Rattlesnake I.D.?
- Thread starter ColbyBruce
- Start date
I agree. That Mojave snake is supposed to be the worst. The Coral Snake actually has the worst venom but chances of getting a good dose of it is much less. The Diamondbacks, both Eastern and Western are also worse than the Timber due to their large volume of potent venom and are more likely to kill. I think I remember reading somewhere where the Western is a bit worse than the Eastern. I don't know where the Timber is on the list but it's not the top.We have the Mojave Green down here would like to contest that assertion.
Lots of snakes in these parts. I've killed a 6' Diamondback just outside the yard, a Cottonmouth near my pond (I mowed it) and several Pygmy Rattlers in the yard. The Pygmys are probably the most likely to get me as they're so easy to not see. I haven't seen a Coral Snake in my yard but I've seen several in the general area over the years.
CAJUNLAWYER
Member
A big one.
Well, probably the same place/way those snakes in the Gary Larson comics hold up their newspapers at the diners!
God, please let me die in a Larson cartoon! Something with bear traps and quicksand should suffice.
First thing I thought of...
In the 20 years I've lived in Florida, I've only seen 2 rattlers. One crossing the road not far from my house that I stopped to let cross, and one in the dunes at the beach that was nice enough to strike a pose for me to get pics of.
I've seen and killed a boat load of water moccasins thou.
I've seen and killed a boat load of water moccasins thou.
How do you mow a pond?
You have to maintain sufficient speed.
Never saw one yet, but those Pygmy's worry me the most.
Very small and have most great camouflage.
Since my side yard changed dramatically, I've not seen a single snake.
Post #10. I'd love to have a nice pair of snakeskin boots like those.
All the snakes I caught & played with when I was a kid (okay, a younger person!) I coulda had some nice snake wear!
All the snakes I caught & played with when I was a kid (okay, a younger person!) I coulda had some nice snake wear!
I see snakes in the yard all the time but mostly Black snakes and such, which I don't bother. Occasionally Red Rat snakes too. Other than the black snakes the Pygmys seem most common.
Lonegle57
Member
Another vote for a timber rattler, have run into a few over the years.
About an hour and a half south of Atlanta.
About an hour and a half south of Atlanta.
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I used to cut through a wealthy area here surrounding a local mountain. There's a large wash (aka dry creek-bed) that runs along the northern border of their neighborhood park. I passed a large dead one, complete with tire squash impression, laying across the road just yards from that park.......
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I've only seen one and that was on my grandfathers farm back in the early 60's in Ohio. It tangled with a couple of his big hogs and lost. The hogs didn't seem to be hurt (grandpa told me they can survive a snake strike rather well) but the snake was torn up. He recovered the rattles and stuck the head on a post for the birds to pick clean. The skull and rattles were on a shelf in the barn for years.
I have seen a few others when I lived in Florida and later Tennessee.............. Around the house they were dead on sight but in the woods I just steered clear of them and let them go on their way. Since I moved back to Ohio I haven't seen any even though the nearby creek is called "rattlesnake creek". Suspect farmers had killed them off over the years. Only snakes I see here now are common garden snakes and once in a great while a black snake.
LittleCooner
Member
In the 20 years I've lived in Florida, I've only seen 2 rattlers. One crossing the road not far from my house that I stopped to let cross, and one in the dunes at the beach that was nice enough to strike a pose for me to get pics of.
I've seen and killed a boat load of water moccasins thou.
Most interesting color for a Timber guy. Our Mountain snakes in the Appalachians are a more dull gray color, for the camouflage. Some of these posts are interesting to read, from other parts of the country and most posters lack of exposure to these guys.
You are looking a what made a Smith and Wesson pistol nut out of a rifle nut. My 396 has been a constant companion for decades now. It has spoken sweet peace to a few of these guys, #9s at 10 feet do a job on these guys.
Hey, they are fantastic when put on the grill, skin quickly and heat up the grill. Lucky we have no laws about killing now, like other states. We have plenty in the mountains of the Cumberland Plateau.
Local logging crew on the land next door to me a few years ago killed about 35-40 over the period of several months and I took three at the same time off my property. After you almost step on one of these critters, you will not have a problem of doing an old west quick draw and filling his face with number 9s.
After spending 60+ years in the woods, I kill almost nothing anymore, I have become a super conservationist and wildlife watcher except for these guys. Way too many close calls in the past 60 years and they are one of the greatest flavors of protein in out outdoors.
He’s more afraid of you than you are of him . . .
Perhaps, but I'll never try and bite him
Boudiepitbull
Member
One day I had a face to face with a Timber Rattler as I pulled the tarp off the top of one of my firewood stacks. We both took off in opposite directions, he went deep into the pile and I back pedaled like Michael Jackson moonwalking.He’s more afraid of you than you are of him . . .
