Rattlesnakes

[John Eilertson]

A couple notions: first of all, I didn't know the record for western diamondbacks was only around 7 feet. I've killed 2 that were each a bit over 6'. (Personally, I find the taste of rattlers delicious.) And while Bravo on the baseball bat, I must report that I once killed one a bit off the fairway of a par-5. I had a 1-iron with me--it worked nicely for both the 2nd shot AND the rattler!

 

[fat tom]

Here's a pretty good one from last year.



f.t.

 

[Airpark]

Watched an interesting story on public television a few years back about the South American Bushmaster.

It was about a scientist who studies them.

Showed him in the forest/jungle in South America hunting and actually catching one. Then in his laboratory and him feeding one.

He found that there is an identical species in Sumatra.

Very interesting.....last thing they said was that it has an 80/20 kill ratio.

80 percent of people bitten by it will die.

20 percent of people bitten by it will survive.

The scientist had been bitten TWICE.

And he still catches and cares for the snake.

 

[budster]

I don't bother them and they don't bother me! Afterall, they are a part of the ecosystem here.
Here is a news clip on them....

Snake bites on the rise after monsoon storms | azfamily.com Phoenix

 

[shouldazagged]

And then there is the Gaboon viper, so called because it invariably tries to bite you on the gaboon.