How would you like to come up on THIS in the woods?
03-17-2006, 05:03 PM
#121
Dominant Buck
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Central Florida
Posts: 25,116
RE: How would you like to come up on THIS in the woods?
Robert, How did ya get bit on the finger? I am by the way very careful with the snakes. When I first came to Florida I didn't have a boat and used to wade in the lakes. Not a good idea after nearly stepping on a huge gator inbedded in the mud.Also...saw lots of mocassins.Wading has stopped. When hunting I wear high rubber boots. I wonder if these boots would stop a snake? They are the ones I got.
03-17-2006, 10:57 PM
#122
Typical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Grand Forks BC Canada
Posts: 760
RE: How would you like to come up on THIS in the woods?
An interesting discussion, this. We have Northern Pacific rattlers in this area, a 5 foot one being really large. There's a picture I took of one at some winter dens on the following page:
http://www.angelfire.com/bc/canuck2/wildlife.html
The topic of snakes comes up every once in awhile on various hunting sites and I'm always amazed at the high percentage of people who really fear them or just plain don't like them. The reason for my surprise is that hunters are far and away more enlightened about wildlife than the general public but still seem to short circuit when snakes or spiders are involved. They do worlds of good and are very shy and retiring; not going to chase you down and gobble you up like a cougar or griz occasionally does.
I forget who it was several pages back, but someone said he killeda rattlermowing his lawn. Heck, if I had one mowing my lawn, I'd sit back with a beer andlet himfinish, maybe giving him advice once in awhile where he needed to trim better.
BTW 121553, Ialmost stepped on a rattler while antelope hunting in MT one year. I washiking through the sage brush and just happened to look down half a step before making contact; jumped about a mile. It was a young one withonly a button; shaking his tail as hard as he could but not making a sound. I'm sure he was happy as a clam when I went on my merry way, although I think there's lots of guys on here who would have made a pancake out of him. Would be a shame.
http://www.angelfire.com/bc/canuck2/wildlife.html
The topic of snakes comes up every once in awhile on various hunting sites and I'm always amazed at the high percentage of people who really fear them or just plain don't like them. The reason for my surprise is that hunters are far and away more enlightened about wildlife than the general public but still seem to short circuit when snakes or spiders are involved. They do worlds of good and are very shy and retiring; not going to chase you down and gobble you up like a cougar or griz occasionally does.
I forget who it was several pages back, but someone said he killeda rattlermowing his lawn. Heck, if I had one mowing my lawn, I'd sit back with a beer andlet himfinish, maybe giving him advice once in awhile where he needed to trim better.
BTW 121553, Ialmost stepped on a rattler while antelope hunting in MT one year. I washiking through the sage brush and just happened to look down half a step before making contact; jumped about a mile. It was a young one withonly a button; shaking his tail as hard as he could but not making a sound. I'm sure he was happy as a clam when I went on my merry way, although I think there's lots of guys on here who would have made a pancake out of him. Would be a shame.
03-17-2006, 11:26 PM
#123
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: NW Montana / SW Alberta Rockies
Posts: 3,258
RE: How would you like to come up on THIS in the woods?
ORIGINAL: 121553
Here ya go Chuck.
I use to be an amature herptologist catching, trapping, and relocating reptiles and other animals for the state of floridaat the injured wildlife santuary, I have been bitten 4 times by rattlers and one cotton mouth that has left my left index finger deformed. The largest eastern diamondback that I caught was 6'3", and it took me and another handler to hold it, it was pure mussle and almost pulled its head out of my hand and the fang was overlipping its lipand I had to take and throw the snake down and as we were trying to recapture it,the dang thing had about a 4 or 5 foot striking radius and we finally caught it after what felt like forever. We made $350.00 off that snake.
If the diamondback in this picture was over 8 foot in length when it was alive, I personaly would of paid $5,000.00 for it, if it wasn't gassed. Cause I know I can sell it for a minimum of 10.
The snake dead may be 9'3" dead with its mussles relaxed, but alive it may of been 7 ft, (+-)but that still a hellava huge ratter and it sickens me that it was killed. Lot of southern states has the diamondback on the threatened specie list, making it illegal to kill it. Iwould like tosee if there is a law in texas about if it is an endangered specie and I would like to see this guy prosecuted for what I call a trophy of a snake.
Bobby
Here ya go Chuck.
I use to be an amature herptologist catching, trapping, and relocating reptiles and other animals for the state of floridaat the injured wildlife santuary, I have been bitten 4 times by rattlers and one cotton mouth that has left my left index finger deformed. The largest eastern diamondback that I caught was 6'3", and it took me and another handler to hold it, it was pure mussle and almost pulled its head out of my hand and the fang was overlipping its lipand I had to take and throw the snake down and as we were trying to recapture it,the dang thing had about a 4 or 5 foot striking radius and we finally caught it after what felt like forever. We made $350.00 off that snake.
If the diamondback in this picture was over 8 foot in length when it was alive, I personaly would of paid $5,000.00 for it, if it wasn't gassed. Cause I know I can sell it for a minimum of 10.
The snake dead may be 9'3" dead with its mussles relaxed, but alive it may of been 7 ft, (+-)but that still a hellava huge ratter and it sickens me that it was killed. Lot of southern states has the diamondback on the threatened specie list, making it illegal to kill it. Iwould like tosee if there is a law in texas about if it is an endangered specie and I would like to see this guy prosecuted for what I call a trophy of a snake.
Bobby
Thats a pretty good site you got there.
Bobby
03-19-2006, 07:29 AM
#125
Typical Buck
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: Nanjemoy, MD
Posts: 998
RE: How would you like to come up on THIS in the woods?
- About 25 years ago, the wife and I carried flour and oil when we backpacked in the VA/WVA mountains. After passingaround many small timber rattlers over the years, we eventuallycame across a very large timber rattler in a remote part of the Monongahela Nat Forest - tasted just like chicken.I thinktimbers are now protected, and it's now a rare event to come across one. We still use theadmonition for steppingcarefully while hiking,"watch out for dinner".
Like many ofyou posters, when I do see a copperhead or a timber rattler,I just leave them alone to do their thing. The exception is any copperheads around the house - for my wife's peace of mind. Otherwise, we both wear "snake-proof" rubber boots around the farm.
I just got back yesterday from2 1/2 weeks of hiking in Australia - the locals had me pretty nervous with stories of their deadlytiger snakes. Tiger snakes are territorial and are not shy and retiring; thank God we do not have to deal with all the poisonous snakes/spiders/plants they have Down Under. Icarried an epirb with me while hiking alone in one remote area of Tasmania, just so they could findmy body. Fortunately, the only livetiger snakeI saw was while I was driving - it was sunning alongside a road.
- Nice site Canuck, ditto on the bird pics...
-fsh
Like many ofyou posters, when I do see a copperhead or a timber rattler,I just leave them alone to do their thing. The exception is any copperheads around the house - for my wife's peace of mind. Otherwise, we both wear "snake-proof" rubber boots around the farm.
I just got back yesterday from2 1/2 weeks of hiking in Australia - the locals had me pretty nervous with stories of their deadlytiger snakes. Tiger snakes are territorial and are not shy and retiring; thank God we do not have to deal with all the poisonous snakes/spiders/plants they have Down Under. Icarried an epirb with me while hiking alone in one remote area of Tasmania, just so they could findmy body. Fortunately, the only livetiger snakeI saw was while I was driving - it was sunning alongside a road.
- Nice site Canuck, ditto on the bird pics...
-fsh
03-19-2006, 01:53 PM
#126
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location:
Posts: 143
RE: How would you like to come up on THIS in the woods?
I do believe that's the biggest rattler I've ever seen. In Wisconsin, you see one every once in awhile. The biggest I've seen around here was about 6.5 ft long...and that would be considered a monster around here. Crazy picture!
03-23-2006, 04:30 PM
#129
RE: How would you like to come up on THIS in the woods?
WOW this thread got a lot more responce then I thought it would ...but then again it is something we are subject to walk up on if we arnt careful !
dd
dd
03-23-2006, 07:39 PM
#130
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Arkansas
Posts: 23
RE: How would you like to come up on THIS in the woods?
The 97 lb part is pure BS. There is no way a man like the one in the picture is going to hold up that much weight on the end of a pole. Just try to hold a 12 lb sledge hammer out like that, now go get 7 more hammers and try that.PURE BS!!!.