Snake Season is upon us....

[mavinwa2]

Looks like a late summer start to archery deer season for me. Drawn for Utah general archery buck tag. In a unit known as prolific with rattlesnake populations. Hunted the unit before, saw rattlers but never struck. It's the snakes you don't see or hear that will get you...

However, I have been struck 2x by rattlesnakes during Arizona early archery hunts. Once in the Kaibab, the other time south of Tucson.
The Turtle Skin snake gaiters did it's job, no penetration from either snake. And the Tucson one was a 4'+ western diamond back. Quite the thump when that thing hit mid-calf!
A good reason I always favored the mid-December and January OTC archery hunts in AZ. Cool, cold weather sends the snake below ground for winter.

For those who downplay getting bit, here is a guy sharing his snake bite experience. A long, expensive and painful road to recovery over 4-6 weeks after the rattlesnake bite. Snakebit aftermath starts at minute 5:00+ of the video.

 

[mxgsfmdpx]

Saw a really neat black racer on Saturday while I was out killing rabbits and coyotes. You want to talk about a fast snake... Those things can cover some ground!

 

[nm_nomad]

Damn I better look into some good gaiters this yr, I will be hunting Muleys in southern NM in September. The unit definitely has lots of rattlers.

 

[svivian]

Had a close call just two weeks ago at lake powell hiking around. Stepped right over one and had no idea until I heard the rattle.

 

[cactus Jack 22]

I am at 4 rattlers and a cotton mouth already this year here in TX

 

[Jon_G]

A couple years back I was fishing and the river was so loud that I don't think the snake heard me until I stepped like 2 inches from it's head. The second I stepped I looked where my foot was and I could tell I startled the damn thing. Damn near shit my pants when it started rattling lol. It was well over 2 feet long. Last year I had saw one too but this time I heard the rattle about 8 feet away or maybe a bit less but I was wearing snake gaiters this time. That initial rattle until you figure out how far you are from it is what gives you a good rush lol

 

[505Wapiti]

Stepped over the same rattler twice in NE New Mexico on an early antelope hunt, it never rattled and luckily the second time I looked down mid step. Middle aged white men can jump really high and really quickly, we just need the proper stimulus in place. Always end up seeing them where I think they won’t be and don’t see them where I’m all paranoid and think they will be

 

[Duh]

Stepped over the same rattler twice in NE New Mexico on an early antelope hunt, it never rattled and luckily the second time I looked down mid step. Middle aged white men can jump really high and really quickly, we just need the proper stimulus in place. Always end up seeing them where I think they won’t be and don’t see them where I’m all paranoid and think they will be

I have the same problem. Always run into them in the most open and non “snakey” places. Nothing makes me want to quit bow hunting more than seeing a snake.

 

[Ultracarry]

Already killed 4 western diamondbacks on my property this year ….

 

[*zap*]

We have plenty of rattlesnakes & copperhead around here. I am always on the lookout.

 

[JK47]

Yep. Was shooting my bow the other evening. In flip flops and shorts. One of my wiener dogs sounded off about 15 yards from me, barking at the tall grass. I knew it from his bark and cadence he wasn’t hunting squirrels. So I eased over and carefully stepped into the tall stuff, sure enough. He found a rattlesnake. Only a foot and a half or so.

I had no knife, no phone….and knew if I stepped away it would be gone. So I managed to catch it. Then I took it to the Train Station.

Checked the pup, no bites. But he knew something was there. I’ve since mowed ALL the grass. Haha

 

[wowzers]

My daughter came in one day saying the cats had a snake. We thought must be a garter till wife and I went out and found the cat booping a rattler on the head just off the back porch. Then it was a show grabbing dogs and getting the kids pulled back. We’re kind of high up for them at the house but the neighbor had just cut hay so I think it was searching for greener pastures.


They were a little freaked out when I skinned it and it was wiggling around but both still thought it tasted pretty good.

 

[5MilesBack]

We’re kind of high up for them at the house but the neighbor had just cut hay so I think it was searching for greener pastures.

What state are you in and what altitude? All of our rattlers around here are literally dirt colored. They blend in real well.

 

[JohnJohnson]

For those of you in venomous snake country, it's probably not a bad idea to look into what to do if you do get bit. Don't be the dumbass tourniqueting himself after a snakebite and making life harder than it needs to be.

1. Do not apply a tourniquet
2. Look into Pressure Immobilization Bandages (PIBs), those actually work to slow snakebite progress as you go to the hospital.
3. You're almost certainly not going to die unless you are a toddler or very old
4. Baby snakes are not more dangerous than adults and it's weird how many people believe that
5. Snakes will not chase you and just want to be left alone, they're defensive not aggressive.
6. You cannot suck the venom out
7. Most of what people think they know about venomous snakes and snake venom is the equivalent of fuddlore

 

[Fatcamp]

November 11 last season in SD.
Dang things.
He was a big boy.

 

[wowzers]

What state are you in and what altitude? All of our rattlers around here are literally dirt colored. They blend in real well.

Idaho 3200’. Most of the ones I see have a greenish hue to them. Dropped down in a canyon last summer and this one was really brown.

 

[5MilesBack]

I have seen some darker greenish ones more in the foothills here. I've seen them at 7000 feet here in CO.

 

[wowzers]

Not sure why but ten or fifteen miles north of here and there are zero snakes at this elevation and even lower.

 

[Turkeytider]

Rattlesnake is the most likely one we`ll encounter here in the Georgia Spring turkey woods as far as truly dangerous. We have copperheads but they are not particularly aggressive ( some people say you almost have to make them bite you ) and they are not particularly venomous as venomous snakes go. Certainly not in a rattlesnake`s class! No way I`m not wearing my snake proof boots in the woods!
The most dangerous thing in the woods is no bigger than the tip of your little finger!

 

[505Wapiti]

My grandpa’s place in North Texas was loaded with copperheads when I was a kid. They were far more aggressive than any of the western diamondbacks I grew up around on our home place in SW Oklahoma. Been in New Mexico for 20 years and have had several rattler encounters, fortunately no strikes and no bites and the majority of them never rattled.