Brown Recluses are fucking nuts, I've known two people that have had that happen to them, although it didn't destroy half of their hand, one did take a pretty big chunk out of someone's leg muscle though.
They're very prominent in the whole eastern part of Texas.
Those, rattle snakes, and black widows, you have to know what all 3 look like living here. When I'm out in the bush of Texas (Especially hunting) I've come across all 3 quite a bit.