Forum Discussion
- 2gypsies1Explorer IIIThe most snakebites occur with men and boys. :)
- rocmocExplorer
2gypsies wrote:
Chances are that you won't even see a snake...really.
Have fun and don't be too obsessed with it. Just use common sense. We've been tromping around the AZ desert for 18 years and haven't seen any while hiking...just dead on the roads.
2gypsies, live less than 20 miles from you (you posted your location in a post once) and I have killed 6 on the property. In addition have seen many dead on the road including one of the largest & fattest I have ever seen. Also have seen them in the hills when out dirt biking or off-roading, just keep my distance. They are around tho they are not so much in the winter. I won't even get into mountain lions or bears. We have traveled from Alaska to the bottom of Mexico, Coast to Coast and AZ has more wildlife than most places. Tip: when at home carry a shovel & wear boots when I am out in untraveled areas of the propery.
rocmoc n AZ/Mexico - Roy_LynneExplorer
RobertRyan wrote:
Roy&Lynne wrote:
I have lived in the desert SW most of my life and only had one encounter with a rattlesnake and he went one way and I went the other. Lucky I heard him rattle and was alerted. Now in Washington I've had a couple encounters with black bears and they went one way and I went the other.
Now if you want to worry about something, spiders are more likely to come visit. And they go where ever they want. Scorpions are another SW treat, they like boots.
Bit like Dangerous snakes in Australia, more people have been killed by honeybees and the allergic reaction to their sting than any reptile.
Now you guys have your fair share of the "out ta kill ya" creepies. While we have rattlesnakes you guys have about 10 varieties to watch out for. LOL - molossusExplorer
2gypsies wrote:
The most snakebites occur with men and boys. :)
Exactly. The lesson here is that the danger is mostly due to men being fools and trying to play with or kill the thing. Defensive behavior is just that. Leave them alone and all is fine. - Desert_CaptainExplorer III"If you come across a rattlesnake, you will hear it. They warn before a strike, and once you have heard it, you won't forget the sound."
False!
They do not always rattle, this myth can get you bit. I agree the sound is distinctive and unforgettable but I have been around lots of rattlers that simply didn't. I am amazed at all of the folks who have spent lots of time out here in the desert southwest who have never seen a rattlesnake. To these folks I recommend you pay a lot more attention as it is a virtual certainty you have been in close proximity at some point, probably a lot more often than you can imagine. They are all over the southwestern deserts and their camouflage is off the chart effective.
I worked as a Marshall on the local golf course and saw dozens every month, particularly in the spring when they are most active. Lots of good advice above such as not placing hands or feet where you cannot see, stay on the middle of the trails and above all pay attention. Do these things and you should not have any problems.
:C - MrWizardModeratorDon't the New England states have Timber rattlers and copperheads
timber rattler map
northern copperhead state map..does not mean they are in your neighborhood, but in your woods yes
Northern Copperhead
is that New Hampshire ? way up in the northeast corner
that shows NO venomous snakes
is that you ? - rfryerExplorer
Desert Captain wrote:
"If you come across a rattlesnake, you will hear it. They warn before a strike, and once you have heard it, you won't forget the sound."
False!
They do not always rattle, this myth can get you bit. I agree the sound is distinctive and unforgettable but I have been around lots of rattlers that simply didn't. I am amazed at all of the folks who have spent lots of time out here in the desert southwest who have never seen a rattlesnake. To these folks I recommend you pay a lot more attention as it is a virtual certainty you have been in close proximity at some point, probably a lot more often than you can imagine. They are all over the southwestern deserts and their camouflage is off the chart effective.
I worked as a Marshall on the local golf course and saw dozens every month, particularly in the spring when they are most active. Lots of good advice above such as not placing hands or feet where you cannot see, stay on the middle of the trails and above all pay attention. Do these things and you should not have any problems.
:C
I second Desert Captain; I too am amazed how few rattlers people have seen who spend any time in the desert. I long ago lost all count of how many I’ve seen and I’ve shot a lot of them. And I don’t do that for sport, only if I think they’re in striking distance and a threat.
But my situation was somewhat unique, part of my job many years ago was developing maps and often that required surveying the country first. The old days, a chain and transit and you went in a straight line through brush or any other passable objects. Just the thing I advise people to avoid doing to avoid snakes. By far, most of the incidents I had with snakes were when I was working.
I recall stepping on one’s tail once but he wasn’t coiled, he was trying to get away and needless to say I got off his tail pretty quickly. The closest call I had was with a sidewinder who parked himself right next to an instrument I had put on the ground momentarily. I bent down and reached for it and there he was all coiled up and waiting. I saw him just in time and shot him just on general principles for not buzzing and warning me. And it’s true that rattlers do not always buzz, he wasn’t the first or the last.
I agree with Desert Captain that people are likely just not seeing snakes that are there. I still see them, even on trails in city mountain parks. But I think my senses are so highly tuned to watching for them from the old working days that I see things others may walk right by. - greenrvgreenExplorerShooting rattlesnakes? On "principle"? Although I'm convinced that most snakes are shot by fantasy roll-players who watch too much television, the following is worth mentioning (IMO):
Every snake that is killed increases the virility of the rabies vector in that area. A rattlesnake bite is easy enough to recover from if you're healthy, even without treatment. The Hanta virus (mice that snakes eat carry this) has a 50% mortality rate, while only one person in history has survived a case of rabies.
Most snake bites are on the noses of curious dogs or the hands of drunk men who try to pick them up, as said. And I would caution anyone who saw somebody on TV shoot a snake: If you're close enough to shoot a snake you're close enough to get hit by a fragment from your own bullet, even if you're sober. - 2gypsies1Explorer III
rocmoc wrote:
2gypsies wrote:
Chances are that you won't even see a snake...really.
Have fun and don't be too obsessed with it. Just use common sense. We've been tromping around the AZ desert for 18 years and haven't seen any while hiking...just dead on the roads.
2gypsies, live less than 20 miles from you (you posted your location in a post once) and I have killed 6 on the property. In addition have seen many dead on the road including one of the largest & fattest I have ever seen. Also have seen them in the hills when out dirt biking or off-roading, just keep my distance. They are around tho they are not so much in the winter. I won't even get into mountain lions or bears. We have traveled from Alaska to the bottom of Mexico, Coast to Coast and AZ has more wildlife than most places. Tip: when at home carry a shovel & wear boots when I am out in untraveled areas of the propery.
rocmoc n AZ/Mexico
Hey Neighbor! We'll be sure to stay away from your yard! :) Next summer we'll be spending more time there so we'll walk carefully.
We do hike in the Santa Ritas and all the way over to the Chirichuhas but not in summer. - pyoung47Explorer2gypsies, live less than 20 miles from you (you posted your location in a post once) and I have killed 6 on the property. In addition have seen many dead on the road including one of the largest & fattest I have ever seen. Also have seen them in the hills when out dirt biking or off-roading, just keep my distance. They are around tho they are not so much in the winter. I won't even get into mountain lions or bears. We have traveled from Alaska to the bottom of Mexico, Coast to Coast and AZ has more wildlife than most places. Tip: when at home carry a shovel & wear boots when I am out in untraveled areas of the propery.
The first time we ever went camping, we were just sitting back relaxing and in about ten minutes the campground was filled with gypsies. We left. --------- What?
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