I'm with you on the snakes and spiders,I'll let most snakes alone, but hardly any spiders. Was bit once on the hand digging for leeches on a shore line, that spider was huge, my hand sweeled up to size of a catchers mitt.Hornets,hate em, red wasps, tolerate then they eat spiders. Yellow jackets, alergic, shoild carry and epi pen, but would probably forget it, like my nitro, which I have no idea of where its at. Lived in Utah for alittle while, was warned about side winders. Took basic in colorado, full of side winders.But in the last few trips to dale didn't even see any water snakes, did see one huge beaver.About side arms, I now carry one most times I am walking my dog, its leashed, but there are a few around here that are not, I'll say now I'll shoot to warn, but if try to attack my companions life saving pet, its another story.