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Almost stepped on this

1534 Views 14 Replies 9 Participants Last post by  oldskool
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Hit my favorite spot again the other day and my buddy almost stepped on this guy. I almost stepped on one myself. He slid up into a crack in the rock as if to pose for this pic, how sweet is that! Man I love these things! Didn't rattle though until I poked it with a little stick. I love that sound! Only wish they would rattle when you're coming. Even when I stomped on the ground next to them they wouldn't rattle....what's up with that! Makes even a guy like me who loves snakes kinda nervous when they won't rattle unless provoked.

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I hear ya oldskool. Me and a few buddies were hiking into a lake a few weeks ago and my buddy saw one in the trail RIGHT before his foot almost landed on it. Funny how a man can levitate when put into a situation like that. Luckily once he levitated back away from it, it started rattling so we could tell where it was. Lets look at the positive though, at least they aren't aggressive like cotton mouths...
That is a good sized snake oldskool. How many rattles looks like 7 at least.
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That is a good sized snake oldskool. How many rattles looks like 7 at least.
Upon closer inspection headstrong1, it looked like almost nine. Hard to tell though for sure. I guess I could have picked it up and checked. Just kidd'n.

Ya Luke, no lie about the agressive part. However that being said, it did come after me once......but nothing like those cotton mouths for sure. Man, can you image fishing around a type of snake that just decides to come after you because you're "too close"? I love snakes, but that's almost too much for me.
Didn't rattle though until I poked it with a little stick.
And this is how people get bit :)
I guess I could have picked it up and checked/QUOTE]

Not typically a good idea.........

Ask me how I know
I used to camp out at Moses Lake as a kid. There always were a few rattlers enjoying the hot rocks just before sun down. We caught a few for a neighbor camper that wanted to eat them. Two sticks work well if you ever should need to pick one up. One with a hook or short tight bend at the end for pulling the snake from the middle to get them out of their coil [striking position]. One stick with a short y at the end [make sure its a good stick, not a sundried gray one...I made that mistake once]. Press the Y right behing the head. If it can still wriggle forward the Y may be too big, but most rattlers will cringe back into the Y. If you're sacking it [ pillow case] grab the tail and hold the stick between you and the snake to create some distance. If no sack, just pinch behind the head. Just remember, if you are grabbing the snake, don't wrap your hands around it, makes it harder to put down and the angle of your wrist make it easier for them to wrap around your arm [ again hard to put down].

But, the best advice.....just leave it alone.
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ugh I hate snakes
Probably don't have to deal with many snakes in Alaska! I'm not a big fan either.
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I guess I could have picked it up and checked/QUOTE]

Not typically a good idea.........

Ask me how I know
Ok, you're killing me Evan. You got to tell us!
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Did you catch any fish?????!!!!
Yes, I did actually. It was not as productive as the last time out. No browns as big as the one I posted last week, but pretty good overall. Two in the low 20's" and the rest in the mid teens. Funny thing was, the first trip I had just one fish under17", and this last trip only two over 18". Fat fish though. Like me, never missed a meal.
Experts say that ninety per cent of all snake bites are directly attributable to a chemical reaction in the victim arising from a mixture of testosterone and alcohol.
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Experts say that ninety per cent of all snake bites are directly attributable to a chemical reaction in the victim arising from a mixture of testosterone and alcohol.
Well, I don't drink anymore and I haven't reached puberty yet......so I guess I safe.
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