Though Texas does not have extremely large and deadly predators like you'll find in Alaska or Africa, there are all sorts of dangerous critters that you might run across in the Lone Star State. Most of the time, they will leave you alone if you don't mess with them, but hundreds of people still run afoul of these animals each year, so it really pays to be careful.

These are the five most dangerous animals you're likely to encounter in Texas.

Feral hog

Texas has more feral hogs than any other state, and they cause all sorts of problems, including attacking people and domesticated animals. Though there are only four documented fatal feral hog attacks in the United States (the last one in 1996), hogs typically kill more people worldwide than sharks.

Although hogs don't kill many people, they can still be dangerous. Hogs are capable of inflicting nasty wounds with their sharp tusks. There are dozens of confirmed (and certainly even more unreported) hog attacks in the state each year.

Fortunately, hogs are much more likely to flee from a person than attack. However, the situation really changes when you're dealing with an injured or cornered hog, so hunters are understandably more at risk from hogs than the general population. If you ever have to follow up a wounded hog in thick brush, make sure you exercise extreme caution and shoot straight.

Copperhead snake

Copperheads account for more snakebites than any other venomous snake in the United States. While copperhead venom is the least toxic of the venomous snakes that call Texas home, their bites are still bad news.

Unless they suffer an allergic reaction to the venom, healthy adults are unlikely to die from a copperhead bite. However, bites are painful, and it takes a long time to fully recover from one. Copperhead bites can be deadly for small children and pets.

Since they are so well camouflaged, copperheads are quite difficult to spot, and most bites occur because they were accidentally stepped on. Watch where you step and wear thick boots and long pants.

Copperheads like to hide in wood piles, so make sure you properly stack all firewood that you keep in camp, and be careful when moving old logs or pieces of trash that might have snakes hiding under them. Additionally, keep a clean camp to avoid attracting rodents (which then attract snakes).

Copperheads primarily inhabit East Texas. They are also much less active during the winter when temperatures are cold. Although we've all seen plenty of 70-80 degree days during December in Texas, generally speaking, hunters afield for turkey in the spring and archery deer season in early fall are most at risk for copperhead bites.

Turkey hunters are particularly vulnerable since they often sit directly on the ground. For this reason, investing in a snake bite kit and some snake boots or gaiters is a good idea for most hunters.

Brown recluse spider

One of only two species of venomous spiders in Texas — the black widow being the other — the brown recluse is frequently encountered by hunters, but not necessarily in the ways you'd think.

They like to live in dark, undisturbed areas, so hunting cabins, deer stands and hunting clothes and equipment stored during the offseason are prime brown recluse hangouts. In fact, putting on clothes that haven't been worn in a long time is one of the most common ways people get bitten.

Fortunately, the brown recluse isn't aggressive and primarily bites when disturbed. So, as long as you check your clothes, sleeping bag, cabin and deer stand for spiders before using them, you probably won't get bitten.

That being said, brown recluse bites can be pretty dangerous, and a small number of bites result in severe necrosis around the bite site. So, be careful when you're sorting through that old box of hunting clothes you haven't worn in a long time.

Rattlesnake

Rattlesnake bites aren't nearly as common as copperhead bites, but their venom is much more dangerous. Only one or two people die in Texas each year from rattlesnake bites, but they are serious incidents. Treatment often consists of a long and painful hospital stay with multiple surgeries.

Copperheads only inhabit East Texas, but rattlesnakes are found virtually everywhere in the state. The same rules apply to preventing bad encounters with rattlesnakes though: Keep a clean camp, don't stick your hands into places where snakes might be hiding, watch where you step (or sit) and wear snake boots when walking through country where rattlesnakes are common.

Also, don't count on hearing a rattle as a warning from the snake. Some rattlesnakes never rattle, and some only rattle after they bite.

Alligator

Alligators are nowhere near as aggressive or dangerous as crocodiles, but attacks still occur. Indeed, they were responsible for six deaths and dozens of documented attacks in the United States in 2015 and 2016. Most of the time, they aren't inclined to start trouble with people and, if you leave them alone, they will probably leave you alone.

That being said, some alligator encounters happen accidentally when a hunter stumbles upon an alligator and unintentionally threatens its territory or young.

Additionally, alligator hunting — particularly when done with a bow — can be pretty high adventure. When you're actively searching out a big alligator on its home turf and reeling in a potentially furious, twisting reptile close enough to shoot it in the head, things can go wrong in a hurry. Make sure you count your fingers when you're done.

While there are certainly some dangerous animals that call Texas home, your odds of getting killed or seriously injured by one are pretty low as long as you are careful. If leave the wildlife alone, keep a clean camp, watch where you step, sit and put your hands, use basic safety equipment when necessary, and don't do anything rash, you'll probably be fine.