Snakes

2 rattlers in Kodachrome SP UT last fall. They slithered away when we came up to them.

I mountain bike a lot. In PA, late May - early June is Rattler season up there. I've come across 3; One slithered between my legs as I was standing admiring the view, one was sunning itself across the trail and I almost run him over; The third was coiled up behind a log on the trail, I saw it just as I stepped across the log. Let's put it this way - I needed to change my underwear when I got back to the camper......

Look carefully when stepping over logs and large rocks. Snakes like to get in a warm sunny spot on a cool day. Pay close attention around rock piles and bluffs. Don't stick your hands in places you can't see the back of.

Make plenty of noise on hiking trails. If you see a snake, don't corner it, just back off.

In general just pay attention and use some common sense.

Here in SC we see a dozen or so rat snakes each year and usually one copperhead. In my entire life outdoors, I've seen a rattler twice.

In 2014, we were on "The Watchman" trail in Zion. An 18" king snake crossed the path in front of us. He was in no hurry, and I bumped him with a stick to get him moving. Looked just like a coral snake, but the yellow, red and black were in the safe order. I wasn't sure at the time, but I compared our picture on the internet when we got home.

Frequently, but as a geologist I climb around on rocks, and a lot of snakes like to sun themselves on the rocks, or shade themselves under rocks. I've been warned by a rattler once, was able to see where it was and back away.

Here in Oklahoma, Kansas, Missouri, Arkansas, where I camp, hike, go fishing, take care of the yard, clear brush, gather firewood, I see a lot more snakes than I've seen in the arid Southwest; but I here more of the time. Blacksnakes I see more often in the fields; garter snakes and green snakes in the gardens and lawns; copperheads hiding in the rocks, brush or woodpiles (they'll come out tonight); cottonmouths swimming near the shore, sunning on the shore, or resting on low overhanging branches. I try to leave the snakes alone, have enough of a presence that they will move away (hate it when I run over one with a mower).

I also find tarantulas in the fields and edge of the woods, scorpions in the gardens. Scorpions will come into the house.

If you are not seeing the wildlife, you may not be looking carefully enough. Not seeing a poisonous snake can be a problem because you can get into trouble stepping on one. That's more of a risk a night, when the snakes that eat rodents come out of hiding to hunt.

2gypsies wrote:
We are big hikers in the southwestern states - Arizona, Utah, etc. We've never encountered a snake on the trail. Not to say they're not there. We have seen snakes in the roads absorbing the heat.

The main thing is to watch where you sit to have a snack/lunch break. Check around that boulder carefully.

We also geocache a lot but in snake season we don't look for one that we'd have to put our hands in a hole to find the cache. :) That's a winter pastime in the southwest.

By the way, where did you see a copperhead? I've seen them in Missouri but not the southwest.

I was hiking through the Wichitaw Mountain Reserve in Lawton, Oklahoma. I almost walked right into it. It was in the middle of the trail and blended in with the reddish orange sand.

Note to self: buy a pair of Frye boots for hiking.

fitznj wrote:
I mountain bike a lot. In PA, late May - early June is Rattler season up there. I've come across 3; One slithered between my legs as I was standing admiring the view, one was sunning itself across the trail and I almost run him over; The third was coiled up behind a log on the trail, I saw it just as I stepped across the log. Let's put it this way - I needed to change my underwear when I got back to the camper......

They have that effect on me too just about. We walked past a herd of wild longhorn and buffalo, and it wasn't half as scary to me as a single snake.

tatest wrote:
Frequently, but as a geologist I climb around on rocks, and a lot of snakes like to sun themselves on the rocks, or shade themselves under rocks. I've been warned by a rattler once, was able to see where it was and back away.

Here in Oklahoma, Kansas, Missouri, Arkansas, where I camp, hike, go fishing, take care of the yard, clear brush, gather firewood, I see a lot more snakes than I've seen in the arid Southwest; but I here more of the time. Blacksnakes I see more often in the fields; garter snakes and green snakes in the gardens and lawns; copperheads hiding in the rocks, brush or woodpiles (they'll come out tonight); cottonmouths swimming near the shore, sunning on the shore, or resting on low overhanging branches. I try to leave the snakes alone, have enough of a presence that they will move away (hate it when I run over one with a mower).

I also find tarantulas in the fields and edge of the woods, scorpions in the gardens. Scorpions will come into the house.



If you are not seeing the wildlife, you may not be looking carefully enough. Not seeing a poisonous snake can be a problem because you can get into trouble stepping on one. That's more of a risk a night, when the snakes that eat rodents come out of hiding to hunt.

I am a lot more cautious about night fishing now unless the area is well lit. In South Carolina I came across a few snakes. I was fishing a pond in a reserve that was heavily weeded and covered with lily pads all around. First day I caught two bass. Second day I had frogs and snakes attacking my rubber kermit. After that everyday I had the same alligator that would come after my frog within moments. He would come towards it until I pulled it in fast, and then roll back into the water poking his eyes out until I cast it again. I never expected that frog to make that much of a ruckus. Everything was going crazy over it except the bass.

RoyB wrote:
SNAKES are coming alive around here as we speak... I am always careful where I step no matter where I am at...

Having lived in North Texas and Arizona we are quite aware of the snakes and spiders...

Its the ones I don't see that bothers me the most... Was setup Tent camping here in Virginia one time and i walked back into camp and saw a large snake coiled up under momabear sitting in her folding chair. I very carefully told she has a snake under her folding chair and to get up very easy. We was successful and I flipped the snake into the creek water... I was afraid it was going to get under our tent floor setup set haha... Had another encounter at ELKMONT inside the Smoky Natl Park of recent times... They like sunning on the rocks around the water on cool days I guess...

Just got to keep a close watch of what is around you when in the woods...

Roy Ken

Thanks. I have heard about them getting into peoples sleeping bags at night and striking when they move. I move a lot slower now when going on a walk.