Snakes

[El Jay]

Rattlesnakes must be a new animal. Here in L. A. we are inundated with reports of bites and deaths of people from them. Maybe people shouldn't walk or jog with headphones on. Maybe slow the mountain bike down. Maybe use common sense ? It seems as though there are rattlesnakes on every trail in the San Gabriels. It seems that this is a new wave of snake encounters that is turning into an epidemic. Or so the news would have us believe. What's next, scorpion attacks?

 

[kreole]

I'm in socal. Rattlesnakes aren't a new thing. We just had so much heat early that it started snake season much quicker than normal. As a result, the rate of bites has been higher so far this year, which makes the news.

 

[Sid Post]

Not so much Rattlesnakes where I live in East Texas, but black Rat Snakes are big this year around me.

Cottonmouths are likely a big issue down by the flooded corner of my cow pasture, but I'm not there to look for them either.

 

[SwiftDream]

Like kreole says it’s the early heat that is conjuring them early. So far this year we have come across four rattlesnakes. Got photos of all of them but mid April is probably the best. Got down to ground level.

Earlier on the final day of winter came across this one. We do a lot of desert bushwhacking up ridges and canyons. There are more species here than any other state and at least one in my area of operation that has a species that you will only find in Arizona. The most common however are diamondbacks.

The other two this year were in heavy bracken and desert shrubbery and not worth uploading. I am fascinated by these creatures and hope to encounter them. Got a few good videos and several photos of the elusive Tiger rattlesnake from previous years and decades.

 

[Nate’s Knives]

Like kreole says it’s the early heat that is conjuring them early. So far this year we have come across four rattlesnakes. Got photos of all of them but mid April is probably the best. Got down to ground level.

Earlier on the final day of winter came across this one. We do a lot of desert bushwhacking up ridges and canyons. There are more species here than any other state and at least one in my area of operation that has a species that you will only find in Arizona. The most common however are diamondbacks.

The other two this year were in heavy bracken and desert shrubbery and not worth uploading. I am fascinated by these creatures and hope to encounter them. Got a few good videos and several photos of the elusive Tiger rattlesnake from previous years and decades.

Nice pair o boots

 

[SwiftDream]

I prefer to think of them as the ultimate in rodent control, you know, keep the hanta virus down, which kills a lot of people. Most rattlesnake bite victims are young, inebriated males. I like my little corner of the world very wild and untamed with a hint of danger, never boring.

 

[Sid Post]

I never saw any with my time in Tucson, AZ, but grew up with them in Central Oklahoma.

 

[SwiftDream]

I never saw any with my time in Tucson, AZ, but grew up with them in Central Oklahoma.

The second diamondback was in a busy time for the canyons during spring break, lots of people in the front country. We were just coming out of the backcountry and heading home when we passed a woman in a volunteer Ranger uniform who said hi and “stay warm” in passing. Then she laughed and told us she was from Alaska and they always say that to each other there. As we spoke to her about a dozen people went by from both directions. We walked about ten yards and saw that rattler that every other person had missed and more likely than not many more before them. So when you say you never saw one, that’s not unusual. Many don’t rattle anymore and that definitely helps them hide in plain sight. We are much more tuned in to scanning as we go, been doing this for over five decades in the Sonoran desert.

We didn’t see any snakes today but came across a young woman who told us she saw a Gila monster. I’ve only seen a photographed one of those this year so far. I did manage to get a very close image of a tarantula hawk today, best I’ve ever accomplished with my iPhone 14 Pro Max. It is a spider hunting hornet with iridescent red wings and a black body with iridescent blue/green accents. They are said to have one of the most painful stings on earth. Saw one drag its paralyzed tarantula prey back down into the spider burrow last year and got a pixelated image, the thing was moving so fast.

We have photographed several species of rattlesnakes just by walking into the wilderness from home. For every one we see there are many more we don’t. I’ve spoken to many people who go to the same general area and never see any.

 

[jbmonkey]

no idear what going on in Cali...but i live between two govt wildlife park areas.....and i see lots of clowns going off the trails with tennis shoes, flip flops and crocs on their feet stomping around blindly and not trained on how to avoid snakes. im kinda surprised more folks aren't bitten more often, to be honest.

i run into lots of pit vipers and corals on my property. I wear snake boots when im walking around in the thick of my swampy jungle but I was also taught as a boy to watch where i step and be careful so im good with my normal boots on.

almost stepped on this big boy eastern diamondback rattler last year or so....he was about 4 ft long. luckily he was calm and not interested in me....this big boy blends right in, had i been one of those day trippers trail tourists in crocs or sneakers stomping around ya could bet I might have stepped on him and likely got bit.



a coral that ran into the dirt road when I was mowing....

pygmy rattler that setup shop next to my house I had to guide back to the jungle.....

 

[Mistwalker]

For the news outlets, fear drives ratings the same way a negative or dengrating gear report drives views and comments on forums. It's just the way it is...

 

[l1ranger]

This was back in 09, was backpacking with my Dad and one of my brothers here in VA, about this same time of year, but we were higher elevation (for VA) and didnt expect to see any snakes.
My brother walked right over/by this guy, don't know how he missed it.

 

[SwiftDream]

Saw rattlesnake #5 last week and #6 on a Memorial Day hike into a gorgeous offtrail area we like to inhabit and explore. The most recent pit viper is a different species and one you will only find in southern Arizona or northern Sonora. This is the Tiger rattlesnake, gorgeous coloring and excellent horizontal banding. It didn’t rattle like most Tigers even though it has a huge rattle. After a couple full length extended photos it dutifully coiled for me. It is the calmest viper we have come across this year.

 

[John A. Larsen]

Saw rattlesnake #5 last week and #6 on a Memorial Day hike into a gorgeous offtrail area we like to inhabit and explore. The most recent pit viper is a different species and one you will only find in southern Arizona or northern Sonora. This is the Tiger rattlesnake, gorgeous coloring and excellent horizontal banding. It didn’t rattle like most Tigers even though it has a huge rattle. After a couple full length extended photos it dutifully coiled for me. It is the calmest viper we have come across this year.

I read somewhere that 'Rattle Snakes" have stopped rattling as a defensive move, as wild boars hear them, and come eat them. John

 

[jbmonkey]

I read somewhere that 'Rattle Snakes" have stopped rattling as a defensive move, as wild boars hear them, and come eat them. John

didnt know that. I do know the peafowls that are around my property will kill smaller snakes and even smaller pit vipers. seen them do it. almost like they are territorial and dont want them there....but im making that up...dont know why. I rarely hear rattling......

 

[oldmanwilly]

I read somewhere that 'Rattle Snakes" have stopped rattling as a defensive move, as wild boars hear them, and come eat them. John

It depends, I suppose. We have lots of pigs and snakes in my region and I've encountered rattlers rattling angrily from a few yards away and literally stepped over rattlers who neither rattled nor paid me any mind. I do my best to watch my step and avoid reaching into snakey-spots (meaning pretty much anywhere that casts a shadow...) without first checking with a stick or machete and am teaching my daughters to do the same. I try to be laissez faire about them: I won't bother them if they won't bother me and am happy for their help with varmints. But every now and then a rattler pokes around the house and I can't take the risk of one getting too cozy with kids around.

 

[kreole]

Rattlers around here still rattle, lucky for my dog because she almost ran into one til it scared her back

 

[SwiftDream]

The first five we encountered this year did rattle. Word around the campfire is some don’t rattle so humans won’t kill them. Don’t know the truth of this but gives some thought. We never harm them and don’t have any wild hogs but we do have a rather large population of javelina that are related to pigs. I don’t know if they would mess with rattlesnakes or not. The tigers like pictured above have very toxic venom. Diamondbacks potent too. I’d guess a good dose could cause a life threatening infection. Normally though they really don’t want to waste venom. In my 51 years of exploring this desert I have almost stepped on two, one under some shrubs that were right next to the trail and another right in the middle of the trail in shadows from branches with intermittent sunlight streaks right between two posts where one enters designated wilderness proper. Hiking sticks are great for powering uphill steep terrain and most excellent for pushing my body back from an angry, rattling,, writhing viper. lol Saved my bacon.


But some of the bigger diamondbacks we have seem years past didn’t rattle. Got a couple good short videos of them and their huge rattles. Coiled they looked like real badasses, unlike the tiger that looks pretty docile. Most tigers will go crazy from 20 yards away. You never know. Maybe they have various personalities or something. They are all somewhat different.

 

[DennisM]

A nice chest holster and this would be my protection choice for desert/mountainous hikes in snake, cougar and mountain lion areas ...

 

[RLB0414]

Saw rattlesnake #5 last week and #6 on a Memorial Day hike into a gorgeous offtrail area we like to inhabit and explore. The most recent pit viper is a different species and one you will only find in southern Arizona or northern Sonora. This is the Tiger rattlesnake, gorgeous coloring and excellent horizontal banding. It didn’t rattle like most Tigers even though it has a huge rattle. After a couple full length extended photos it dutifully coiled for me. It is the calmest viper we have come across this year.

My first time seeing this species of rattlesnake. Thanks for posting the photo.

 

[rhino]

I'm happy to say that rattlesnakes are rare in Indiana. Copperheads and cottonmouths are not common either, but you can probably find one if you know where to look and try hard enough. Rattlesnake sightings are unusual here.