scorpions

[CAG]

Fact is with all of this bees kill more people in AZ than other critters and the OP was asking about AZ not the Sierras or other states.

There were 39 snake bites reported in 2020 and no deaths. There are 7 million people in the state. There are a lot of things that will kill you in this state including bees but snakes probably won’t be it. As I said all to do about nothing and dumb visitors from out of state climbing urban mountains in 110 degree heat die more than those who die from snake bite.

The OP was asking about AZ, not other states.

[kirkelli]

Originally Posted by CAG

Fact is with all of this bees kill more people in AZ than other critters and the OP was asking about AZ not the Sierras or other states.

There were 39 snake bites reported in 2020 and no deaths. There are 7 million people in the state. There are a lot of things that will kill you in this state including bees but snakes probably won’t be it. As I said all to do about nothing and dumb visitors from out of state climbing urban mountains in 110 degree heat die more than those who die from snake bite.

The OP was asking about AZ, not other states.

Camping off Grid is close enough for me to relate to his question there fella.. Now the SW could bet anywhere depending where you are standing... . Calm Down.. have a cup of coffee and enjoy the rest of your day.

[Route 66 Traveler]

A video lesson for the day:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xoJpCcDuBMg

[kirkelli]

Originally Posted by Route 66 Traveler

A video lesson for the day:

Good Info... Thanks

[CAG]

Originally Posted by kirkelli

Camping off Grid is close enough for me to relate to his question there fella.. Now the SW could bet anywhere depending where you are standing... . Calm Down.. have a cup of coffee and enjoy the rest of your day.

Actually, I am very calm. Just pointing out that the Sierras et al is not AZ and his question was AZ and the SW US cannot not be "anywhere". It is pretty well defined.



Again, too many think of Arizona as the wild west. We are not nor are our critters any worse, or better than anywhere else. More rattlesnake bites happen in the SE US than in the SW. So again, it is all to do about nothing because it really is not an issue here any more than anywhere else. As I mentioned before we have more "visitors" think that they can hike mountains in the middle of summer and then have to be airlifted off. More die from that and falls on those trails than die from critter bites.



So calm down and have another cup of coffee because you seem to be up tight about me and I am not up tight at all.

[kirkelli]

Originally Posted by CAG

Actually, I am very calm. Just pointing out that the Sierras et al is not AZ and his question was AZ and the SW US cannot not be "anywhere". It is pretty well defined.



Again, too many think of Arizona as the wild west. We are not nor are our critters any worse, or better than anywhere else. More rattlesnake bites happen in the SE US than in the SW. So again, it is all to do about nothing because it really is not an issue here any more than anywhere else. As I mentioned before we have more "visitors" think that they can hike mountains in the middle of summer and then have to be airlifted off. More die from that and falls on those trails than die from critter bites.



So calm down and have another cup of coffee because you seem to be up tight about me and I am not up tight at all.

Arizona defiantly tops in rattle snake population. I've seen more rattle snakes camping near Havasu in three days then i've seen in one year here ih the Mojave Desert. Rattlesnakes can be found in every state so i think the more informed people are the better chance they have avoiding any mishaps.. A lot for people can't disguise the different between a Mojave Green and a Diamond Back and tend to mess with the Mojave Green not knowing the extreme danger they are messing with.. Route 66 posted some good video which is good for everyone. I love this site to share experiences and appreciate the OP for brining up important topic we all can learn from.. We all good.. i'm on my third cup and feeling good,. Enjoy your day CAG

[CAG]

Usually snake bites are proceeded by the statement "hold my beer".

A lot for people can't disguise the different between a Mojave Green and a Diamond Back

You meant "distinguish" right?

[Midnightmoon]

Originally Posted by kirkelli

The first month i moved to Sacramento back in Sept 1990, i remember reading a story in the Sac Bee about a female water skier in Folsom Lake. She was water-skiing and fell while avoiding a floating tree log. She was within a few feet from the log and swam over to hang to it while the tow boat circled around to pick her up. She was bitten five times by a small den of rattle snakes on her face neck and upper shoulders. Her father who jumped in to rescue her was also bitten. The girl died a few hours after the bites, her father survived. I'm an avid water skier and have since told everyone we ski with to stay away from any floating depress in the water.

I googled "Sacramento Bee Rattlesnake Bite" and came back with quite a few results of stories over the last few years. I have family in the El Dorado Hills area and visited there many times. I never even gave it a thought about the snakes in the area.

[Route 66 Traveler]

Originally Posted by Toad

We will be staying a couple week's. Tombstone,

Kartchner Caverns are close to Tombstone and should be on your "Must See" list. Nice campground there and the tour into the caverns is awesome.

https://azstateparks.com/kartchner/

Some photos from Tombstone. Be sure to take the trolley tour.

[kirkelli]

Originally Posted by CAG

Usually snake bites are proceeded by the statement "hold my beer".






You meant "distinguish" right?

I did... I've seen both and find it pretty easy to identify the Greens, The Mojave Green is a lot lighter in color. I don't know if Arizona has Mojave Reds, those are a lot harder to 'distinguish' between a Diamond Back. We have the Reds in certain parts of the Mojave Desert, mostly in Panamint Valley. We have quite q few Sidewinders in the area i live. In fact, they Military base nearby, that invented the famous heat seeking Missile named it after the Sidewinder snake... Like Arizona, We even have the Gila Monster Lizards here..

[CAG]

Yes, Kartchner Caverns is a do not miss. There are two caves and certain times of the year you can do both tours but other times one or the other may be closed for protection of the bats. We take our visitors there often.



Tombstone is interesting but a tourist trap. The old courthouse (Tombstone Courthouse State Park) is more interesting because of the history kept inside. There are many, many old ghost towns around that area. A search will bring them up. Plan a day and make the circuit. Some are on private property and not open to public but many still have a few old buildings standing.



If you hike, take some time and hike the San Pedro Preserve. One of the last free flowing rivers in the west. A Nature Conservancy project but in danger due to our severe water issues.



The Monastery in St. David is also worth a stop. As is Bisbee, the town and it copper mine there.



The area around Sonoita and Elgin is wine grape growing country and there are a number of wineries that can be visited. This is also true of the Willcox area. Home of Rex Allen. There is a small museum there dedicated to him. Some award winning wines have come from SE Arizona.



If you are there that long make a day trip to Douglas and visit the Gadsden Hotel. You can look it up rather than me posting photos but this ornate site was opened in 1907 and Poncho Villa rode his horse up the staircase. It is said that his ghost haunts the hotel along with a number of other ghosts.


If you make it to Douglas save time to drive 15 miles east to John Slaughter's Ranch. It too is preserved and worth the trip. Slaughter was a Texas Ranger that moved to Arizona, was Sheriff of Cochise county at one time and an Arizona legislator. He ranched 72,000 acres part of which was in Mexico and part in Arizona. The ranch sits a few hundred yards from the border. Because of the springs and wetlands on and around the ranch it is a stop for bird watchers.



There is more but two weeks is not long enough to see it all. We spend a good part of the year there for various reasons.

[Johnynorthland]

We spent 44 days on the road, traveling in the SW. Spent plenty of time in the desert too, never ran into either! Not to say their not out their in plenty of numbers, just my experience. I was more afraid of mice getting in then anything else!

[Toad]

Goid intel, thanks.

Originally Posted by AZMarine

Toad,
Lived & camped in the desert for a long time (since stationed in the Mohave desert in '83). We also camp with our dogs in the desert all the time. I can tell you LOTs of things to look out for. But to keep to your original question, here are a few basics:
Like anywhere else, the insects / animals will go to the food source. Scorpions eat the bugs; snakes eat the small rodents; spiders, the other small bugs. Keep your area clean (don't leave food / food scraps out or on the ground around your camp) to attract them. Keeping the area clean & neat will keep most of your pest away for the time of camping. The snakes generally do not like being around people & will generally stay away from you, unless the main food source is there (like rodents eating your food dropping's).
Keep the dogs on a leash, take notice if they alert on something. Our dogs will alert, but stay about a foot away, if a scorpion gets into the house. Speaking of that, I have not seen a scorpion climb up into a camper, I guess maybe up a loading ramp if down for a LONG time. They like dark areas & generally come out at night. Keep a black light style flashlight near when outside at night & you can spot them if they are around. They will light up under the black light. When picking up items that have been sitting outside, always either wear gloves, or check items all around before picking up, especially the bottom sides. Check & ensure completely clean before bringing into the camper.
We also found when camping in the desert & hiking with the dogs, it was best to put the dog "booties" on their paws. This is due to the sharp rocks & thorns you might come across. We put them on before heading out with them & take them off before they go back into the camper.

Tombstone area is a nice place to visit. Make sure you check out Bisbee & Lowell while there (eat breakfast at the Bisbee breakfast club, then walk the street at Lowell to walk off the breakfast). Note that wait times at the breakfast club can be long depending on day & time. You could also do the mine tour while it is still running. I heard they might be ending them due to the built up exposure levels the guides are getting. Try the Killer be honey in Bisbee while walking the streets there.

Have fun & enjoy your trip! Yes, that time of the year will be warm during the day (not summer heat yet) but that area (being open & higher elevation) will cool down at night & camp fires are nice then.

[crmillsjr]

I grew up in the dessert of Southern NM. There is not a whole lot to do to avoid the pests. Don't reach into dark areas such as wood piles. Black Widows love to set up house in dark areas.

Take along a black light. Scorpions will glow under the black light in the dark. Kinda fun to see.

[tljwYaki]

Well, do NOT leave your shoes outside!! Scorpions are known for hiding in dark places...

[Thomson]

I have lived near Prescott since 2000. I have had encounters with one rattlesnake, one sidewinder, numerous black widow spiders that invaded my garage, and a few scorpions. Nothing though in the last ten years. It seems every time a house as built I had to deal with the scorpions, but not many. So I wouldn't lose sleep over the nasty critters.

[Hollander Mutthaulers]

Back in the late '70s saw a massasauga rattler north of Ludington, Michigan. Fat, ugly and rare compared to the rattlers in Montana where I grew up. It surprised me when it crossed a trail in front of me. I thought it looked like a rattler head so I grabbed a stick and poked around in the tall grass and sure enough. At the time I didn't even know Michigan had rattlers. I guess there's brown recluse spiders too, but I'll take the mosquitoes for now. : )

In our extensive travels through Utah's Canyon Country we watched for midget faded rattlers but never saw one. Found a strange large pseudo-scorpion under our tent ground cloth once and saw lots of Black Widow webs and a few owners. Learned to watch where you step, where you put your fingers, and what the outhouse seat looks like before sitting down. Black Widows seem nocturnal, have only seen them in the glint of a flashlight before they scurry into their messy lairs.

[RoyB]

Having spent 40 years in the military, I have "camped" a lot. We would usually spread a bag of lime around the area where putting up tents as well as around latrine and mess areas. Critters, bugs and spiders don't like it, keep them away and snakes won't come around. Usually cheap.

[Bugman]

Have a friend that lives in Phoenix. He always said, "Everything in the desert either sticks you, stings you, or kills you."

[joe w]

Packing a .22 pistol loaded with birdshot is a good idea if spending time out and about in the desert.