as a meal. Rattlesnakes hve been known to carrion. In captivity, rattlesnakes have been fed small chickens, ducks and rabbits with sucess. Prey size is largely determined by the size of the snake. The western diamondback rarely grows to more than 84 inches (213 cm) in length. The western diamondback can clims small trees and is an accomplished swimmer. There has been at least one reputable sighting of a western diamondback swimming 19.9 miles (32 km) from land. In captivity, western diamondback live for 25 - 30 years, however, in the wild their lifespan is probably much shorter.

The western diamondback has few natural enemies. Hawks, owls, coyotes, bobcats and other snakes occasionally prey on rattle snakes, but in reality, few animals (if any) make rattlesnake the staple of their diet. Rattlesnakes are not immune to their own venom nad be killed by a bite from another rattlesnake. There is at least one report of a rattlesnake bitting itself and dying.

There are only two types of poisonous snakes in the United States. Those are pit vippers and coral snakes. The western diamondback is a pit viper (viperine) whose venom is different than that of a coral snake (elapine). A coarl snake's venom is a neurotoxin which affects the respiratory system and effectively paralyzes the diaphram. The western diamondback's venom, however, is considered hemotoxic (toxic to the blood) and generally works as anticoagulant. Basically, you bleed to death. A small number of rattlesnakes, not necessarily precluding the western diamondback, have venom that includes both neurotoxins and hemotoxins. Bites of humans by western diamondbacks are not uncommon and are often fatal. The western diamondback is probably responsible for more deaths in the United States than any other venomous snake. If bitten, the individual needs immediate medical treatment including the administration of an antivenom. It is more likely, however, that a hunting dog would be the subject of a rattlesnake bite. At one time it was believed a scent was emitted from the tail end of a western diamondback that would repel attackers such as dogs and/or coyotes, however, recent studies indicate this might not be the case. Curiosity of the snake probably leads to most bites.

The symptoms following a rattlesnake bite on either a human or hunting dog include an intense burning pain followed by swelling, edema, discoloration of the tissue, hemorrhage, necrosis, low blood pressure, and an increased heart rate, nausea and vomiting. If a dog is bitten, the owner should bring the snake to the veterinarian for identification. Make sure the snake is dead. The owner should try not to mutilate the head of the snake so that the veterinarian can make a proper identification of the type or species of the snake.

The events that follow a rattlesnake bite on an animal can be categorized into three periods. Those include 0 - 2 hours after the bite, the first 24 hours after the bite, and a recuperation period of about 10 days after the bite. If not treated, but within two hours, death of the animal has not occurred, then the prognosis of survival is good. Treatment after two hours on animals would include corticosteriods and IV fluids to combat hypotension. After 24 hours, if no death has occurred, hte main concern would be necrosis ( the death of tissue) and infection. Several potentially dangerous bacteria have been cultivated from a rattlesnake's mouth including Pseudomonas a., Clostriduim spp, Conynebacterium spp, and Staphylococci. For the next days, treatment includes, butis not limited to, antibiotics, Tetanus antitoxin and for humansonly, diphenhydramine hydrochloride (a type of antihistamine).   Jason Hunter

Next month Jason gets to the equipment needed and to the hunt. Backwoods Bound reminds everyone that rattlesnakes can be dangerous and caution should be used. Also check with your state conservation departments about the rules governing rattlesnakes. In some states they are protected and killing one could land you in big trouble.

As I reflect back over the past year I'm reminded of how my world has changed. One year ago we were reeling from the devastating attacks on our country. We stayed glued to our televisions hoping and praying for news of survivors. Giving support and prays to those brave individuals engaged in the rescue work. Last September I was looking forward to another hunting season of chasing my favorite game. For me it was squirrels and deer. I was looking forward to my son's first opportunity to deer hunt. Not to be an observer, but to actually have the chance of taking his own deer. He cut it close by taking a doe on the last day of the season. We were all proud of him, but nobody prouder than himself. It was very satisfying to him as he got the full hunting experience by helping to cut up and package his venison for the freezer.

Christmas arrived with the knowledge that my dad had lung cancer. It hit us all pretty hard, but with a lot of prays and a lot of hard work on his part, I'm glad to say that his last tests showed no cancer. Thank God! January also say the arrivial of my new nephew, Alex. We were able to see and play with the little guy when my sister and brother-in-law came for a visit from Scotland where they live. I wished they lived closer.

Spring arrived and so did crappie season. This past April found us back at Reelfoot Lake in Tennessee chasing crappie. As usual, we were too late for the spawn, but I did manage to luck into a couple of nice fish that pushed two pounds. As our philosophy says, "Go with what's biting". So we went after bluegill and did alright. We threw back twice as many as we kept, but what fun. It wasn't to much fun when we almost overturned the boat on one of Reelfoots many unseen tree stumps. There's nothing like hitting a stump at full throttle to get your heart thumping. Of course if the person in front were a better lookout ......

The month of May saw our schedules get busy with the kids winding up school. This concert, that awards ceremony, not to mention confirmation. Why do they cram so much stuff into such a small bit of time? Somehow we got through it without going crazy. It sure cut down on my fishing.

Summer arrived with a short trip to Kentucky Lake with my dad and son. We were too late for the bluegill spawn, but with the help of a local fisherman giving us his catch, we brought home a couple of nice messes of fish. I'd have to say that my favorite holiday, after Christmas, is the 4th of July. I love fireworks and always have a blast (pun intended) blowing things up. This year was no different. I had lots of fireworks left from previous years so I only had to spend $125 instead of my usual $200 - $250. I can't wait until next year so I can start buying again. We also managed to fit in a couple of family camping trips with one being to Table Rock Lake in southern Missouri. What fun! Trying to throw the kids off the tobaggen we pulled behind a pontoon boat was challenging, but I did it. They could stay on with two but not all three. We plan on going camping again next month. What a coincidence, its also bow season. Huh, what do you know.

August came in hotter than blue blazes with a weekend trip to Caryle Lake in central Illinois. We all cooked with temps pushing 100 degrees. Thank God for electricity and air conditioning! After we all baked that weekend it was time for back to school. Yeeeaahh!! My youngest child entered kindergarten with all the enthusiasm only a 5 year old can have. Wait for a couple of years and she'll be just like my other 3, a pain in my neck (just kidding). They are wonderful and I love them all and wouldn't trade them for anything. The boy started high school and stays on the phone with his girlfriends. I've lost count on how many there are.

The first anniversary of the terrorists attacks has come and gone with a lot of rememberance. We still pray for the well being of the victims families and friends, heros in uniform and for peace. Our armed forces, police, fire fighters and rescue people put their lives on the line everyday for us and we should all be appreciative of them.

August also saw me celebrating my 40th birthday. It seems like only yesterday that I graduated high school and struck out on my own. And it doesn't seem that long ago that my sisters and I sat around with my mom joking about what we would be doing at the start of the 21st century and of turning forty. Mom passed away a few years ago from cancer and I miss her a lot. Life is too short, so don't miss the opportunity to say how much you appreciate and love someone. I'm a year older and hopefully a little wiser. The events of the past year will always live in my mind (until I get senile) and I thank God for being good to me. Those are just some of my memories as I sit here and reflect.   James Burns

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