Four or five years ago in Montana prairie dog shooting I stepped on a rattlesnake. I was wearing snake boots but I rely don't think it struck me. We were headed back to the truck and were walking single file as usual, because my buddy didn't have snake boots. Walking in a little thicker sage than we normally do, I hear him yell. I jumped like a spooked mule deer doe, and before I came back down he had shot it with snake shot. I had not seen the snake and asked how he had seen it when I hadn't? He told me it had raised up by my boot. That scared me all over again. I live in Missouri and have Copperheads in my yard often. I wear snake boots whenever I work in the yard. They will give you lots of comfort and reassurance. My hunting buddy has snake boots now.