North Texan

Rattlesnakes come to predator calls. The snakes left the dens here 3 weeks ago, so if you're out and about, keep an eye out for them.

Coastie

Sounds like there could be a story behind your observation. Hope one didn't try to join you in your blind.

North Texan

Thankfully, no. I got the benefitof this informationfrom someone else's experience.

Adirondack Hunter

But... snakes are deaf. I may be wrong but thats what good ole steve irwin said.

Howler

Did ya fill that North Texan, someone jerked your legs pretty hard with that one. Snakes, such as the diamondback, use thier split tongue to "taste" the air around them to locate prey. They also have heat sensitive areas in "pits" on the front of thier heads that they use to locate victims in total darkness.
They don't find dinner by listening for it!!

Coastie

While they may be deaf in the sense that they don't have ears, they are especially sensitive to vibration. Could it be that they feel the volume and resonance of predator calls or animals in distress? I ask this from total ignorance since I do not know much about snakes or other reptiles and it would be nice to know if they had this ability. It makes sense in a way that they could feel these sounds. They are predators and predators are opportunists taking advantage of any situation that could lead to an easy meal.

Howler

Snakes aren't such opportunists like the coyote is. A coyote eats about anything at about any time it can. A coyote needs to eat often where as a snake normally only eats about 1 meal per week, depending on the size of the meal it gets. Usually, a diamondback will strike and inject poison into it's victim, only to have the bittin victim run away to die from the poison, and then the snake "tracks" its victom down and eats it, after it has already died!
I've never read anything about any snake reasoning that if it hears something in distress, it goes to it expecting an easy meal!

North Texan

I know they can't hear as we do, but I also know they can hear nearly everything we do, maybe moresimply because they can feel the vibrations. They just lack the ability to turn those vibrations into a "sound".

I have never had a snake come to a call, but I have seen them onmanyoccasions tracking down prey that was not bitten.

hardcorehunter

Yep, that is true.

ShatoDavis

Hey North Texan,

If you're worried I can sell you a Snake Whistle. I've got the patent on it so if anyone else tries to sell you one its a fake. If you blow the snake whistle it runs snakes off. So you can varmint call in safety. Not to worry it is inaudible to other game so no worries about blowing your set up. Here's a Pic of my snake whistles:


They retail for $9.99 plus $5 shipping and handling. How many do you want?