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Herping hooks of the forum

PostPosted: Fri Apr 21, 2017 1:58 pm
by Pablo Deschepper
Since I was stupid enough to break my herping hook a while back in Costa Rica (not due to lifting a heavy snake.. but slamming it against a tougher than expected branch) I was wondering what people on the forum use as a herping hook. I don't consider every snake hook a herping hook since many hooks are meant to just lift a snake and not turning rocks, supporting yourself when climbing a hill etc. Mine was made by a friend, using a golf club for the long end and a hook from another broken herping hook at the other end. So, do you make your own hooks and if so how? Or do you buy your hooks and if so, where?


Cheers,
Pablo

Re: Herping hooks of the forum

PostPosted: Fri Apr 21, 2017 2:54 pm
by Mario Schweiger
depends for what you really will use it. For me, to fix also heavy snakes, turn rocks etc., the best is the garden tool "Sauzahn" (dont know the english name).
Also useful for overseas herping - a wooden stick of proper length you may buy everywhere, so you only have the "Sauzahn" in your luggage.
Image

Re: Herping hooks of the forum

PostPosted: Fri Apr 21, 2017 5:34 pm
by Michal Szkudlarek
I know a fieldherper who had problems in airports with a herping hook. A herping hook also was a centre of attention and concern in public places, in India.

Re: Herping hooks of the forum

PostPosted: Mon Apr 24, 2017 10:13 pm
by Guillaume Gomard
Few years ago I made my own hooks for free by just cutting old golf clubs and by combing them with metal pieces that I bent beforehand. Below are pictures of the resulting hooks:

hooks.jpg

closeup.jpg

I used them for lifting up cobras and rattlesnakes and they worked perfectly fine. However, when it comes to herping trips, I would never bring them with me because:

1) They are quite long and it is not convenient to fit them in a luggage (assuming that a flight is involved)
2) In Europe, I don't really see the necessity of working with a hook (an exception could be for Macrovipera sp.), even more if one focuses on "in situ" pics.
3) If needed, a simple wood stick is working pretty well for many species.
4) As mentioned by Michal, hiking with a hook can be suspicious for rangers and co. For instance, I was already told that you can be fined in the Everglades NP by just carrying a hook (or snake gloves, tweezers, ...). Maybe people in this forum will share equally bad experiences in other countries (Israel?).

For all these reasons, I leave my hooks at home ;)