PODCAST: Bitten By a Rattlesnake

What if you were bitten by a venomous snake far from help? For Scott Vuncannon, an encounter with a rattler in the North Carolina backcountry was the beginning of a struggle for survival.

Author:: BACKPACKER Editors & Contributors
Updated:: Jul 21, 2019
Original:: May 28, 2019

Diamondback — An eastern diamondback
Tad Arensmeier

Scott Vuncannon had set out on a day hike to Ellicott Rock near Highlands, North Carolina, when a rattlesnake sunk its fangs into his calf. With no cell service and his body beginning to fail, his chances looked slim.

Hear the story of Scott's fight survival in the latest episode of Out Alive. Listen below, or subscribe on iTunes or Spotify.

Survival Stories

Your chances of being attacked by a bear are around one in two million. Todd Orr was mauled by one twice in a single day. Listen to his story in the latest episode of our podcast.

Survival Stories

A fatal accident is the beginning of a six-day-long wilderness ordeal in the second episode of BACKPACKER's Out Alive podcast.

Survival Stories

When a boulder snaps his leg on a California mountain, Gregg Hein finds himself in a fight for his life.

Out Alive Podcast

Falling rock leaves a hiker injured and trapped miles from help in the latest episode of Out Alive.

Out Alive Podcast

Listen to Malcolm Daly's harrowing story of surviving in Alaska.

Out Alive Podcast

Four climbers struggle to survive as they face life-threatening conditions in the alpine.

Out Alive Podcast

Of all the risks of hiking a long trail, running into a dangerous person is one of the least likely. But as our next story shows, you never know exactly what–or who–is coming down the trail.