Rattlers awakened EARLY!!

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Hoser John

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Mar 22, 2003
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Redding,Calif.
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Amazing fat smelly ol'boy was suning himself when dispatched yesterday afternoon. Absolutely amazing as over 60+ years in the boonies and NEVER seen before april fools day wow. Poison oak awake too with lizards hungry and scurrying around also. 75 here in Shasta county yesterday and even warmer today. Err on the side a caution detecting as was NOT being very cautious as in winter mode of alls well--well now I'll put on the open headphones to hear them buzztails---John
 

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Growing up in S. California I learned to respect buzztails at an early age as I was always running around up in the hills. When I moved to Georgia (from where I've since escaped) I had to relearn my snake lore. I had to keep in mind that not all of the poisonous ones have rattles! I had heard that the Cotton mouths could be very aggressive and while out fishing I learned just how true that is. I'll stick to rattlers thank you.
 

i seen a cottonmouth almost as long as 4ft is that common i always thought they were smaller
 

That's about an average size in the area I was in Pirate. I've heard of them up to about 6 ft but never saw one myself. Still... I'm happy to be back out west where the poisonous snakes come equipped with a warning system. Sure... it may not always work but at least you have a better chance.
 

I was swimming/sniping at "Mother's Beach" on the MF of the Yuba one day.
I followed this snake in the water that didn't look like any water snake. I bent over to pick it up, and it turned its head towards me.......it was a rattler!!! Yowee!

Rattlers come out at 60 degrees and above. At that temperature they are sluggish and look for some sun to warm themselves with. They get more aggressive the warmer it gets, and if it is a scorcher, they will actually get in the water to cool off. So you and family are not safe in a swimming hole, just keep your eyes out!

I was stepping over boulders one day along the Yuba. And with one giant step between boulders, I looked down and there was a huge ringtail buzzer, all coiled, and had just lunged and missed my ankle by a hair!

A guy pulled up to the cafe in Foresthill one day. He showed us a giant Timber rattler SEVEN FEET LONG in the bed of his pickup! He was cutting wood at 8000 ft. Seems they grow bigger at a higher altitude.

Question: Would you wipe out a whole den of buzzers, if they were where you want to work? And what would be the best way to do that?

I'm not inclined to do such a thing, but i know others are.
 

Back when I was about 13 (40+ years ago..lol) my dad, brother, and a good friend of mine I
were camping/fishing the Colorado River about 8mi. south of the CottonWood Cove landing. The
bass fishing was "so-so", and my Dad/brother had gone off to fish out of the boat while Ken and
I were left to hike and bank fish the coves in the immediate area of camp.

Ken and had I found this "nest" of baby snakes...all of them about 6"-8" long, and after messing
with them a bit we determined they would be excellent bass bait..so, we picked-up a couple
handfuls of them (yep, bare handed) and then proceeded to use them as live bass bait. They were
so "lively" that it was hard to get them on the hook, but we were able to set the hook right
behind their heads so they could still swim good. Caught so many bass with 'em that my Dad and
brother were downright embarrassed.
embarrassed.gif


All went fine till Dad asked what lure it was, or what were using for bait..so we showed him
the nest. Turned out to be a nest of baby rattlers, and although we had limits of
big, fat bass, we were apparently damn fortunate to still be breathing!
DOHH2.jpg
 

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Hoser John said:
Amazing fat smelly ol'boy was suning himself when dispatched yesterday afternoon. Absolutely amazing as over 60+ years in the boonies and NEVER seen before april fools day wow. Poison oak awake too with lizards hungry and scurrying around also. 75 here in Shasta county yesterday and even warmer today. Err on the side a caution detecting as was NOT being very cautious as in winter mode of alls well--well now I'll put on the open headphones to hear them buzztails---John
Click to expand...

A den near my city is active too, got some pics of them last week. The latest I have seen them here was last year November 26th. earliest is March 17th
 

NJnuggetpirate said:
so i heard snake venom is safe to drink ive did it 2 times so far just a warning it burns ahaha im curious though does javalina taste as good as regular pork
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There is a difference between Venom and Poison, Venom CAN be ingested as long as there are no ulcers open cuts yada yada, it effect is in the blood stream.
 

And if you dont know what you are doing and encounter a rattler, first off dont kill it, thats lame. Just go the other way. or go around, he doesnt want ANYTHING to do with you.

This is what happens when you get bit.
Justin's Rattlesnake Pics
 

No doubt this Bizarre weather is gonna aggravate the wildlife, (especially predators). April snow followed by drought. Be aware that bears, cougars and everything else out there that might kill you, are going to be under a great deal of stress. We live in climate controlled houses and drive to the wilderness in air conditioned vehicles. It's easy for us to forget how strongly weather extremes effect animal behavior. Expect predators to behave in dangerous and unpredictable ways. Everybody is wise to take extra precautions, especially this year.
 

Well I'm off to go get more materials from our wash today. It's been warm enough lately but we've yet to see the first rattler of the year. Just hope today is NOT the day!
 

DizzyDigger said:
Back when I was about 13 (40+ years ago..lol) my dad, brother, and a good friend of mine I
were camping/fishing the Colorado River about 8mi. south of the CottonWood Cove landing. The
bass fishing was "so-so", and my Dad/brother had gone off to fish out of the boat while Ken and
I were left to hike and bank fish the coves in the immediate area of camp.

Ken and had I found this "nest" of baby snakes...all of them about 6"-8" long, and after messing
with them a bit we determined they would be excellent bass bait..so, we picked-up a couple
handfuls of them (yep, bare handed) and then proceeded to use them as live bass bait. They were
so "lively" that it was hard to get them on the hook, but we were able to set the hook right
behind their heads so they could still swim good. Caught so many bass with 'em that my Dad and
brother were downright embarrassed.

All went fine till Dad asked what lure it was, or what were using for bait..so we showed him
the nest. Turned out to be a nest of baby rattlers, and although we had limits of
big, fat bass, we were apparently damn fortunate to still be breathing!
Click to expand...

Yikes!! I love a good bass fishing trip but not THAT well, lol.

Happy Hunting!
 

I have this story somewhere, but I can't find it right now. It was a story about a time in Montana when my sons and I went trout fishing on the Missouri river.

That river is one fantastic fishing stream for trout!

We were fishing, taking a break from metal detecting. It was a bright sunny day, and all appeared to be going well.

My oldest son took the metal detector and headed up a gulch behind where my younger son and I were, and I decided I'd drop down to the river to fish.

There was a huge boulder on the way down. So, I stepped around it as I went downslope, but I was still high enough that I could see what was on the other side.

Just as I'd put all of my weight on the boot going down, I saw this huge rattler see me.

Well, I was already heading down, all of my weight heading toward the river, so I couldn't stop myself, and it's a good thing.

That big old rattler struck, and smack! He hit the side of the boulder, trying to strike me, but by then I'd disappeared.

I found myself at the lower end of the boulder and all of a sudden, here came the snake rolling down the hill, coil after coil looping over and over, with the snake tumbling down toward the water.

That stinkin' snake was huge--the flat part of the top of his head looked to be bigger than the back of my hand. I estimated that he was well over six feet, and he was thick in the body. But, luckily for me, he'd smacked himself hard on the rock when he struck and was completely dazed.

Well, I clawed dirt, shredded some skin and stopped as quickly as I could, not waiting for the snake to recover you see, and I quickly scrambled back up the bank.

When I hit the road, my son asked, "Dad, what was that smack I heard, and why aren't you fishing?"

Why not, indeed.

All the best,

Lanny

P.S. John--this is a great snake thread.
 

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Ewww snakes I hate em. in the 70s my brother and I used to dave hunt in the coastal mountains near Clearlake. it was usually 100 plus degrees and we would be wearing shorts and barefoot we would go sit in the shade of the oak trees on the side of a resevoir for watering cattle and shoot doves at dark. My brother goes out barefoot and sits down next to a ground squirell hole sort like a depress round hole about 3 foot wide and 8 to 10 inches deep. Well he looking for doves then looks back towards me I hear a shotgun blast and a scream and see him run for the truck and put his shoes on. I go ask whats the problem he said go look over were I was sitting. A 7 foot rattler with 8 rings on his tail was coiled up striking without its head. My brother had looked toward me and said the snake was at eye level raised up with him sitting about 29 inches from him its 29 inches becouse he said it was almost touching his 28 inch over and under shotgun when he blew its head off. Needless to say we always wore boots after that.

He had one other snake encounter his best friends dad was scout leader and used to take my brother backpacking all the time when he was 12 to 15 One time they caught a rattlesnake in a fish net and decided to drown it as they were camping for a week this one was about 2 to 3 foot long so the put the snake entangled in net in the cold Rubicon River and forgot about it for a few days after 5 days they remember and want to skin the snake for a hatband or such so they get it out of the River its all cold and dead looking they throw it on the sand by the tent and look for a knife when they find the knife and are ready to skin it they go to pick it up and it coils and rattles at them. Mr big rock caved in that ones head.

I used to Live in The outskirts of Placerville and when I first moved there there were about 4 Turkeys we say. I fed them cracked corn becouse it was nice to watch them peck and strut in front of the windows. Well after 6 years turkey flock was up to about 100 and they ate the crap outa everything green that was planted as well as kept the rattlesnake population so low I only saw a few dead baby ratllers that had been pecked to death by the Turkeys. The other great snake killer is wild and domestic pigs they eat them up good too.
 

Hey has Anyone seen the snattlerake picture from the mountain democrat in Placerville I think last year at the EID water plant on Bass lake road they had picture snake musta been 8-9 feet and as thick around as my thigh it was freakin huge.I will see if I can find it to post hear. It looked like it had been eating rabbits whole.
 

Geese are also great buzztail killers and peck them to death. Still have my soft cottonwood carved wood(bored at night out boonie camping) wakling staff with the fang marks received on the SF American,close call between hand and face, but blew that summa gun back to wence he came-John
 

Sackett said:
I have snake hunted the rock cliffs of Western NC for many years....90% of Rattlers WON'T Rattle until they are touched....That rattle to warn you away is NON_SENSE!! PLUS they have more poison this early,,,as they ain't bit nothin' in a while!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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None of this is true, fortunately. They will usually try and remain hidden, only rattling if that tactic seems to have failed. They are also surprisingly heavy sleepers, and a lot of the snakes that people step on were simply asleep.
 

I wouldn't kill any snake unless it threatened a person or was too near my house. live and let live
 

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