#245043 - 04/19/12 04:16 AM
Re: Rattle Snakes?
[Re: ]
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Snake_Doctor
Unregistered
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Nast buggers, eh Izzy? The .357 on the belt of my hiking fanny pack is just a four inch Taurus but the first two rounds are CCI snake shot from spring till first snow.
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#245044 - 04/19/12 04:57 AM
Re: Rattle Snakes?
[Re: ]
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Geezer in Chief
Geezer
Registered: 08/26/06
Posts: 7705
Loc: southern Cal
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If one must kill a snake, either a shovel or a handy rock works much better than a 357. Cheaper, too. Snakes are common on many archaeological sites in the southwest, especially those with rocks and masonry walls, and a shovel is what I have had handy. Always did the job chop chop.
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Geezer in Chief
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#245045 - 04/19/12 05:27 AM
Re: Rattle Snakes?
[Re: hikermor]
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Stranger
Registered: 11/20/11
Posts: 11
Loc: Central New England
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Hiking staff is essential. Some times when hiking in FL, and I wasn't worried about snakes, I'd wave mine about in front of me depending on the landscape. Nothing is freakier then getting a face full of spider web wondering where that spider is. Although a banana spider is not dangerous like the brown recluse or black widow, its amazing how big those webs can be. <Chills>
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#245048 - 04/19/12 11:20 AM
Re: Rattle Snakes?
[Re: Frisket]
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Carpal Tunnel
Registered: 05/05/07
Posts: 3601
Loc: Ontario, Canada
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Put some form of Y On the end of your walking stick so if need be you do have something you can pin it down with. Great idea. Thanks Snake!
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#245049 - 04/19/12 11:21 AM
Re: Rattle Snakes?
[Re: chaosmagnet]
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Carpal Tunnel
Registered: 05/05/07
Posts: 3601
Loc: Ontario, Canada
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A lot of good information in this thread.
Rattlers can strike about 2/3rds of their body length unless they're coiled up. When they're coiled up they can strike three times their body length. It's hard to figure how long they are when they're coiled up, so give them a super-wide berth.
Don't put any part of your body into any place you can't see. Check your shoes and clothes carefully. Make sure there isn't the slightest path for them to enter a warmer place at night, like your tent or your sleeping bag.
I strongly recommend an avoidance strategy with any snake not positively identified as harmless. Thanks Chaos. Great advice!
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#245050 - 04/19/12 11:24 AM
Re: Rattle Snakes?
[Re: Roarmeister]
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Carpal Tunnel
Registered: 05/05/07
Posts: 3601
Loc: Ontario, Canada
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Seconder on the walking stick. They serve as an extention of your walking circle. You don't even have to use it to poke around, just the process of waving it and it hitting the ground is enough to make snakes wary. It gives you a bit of a comfort zone. 2ndly, keep your camera handy. I missed taking a photo of a 4-5' rattler and simply got the smaller 3' rattler in the lense because the bigger snake was faster than I. Georgian Bay is nice area. I kayaked around Killarney area some years ago. The sandstone & granite rock reminded me a lot of sand dunes, esp. at dusk. Thanks Chaos. I'm definitely bringing a camera. I haven't been in that area since I w a kid and then we did it mostly on the water. I'm really looking forward to this trip!
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#245051 - 04/19/12 11:25 AM
Re: Rattle Snakes?
[Re: widget]
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Carpal Tunnel
Registered: 05/05/07
Posts: 3601
Loc: Ontario, Canada
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I always use a hiking staff during snake season, which is most of the time in the desert where I live. The advantage of the hiking staff is it will vibrate the ground ahead of you when you plant it and it can be used as a stick to move a snake out of your path, if necessary.
Most people that are bitten by rattlesnakes are fooling around with them. Bad idea. Another thing to think about, they can get into low branches of trees and get higher up. They rarely do that except when irratated at something, like someone messing with them.
Best advice, is look ahead where you're walking and under and around rocks, logs and brush. Avoid any snakes you may see, do not mess with them.
Have a safe and fun trip! Thanks Widget!
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#245052 - 04/19/12 11:27 AM
Re: Rattle Snakes?
[Re: ]
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Carpal Tunnel
Registered: 05/05/07
Posts: 3601
Loc: Ontario, Canada
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A trick we teach kids out here in the desert is to watch for cow patties. It might be from a cow, or it might be a coiled up rattler. Be safe jac. I like that Snake. Great idea.'Thanks!
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#245053 - 04/19/12 11:29 AM
Re: Rattle Snakes?
[Re: ]
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Carpal Tunnel
Registered: 05/05/07
Posts: 3601
Loc: Ontario, Canada
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Les is right about the cottonmouth. They'll come come right after you like an ambulance chasing lawyer. No offense to any lawyers who frequent these pages . One night in the mid 1980's I had a group of students out in the desert to teach them Stalking techniques and I was walking point. When I came to the three strand fence where we would cross and change into uniforms I heard that scary rattle. I froze, said some bad words and swung my gear bag down low in front of me and backed off. We moved down a ways to cross. The snake didn't strike my bag, BUT I suddenly realized how small it was and the scant protection it offered me. I've had many a run in with Cottomouthes/Water Moccassins. I went after one with a shovel and the devilish brute climbed up the shovel and nearly got me. More recently I was trying to "eliminate" one in my yard. The local handyman who's wife manages the property came by. "What're you doing?" and I said "Killing a moccasin." He disappeared and came back and said "Here. Use my gun." I reached back expecting a .22 or maybe a .38 he kept in his truck. I nearly fell over at the weight of a Taurus Raging Bull .357. I shot the snake in half and the snake kept coming after me. not helping you two!
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#245059 - 04/19/12 12:57 PM
Re: Rattle Snakes?
[Re: bacpacjac]
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Geezer in Chief
Geezer
Registered: 08/26/06
Posts: 7705
Loc: southern Cal
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In every rattlesnake encounter I have ever experienced, the snake went off in one direction, and I went in the other. The only exceptions were situations where the snake was cornered, and had no options; even then, they never "attacked."
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