Into The Woods?

[DAS7NY]

I live on Long Island in Suffolk County. I got a pretty good lead on a revolutionary war site. Problem is its deep in a set of woods. Around this time of year should I be worried of snakes. What about ticks?

 

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[rmptr]

This just might be the BEST time of year!

Too cold for snakes.
Weeds and undergrowth haven't started growing bigtime, yet.

Good luck!
rmptr

 

[DAS7NY]

Well we just got pounded w/ 10 inches of snow on monday. I hope it melts for sunday! I've been researching and this seems like a valid lead!

 

[TxTim]

Long Island snakes?
I wouldn't wory about them.
We hunt the thick stuff here by Houston and have copperheads, coral snakes, and the occasional rattler & water moccasin.
Brown recluse and black widow spiders are rampant.
Mosquitos seem to be the worst pest.
You should be able to see any snake well before it becomes a threat if you're watching your search coil.
Catch them, throw them in the freezer to slow them down and skin them to make a nice hatband!

 

[007]

Woods in da Island I wouldnt worry about the snakes .... but the green toxic ooze that leaks out of the ground

 

[LI Tom]

There are no poisonous snakes on LI,the last timber rattler was seen,was over 100 years ago.There are a LOT of ticks here and LI is a hotspot for Lyme disease.They are far less an issue in the winter,but even then ,they can be active on a warm day.

 

[wormhole]

The only venomous snake on Long Island is the Eastern Bullnose. The venom has not been known to harm humans. The best time to hunt the woods of Long Island is in December-January. Yeah I know it is a bit cold but for most parts the ground is still soft and we haven't had the kind of snow that we used to have. Spring starts in March and long before you see actual plant life on the surface, poison ivy is lurking underground waiting.

Ticks and Chiggers start to become active in late January. If you are preparing for a dig in March, make sure that you are ready. Wear long pants (obvious) and heavy socks. If you are comfortable doing this, wrap duct tape around your pant leg. Wear work boots. If you have an older pair of boots and a shitty pair of jeans, spray pine-tar or pennyroyal on the boots and around the bottom of the pants leg. Both of these are excellent bug repellents but the pennyroyal is less sticky. Always bring a decent pair of gloves. I know that wearing gloves isn't always the most comfortable thing while detecting but believe me, you'd be surprised just how many things are lurking underground. I, myself am suffering with severe contact dermatitis right now for lack of wearing both gloves while digging. It ain't fun .

If you can find them in the stores, pick up a package of Cortaid poison ivy therapy wipes. You should always keep these with you. If you suspect that you have touched poison ivy, oak or sumac..you can use these in the field without water to wash away the poisonous oil before the rash begins.

If you come across a wood pile, remember that black widow spiders are prone to nest in them as well as rocks and under logs. Yes! We do have many black widow spiders on Long Island as well as the Brown Recluse. So be careful .

If you would like some help with the hunt or have any questions, drop me a pm. I live on the island too!

 

[rydiggaahh]

dont worry about the snakes. ticks are a hassle. ive already had a couple on me from searching in the woods. its the chiggers that are the worst. but dont let it stop you if you have a good lead. good luck.

 

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[Silverhawk]

I checked out a Rev. War site on LI today. Saw a nice big sign saying "STATE LAND. NO TRESPASSING. AREA PATROLLED BY STATE AND LOCAL POLICE. you get the picture. The second I saw that sign, I turned around and went right back to my car. Found a pocket knife and old blue medicine bottle on the way back to the car! Hopefully your site is not the one I hit today. If you need a partner this weekend...i'm there.