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I'v been told that walking with a heavy foot-fall will deter snakes. Is this really true?

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    Deter snakes from what? From existing in their natural habitat? You shouldn't be going out of your way to terrorize the wildlife. This is similar to throwing rocks at squirrels -- yeah, it will scare them, and it's not something you should do.
    – user2169
    Sep 29, 2015 at 21:20
  • Rephrase: OP has been told that walking with a heavy foot-fall could warn snakes of a potential threat approaching them in them for them to avoid running into it altogether. Presumably the story involved this working better than talking or wearing bells because the snakes are warned by the vibrations more so than the sound, so tapping the ground with a walking stick might have a similar effect.
    – Monster
    Oct 28, 2018 at 21:21

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As with any wild animals, different species and different individuals are going to respond differently in different situations.

Some snakes are extra-ordinarily docile, and no amount of heavy-stomping will disturb them, unless you stomp on them.

So, to answer the original question, walking with heavy footfall is neither foolproof, nor sustainable for long hikes: resulting in very sore feet at best, and stress-fractures at worst.

Best is to keep an eye on your surroundings, and be careful not to place your foot somewhere you can't see what might be lurking around it - ie, stepping over a log, walking beside an overhanging rock, in deep grass, etc.

Stepping on a snake is an obvious no-no, but even passing within striking distance can result in an attempt depending on the disposition of the particular animal.

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I hike in Arizona, which is super snakey!!! An easy deterrent is to hike with wooden sticks (I make mine from yucca or agave stems) and tap in front of you as you walk. 99.9% of snakes will get out of the way or let you know they are there (rattlesnakes) long before you reach them due to their incredible ability to sense vibration. I have been doing this for 10+ plus years and that along with some common sense like tapping logs and large rocks prior to stepping over them etc. has served me well! Snakes are beautiful critters!

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    Welcome Voyageur!! Thanks for this great answer! You're expertise is really helpful. (I think snakes are beautiful too!). Have you taken our tour? It gives an overview of our site, and our help center adds the details. If there's anything that doesn't make sense or you have a question about, just leave us a comment and someone will come right along! I took your emoji out, just because we don't use them in our system. I hope you'll hang around with us and have fun!
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    Oct 27, 2018 at 21:40

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