First rattlesnake of the year

[Wrench77]

I ran into this little guy while getting my afternoon hike in today at Deer Creek Park. It was my first time running into one of these and I certainly hope it will be my last. He was only about 3' long, but I still made a quick 180 and headed back down the trail. I hate snakes with a passion they seriously freak me out.

 

[Brock A]

I shit myself just reading this post, how the hell did you stick around long enough for a picture!

 

[CaseyU]

I found this guy rattling at one of my sawyers and let him eat the end of my rhino. There no joke

 

[velvetfvr]

I actually like seeing them so I know my eyes work. And I won't kill one unless its where a bunch of people go.

 

[Shrek]

Catch it and skin it quick and eat it. They're good ! I saw two diamondback rattlesnakes and a water moccasin on my Sunday training hike but I'm in a national park and they would freak if I killed them.

 

[shaun]

I ran into one 2sundays ago were I've been doin cardio no more headphones while hiking around lake. Bucksnort told me there was tons in there and 2 trips later there one was

 

[Wrench77]

Luckily the iPhone has a zoom because I sure as hell didn't get very close. I threw a rock at him hoping he'd get off the trail but guess what? That just pissed him off, he coiled up and started rattling and that's when I retreated like a little girl. Can't imagine what I'd do if I ran into a big one.

 

[Slim Jim]

My kids tried to catch a 3' red racer right at our front doorstep a couple of days ago but it got away.

 

[velvetfvr]

I ran into one 2sundays ago were I've been doin cardio no more headphones while hiking around lake. Bucksnort told me there was tons in there and 2 trips later there one was

Yep, no running with headphones either. I think they are cool personally.

 

[Hardstalk]

I stepped on one in Victorville California while walking to the porta john on monday about 9 a.m. He blended into the poof dirt and scared the bajesus outta me! Luckily the last truck smushed his head pretty good. He still had plenty of life left in him.

I see them quite often. Not by choice of course. I end up eye level with a boulder and there staring at me sunning themselves. Or while dove hunting once, there were 2 coiled together and I stepped right over them with my right foot. They rattled and I started shooting before my left foot made it over them.

 

[Craig Van Arsdale]

I see them all the time here in California. Most people get bit trying to kill them!!

 

[RosinBag]

I have ran into two this year already, one was a very close call....

This is on from Trinity Alps a couple years ago on the fire....

 

[Hardstalk]

Does it really taste good? Im not a fan of bones. Is there any meat in between the bone? I have had it offered to me several times but couldnt lead myself to eat it. Kind of like mt lion. My old man made mt lion stew once and I couldn't bring myself to even taste it.

 

[RosinBag]

The meat pulled right off the bone....we had it with no seasoning what so ever and it was pretty bland. It was also a little chewy. I wouldn't eat it again unless I had to.

 

[unm1136]

We were at the track for EVOC and ran over a little guy. Another cadet skinned it, salted and dried the skin, and made a really cool bookmark. I took what was left and cooked it on our barbecue grill with a little Tobasco. Also ate a few battered and deep fried at a couple of restaraunts. The suppressed .22 is for dealing with them and the odd bunny on the trail that may need a little assistance falling into the cookpot.

pat

 

[2ski]

My experience...the little ones are the ones to watch out for. They don't show fear. I had a little 2 footer rattle at my work truck when I was in college, and I was sitting there idling. I've also heard the young ones don't "know" to hold back some of their venom so they deliver everything they have with one strike. In my experience, the grown ones high tail it out of there if they know you're coming. I stepped on one as I stepped up onto a culvert one day, and I'm not sure who was more rattled, I didn't know until I felt something squishy in the grass under foot, and it hightailed it into the culvert. Anytime we ever tried to kill one, we would have to run after them and tap them with the shovel before they would coil up and rattle to where we could chop off the head with the shovel. Most times they put their head under their coils as they rattle so you have to work to get the head out.

 

[Trumpkin The Dwarf]

The only rattlesnake I have ever seen got shot in 2 seconds flat. Amazing how fast I can shoot a shotgun when I kick into the fight of "fight or flight".

 

[Matt Cashell]

We saw three in 100 yards right at dusk a couple weeks ago in Hells Canyon. The first two moved off the trail as I approached, and I could see them easily, but the third one was a sneaky little b@st@rd, and just remained coiled and silent under a tuft of grass on the trail. Luckily I saw him just before my boot landed on him. I just scooted him off the trail with my trekking pole, but it did spook me a little.

 

[jmez]

Haven't seen one yet but I kill a couple every year in my driveway/yard. Quite a few of them in the Black Hills, need to be careful this time of year.

 

[Tdiesel]

Ya I hate them dang things. Kill some every year but especially hate when I crawl up under a baler to grease it and they are up in there. That would make a preacher swear. I really don't like snakes but I don't kill bull snakes all others usually get head chopped by a shovel or pistol comes out.