Rattlesnakes released in the parks?

[Anonymous]

I know our guberment is super intelligent :jerk but why in the he!! do they release hundreds of Rattlesnakes in our parks that are weaved with numerous hiking trails that both adults and kids enjoy? This past weekend we were warned to make sure the ground is not moving where we step because of the numerous Rattlers that were around. I didn't see any but also avoided the woods and trails. Oh well, I guess they know what they are doing. :rr

 

[cmayna]

Heck if you catch em, I'll smoke em.

 

[Horseplay]

They're more afraid of you than the other way around. Last thing any snake wants is to get within a hundred feet of a human. Especially if that human is named Duane. Chicken#@*#, snake murdering bastard that he is.

 

[Anonymous]

They're more afraid of you than the other way around. Last thing any snake wants is to get within a hundred feet of a human. Especially if that human is named Duane. Chicken#@*#, snake murdering bastard that he is.

You have never been around Water Moccasins have you? They will chase you to the end of the earth! They see you from afar, size you up and come straight at you. A shotgun is your only friend around those bastards.

 

[RustyRed]

You have never been around Water Moccasins have you? They will chase you to the end of the earth! They see you from afar, size you up and come straight at you. A shotgun is your only friend around those bastards.

I was thinking the exact same thing....grew up killing Moccasins on a daily basis with our pellet riffles when I was a kid. There was a huge ditch behind my buddy's house and the Moccasins loved hanging out in there. We wouldn't cut through there to get to the woods we played in all the time without the dog scouting out in front of us and a rifle in our hands.

I hate Moccasins and will kill them on sight because they are basically evil...

 

[Horseplay]

They're more afraid of you than the other way around. Last thing any snake wants is to get within a hundred feet of a human. Especially if that human is named Duane. Chicken#@*#, snake murdering bastard that he is.

You have never been around Water Moccasins have you? They will chase you to the end of the earth! They see you from afar, size you up and come straight at you. A shotgun is your only friend around those bastards.

VERY rare occurrence to find one this far up north but I have had the pleasure of their acquaintance when down south. And you are correct they do tend to have bad attitudes. BUT, it's not like they hide from you. Smelliest snakes I have ever been around. Pretty easy to know when they are near. And despite what you think, they would much rather be far away from you than have a close encounter. They just are quick to defend themselves when they perceive you as a threat.

Full disclosure...I'm kinda a big snake fan. Grew up spending my days finding and catching all I could. My room was always filled with various finds growing up. Hognose to Bull to Copperhead I had quite a number of little buddies.

 

[70 StangMan]

They're more afraid of you than the other way around. Last thing any snake wants is to get within a hundred feet of a human. Especially if that human is named Duane. Chicken#@*#, snake murdering bastard that he is.

You have never been around Water Moccasins have you? They will chase you to the end of the earth! They see you from afar, size you up and come straight at you. A shotgun is your only friend around those bastards.

Back in the early 80's I almost stepped on a 5' 8" Water Moccasin that was "sunning" himself on the side of the Ocklawaha river. A buddy and me were walking through 3 foot grass and right before I put my foot down on his head I looked down and saw it coiled up like a Cobra. I still see that big ole Black head with that gaping White mouth to this day. Luckily I just happened to have my 9mm with me. One to the back and one to the head and that's all she wrote. 35 miles from the nearest hospital...it would not have ended well for me.

 

[Horseplay]

They're more afraid of you than the other way around. Last thing any snake wants is to get within a hundred feet of a human. Especially if that human is named Duane. Chicken#@*#, snake murdering bastard that he is.

You have never been around Water Moccasins have you? They will chase you to the end of the earth! They see you from afar, size you up and come straight at you. A shotgun is your only friend around those bastards.

Back in the early 80's I almost stepped on a 5' 8" Water Moccasin that was "sunning" himself on the side of the Ocklawaha river. A buddy and me were walking through 3 foot grass and right before I put my foot down on his head I looked down and saw it coiled up like a Cobra. I still see that big ole Black head with that gaping White mouth to this day. Luckily I just happened to have my 9mm with me. One to the back and one to the head and that's all she wrote. 35 miles from the nearest hospital...it would not have ended well for me.

That's a pretty big Cottonmouth. They aren't usually that long. Short and squatty. They're the Mexicans of the snake world!

 

[RustyRed]

My favorite is a Spreading Adder...seen a few here in Texas but not many.

One time my mom looked out and saw the Chow I used to own throwing something around in the yard. She looked closer and it was a fairly good sized snake.

Mom thought the dog had killed the snake but put it in a bucket with a lid. She wanted to ask my step dad and I what kind of snake it was when we got home.

You can imagine her surprise when she later opened the bucket and the snake was very much so alive and slithering around, LOL!

They're kind of cool...they sit up like a cobra and hiss at you but walk up and kick them and they play dead.

 

[Laurie S.]

Western diamond rattlesnakes are not afraid of people, they have an attitude. It doesn't help that natural selection is leading to more snakes not rattling before striking because people have systematically killed the noisy ones. As an archaeologist, my work environment is the open desert and I've been struck at more times than I care to count, and none rattled. I've also been given the rattling warning and that scares you more than being struck at, as far as I'm concerned.

 

[Horseplay]

My favorite is a Spreading Adder...seen a few here in Texas but not many.

One time my mom looked out and saw the Chow I used to own throwing something around in the yard. She looked closer and it was a fairly good sized snake.

Mom thought the dog had killed the snake but put it in a bucket with a lid. She wanted to ask my step dad and I what kind of snake it was when we got home.

You can imagine her surprise when she later opened the bucket and the snake was very much so alive and slithering around, LOL!

They're kind of cool...they sit up like a cobra and hiss at you but walk up and kick them and they play dead.

I had never heard the name "Spreading Adder' before. That's your local name for a hognose. Awesome snakes. I had one for a pet for a couple years. Very docile and they do play dead very convincingly.

 

[Horseplay]

Western diamond rattlesnakes are not afraid of people, they have an attitude. It doesn't help that natural selection is leading to more snakes not rattling before striking because people have systematically killed the noisy ones. As an archaeologist, my work environment is the open desert and I've been struck at more times than I care to count, and none rattled. I've also been given the rattling warning and that scares you more than being struck at, as far as I'm concerned.

I would LOVE to go out hunting for and catch one of those. They are the king of American snakes.

 

[70 StangMan]

They're more afraid of you than the other way around. Last thing any snake wants is to get within a hundred feet of a human. Especially if that human is named Duane. Chicken#@*#, snake murdering bastard that he is.

You have never been around Water Moccasins have you? They will chase you to the end of the earth! They see you from afar, size you up and come straight at you. A shotgun is your only friend around those bastards.

Back in the early 80's I almost stepped on a 5' 8" Water Moccasin that was "sunning" himself on the side of the Ocklawaha river. A buddy and me were walking through 3 foot grass and right before I put my foot down on his head I looked down and saw it coiled up like a Cobra. I still see that big ole Black head with that gaping White mouth to this day. Luckily I just happened to have my 9mm with me. One to the back and one to the head and that's all she wrote. 35 miles from the nearest hospital...it would not have ended well for me.

That's a pretty big Cottonmouth. They aren't usually that long. Short and squatty. They're the Mexicans of the snake world!

It was the biggest one I've ever seen and I've seen hundreds and hundreds. ( that figures because that's the one fate decided to put in my path that day) We took it back to the truck and took a pic ( it sits right on top of one of my gun safes) and threw a tape on it. Every bit of 5'8". Before he knew we were there his head and mouth was so big it looked like you could drop a soft ball down his throat and never touch the sides. Still think of the "what ifs" to this day.

 

[Anonymous]

I had a moccasin, every bit of 5' long, climb on top of a bush hog I was using to cut a fence line through tall grass. That bastard came up onto the frame and was headed at me on the tractor. Needless to say, my ass was going off the front of the tractor and straight to the truck. Grabbed the shotgun and and started back. I blasted his ass as he was tracking ME down. I HATE Moccasins!


Had another one come across the Intracoastal waterway while fishing. My buddy starting shooting it just as it was climbing into the boat (10' flat bottom). I don't know if I could've out swim it!


I don't miss those snakes.

 

[Anonymous]

It 's funny but when I was a youngin, I couldn't wait for someone to get a pair of shoes so I could get the box and go to the creek and catch snakes. Wasn't nothing for me to bring 8 or 10 home in the box. Now, they scare the hell out of me. Looks like these feathered friends like snake too.

 

[Laurie S.]

Biggest diamondback I've seen was about 8 feet long and his mid-section looked to be at least 8 inches across. No, I did not get close enough to measure. It was the first time I've ever seen a Pima Indian turn into a paleface. My crew member found it and he started yelling.