by Chris McKinley

Without discouraging anyone from spending time in the great outdoors, readers should prepare for hazards. Simple precautions can further your enjoyment of natural areas and prevent unfortunate mishaps.

Many Southern Illinois natural areas contain high cliffs and bluffs, oftentimes with no fences or barriers. Take great caution in these dangerous areas, especially with children or pets. Rocks and leaves can be slippery when wet and leaves can camouflage forest floors, making footing difficult.

Wear proper attire when heading into natural areas. Solid, comfortable footwear is essential, as is dressing for the temperature. Weather conditions can change quickly, so be prepared for anything. Heavy rainfall may cause flash flooding in canyon areas and excess heat in the summer can cause heat exhaustion and heat stroke.

Having a good supply of drinking water and food is of the utmost importance. Do not drink water from lakes, rivers, ponds, or streams, regardless of how clean the water looks. And although the woods provide a plethora of wild edibles, and many guidebooks and identification books are available, never eat anything in the wild unless you are absolutely certain you can identify it. Many species of edible plants look similar to others that can make people extremely sick.

When hiking, carry a compass and map. Many woods contain deer paths and side trails, sometimes leading hikers away from the main trails. Hikers can also be distracted by the scenery and become lost. Topography maps for all of Southern Illinois are easily accessible at ranger stations.

If you are visiting unfamiliar territory, let someone know where you are going and when you plan to return-- that way, if you get lost, at least someone can tell authorities where to find you. It’s not a bad idea to bring a cell phone, though there may be pockets where they may not work.

Poison ivy. Note: it has three leaves and red-ish stems.

Poison ivy is found in abundance in Southern Illinois. The plant is somewhat nondescript, but the old saying holds true: "leaves of three, let it be."

Urushiol, the oil of poison ivy, is a sticky substance that stays active a long time. It can be easily transferred to your skin, for instance, by touching your clothing, or from a pet, or even from burning poison ivy leaves.

Poison ivy and oak rash may begin as an area of blister formation accompanied by stinging or itching. The blisters often appear in thin lines where the person has brushed against the plant. The blisters then break, and the skin drains a clear yellow fluid (and "weeps") for a period of time, depending on how sensitized an individual is. Healing takes place generally within one to three weeks.

To care for poison ivy, oak, or sumac at home, wash the area thoroughly with lots warm water. If the skin is washed immediately after exposure to the poisonous plant, a rash may not develop. To relieve itching, apply cotton cloths soaked in cool water or colloidal ointment to the area, or sponge the skin with alcohol. Apply calamine lotion or a paste of baking soda and water over the rash, and take an antihistamine such as Benadryl or Chlor-Trimeton. Severe symptoms, especially swelling of the throat or eyes, require medical attention.

Several salves promise to prevent poison ivy and oak in the first place. The best prevention, however, is to stay on clear paths.

Also found in abundance in southern Illinois are ticks, chiggers, and mosquitoes. Ticks are bloodsucking external parasites that feed on humans, wild and domestic mammals, birds, and reptiles. They are totally dependent on the blood/tissue fluids of the host. The longer an infective tick feeds, the greater the chance of infection or diseases such as Lyme Disease. Do tick checks immediately after leaving the woods. Remove them with tweezers, pulling from as close to the skin as possible, then burn them. If you experience undue irritation in areas from which you’ve removed ticks, see a physician.

Chiggers, or harvest mites, are red eight-legged arachnids. They are grouped with spiders, ticks, and scorpions. They measure only one-sixteenth of an inch in length. Chiggers feed on low vegetation, but they need people as protein sources. Chiggers do not burrow into the skin; instead they attach themselves to the opening of a hair shaft and inject saliva into the skin. When on a person, chiggers go to areas where the skin is thin and moist: the ankles, wrists, thighs, groin, or waist. The mite stays in this area until feeding is complete. This can take from one to four days. After feeding, larvae drop back to the ground to complete their development. In some people, bites can trigger allergic rashes.

Southern Illinois is home to three species of venomous snakes. Although rarely seen by humans, outdoors enthusiasts should be able to identify these poisonous species and know what to do in case of bites.

The three venomous varieties native to Southern Illinois are the timber rattlesnake (Crotalus horridus), the copperhead (Agkistrodon contortrix), and the eastern cottonmouth (Agkistrodon piscivorus piscivorus), also known as the water moccasin.

The timber rattlesnake is a terrestrial species that spends its time in dry, rocky uplands, hiding under boulders or basking in open, sunny sections of forest. Its body is yellow with black V-shaped markings. It may or may not project a rattling warning.

The copperhead is also a land creature that inhabits similar terrain, but it is more difficult to spot. Its bronze body and copper-colored head easily camouflages it on the earthy tones of the forest floor.

The most fatal of the indigenous poisonous snakes is the cottonmouth, an aquatic species. The cottonmouth has a black body, which in itself is fairly indistinguishable from other harmless water snakes. The unique characteristic of the water moccasin is the cotton-like white inside its mouth, which it opens and displays when threatened.

The existence of these shy, reclusive critters should not discourage anyone from experiencing the outdoors. It is critical, however, to take precautions and know what to do in case of trouble. Wear thick, sturdy footwear and long pants when stomping along trails. Watch your step, and know where the nearest hospital is.

The appropriate response when encountering a snake of any kind is to simply walk away. Do not attempt to capture or kill it-- seventy to eighty percent of bites occur when snakes are simply defending themselves from human attacks.

According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, about eight-thousand people a year receive venomous bites in the United States, and only nine to fifteen victims die. In fact, more people die from wasp and bee stings than from snake bites.

A few simple tips if you are bitten:

• wash the bite with soap and water;
• immobilize the bitten area and keep it lower than the heart;
• get medical help as soon as possible.

If a victim is unable to reach medical care within thirty minutes, a bandage, wrapped two to four inches above the bite, may help slow the spread of venom. The bandage should not cut off blood flow from a vein or artery. A good rule of thumb is to make the band loose enough that a finger can slip under it.

A suction device may be placed over the bite to help draw venom out of the wound without making cuts. Suction instruments often are included in commercial snakebite kits.

Snakes can fascinate and repel. Some pose a danger. Others are harmless. Whether they are seen as slimy creatures or colorful curiosities, snakes play important environmental roles in the fragile ecosystems of the nation's wildlife areas. Snakes are the top predator in the eastern forest ecosystem, preventing overpopulation of rodents and insects. Some snake venom has been shown to hold promise for a variety of medical uses as well.

The highest law when encountering any plants or animals in the wilderness is that you’re on their territory, not vice-versa. Respect their homes the way you would expect any guests to respect yours, and you can go a long way to minimizing any problems you may encounter in the outdoors.