eeeek

We don't have that problem down here.  They are cool to see, though.  Only ever saw one.  Potter County, a long time ago.   

Water snakes are nothing but welfare queens, living in our tax rocks.

I do believe it is about time for some snake chaps.  With a little girl now, as much and as far as I hike in the summer in the rocks, and in the last 3 years I've stepped on one, woulda stepped on another hadn't I seen it, and then this one.. in cold weather on shady side of the mountain.  I was close to it.   A guy tells me to stop looking for them.  Guilty, I do look and that's because they seem to not warn you if they think they're hidden.  I am okay with the black phases as I am usually able to spot them.  It's the yellow phase that blend so well into the terrain. The one I stepped on was yellow.

Really ?  Can't I go on a little walk without almost stepping on a ratttlesnake.  I haven't been out since the last one.

 

 
 
This one scared me.. I lost a little bit of self control for a few seconds.  I was on a steep mountain side and saw him when he was about 4-5 feet directly in front of me.   The steep grade made him about thigh level and probably close than 4-5 feet.  He started to turn his head back towards the tail.. presumably to nail me.   Never rattled.  Only about 200 yards from the other one two weeks ago.
 
Nobody hunts this area (I'm beginning to learn why) and as of the first Friday of rifle, 3 mature 8 pts were still alive.  The rattlesnakes can have those bucks.

If I avoided snake areas while hunting I would have to leave this area to hunt. I get into snake areas all the time so I am used to seeing them and really don’t worry much about them. You just have to be careful not to sit on one while turkey hunting. I always look things over and dun my foot around any logs before I sit down. In snake country the rule of thumb while walking through the woods during the summer is to step up onto logs and rocks and then step out away from them instead of just stepping over them.
 R.S. Bodenhorn

No, I’m not real crazy about them when I am moving through the early morning dawn trying to get close to a gobbler either, especially on those cool morning when they are a little slow and sluggish. I find that they will get out of your way and hide if they can but sometimes on cool mornings they just aren’t fast enough on the move to get hid. So far I have been luck enough to see them all before I step on them, or at least I think I have. None of them have bit me yet if I did step on them, though so all is well. I have had some darn close ones over the years that were fine with me being close as long as I didn’t threaten them. I have even picked them up with a stick and moved them out of my way without them even coiling or buzzing. Some will not let you get within ten feet of them though without letting you know they mean business if you mess with them.
 
They are just a part of the wild things and wild places that I so enjoy though, so I generally like it when I get to see one.
 R.S. Bodenhorn

ORIGINAL: S-10


You are 3 to 5 times more apt to die from dog bites or bee stings than fron a snake bite and most of the snake bites occur in the western states anyway. Gun related deaths are not even in the top 10. Bings is much more likely to get hurt or killed cutting trees.

I always hear "you're more likely to get struck by lightning than a rattlesnake" That theory very likely comes from the total number of lightning strikes vs number of rattlesnake bites per year, on a nation-wide basis.. or something close to that. What can't be taken into account is the amount of time an individual spends in rattlesnake country or the guy running about a field in a t-storm holding a fishin' pole.

The truth is: While rattlensnakes are said to cover an entire geographic area (such as most of PA), they spend the majority of their time in very rocky country and only leave these areas during breeding season. Spend your time in snake country and you're going to have close calls. Don't watch where you're stepping in snake country and you're gonna get nailed. I've stepped on one, had one coiled and raising its head as I neared, the one that started this thread (not a threat however, as I had already passed), and the most recent one. That's one close call every other year. Not good odds. As far as rattlesnake total numbers, I've seen over 20 in the last 6 years.

I'm not real sure that lightning is a greater threat to me.

Have family with a place in Cameron. Saw several rattlers there. Spend time in Warren Co along with Forest, Jefferson,Indiana,McKean,Crawford,Venango and have been fortunate to have not run across any poisonous snakes. It's the two legged ones that bother me !