# Found this this morning -



## November X-ray (Aug 17, 2012)

-this little guy was outside my office door this morning. I don't know if it was there when I got to work at 5:00 am as it was dark out.


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## 7HC (Aug 17, 2012)

Looks like he's got a good meal inside him, at least a couple of mice! 

M


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## Rbeckett (Aug 17, 2012)

Oh yeah, Thats a morning suprise I can do without.  We live in the country, surrounded by heavy woods, so critters show up but a tmber rattler has to go.  Youre luck he was cold when you walked by him this morning, or you would be in the ER right now.  Glad your OK and he is under control.
Bob


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## November X-ray (Aug 17, 2012)

Let's just say my heart rate was increased quite a bit and the shot of adreneline made sure I am fully awake! I've got a couple of "cajuns" that work with me and they took it after the picture to go show it to some of the field personnel. Of course I hear that they taste like chicken if prepared correctly, but I think I'll pass!


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## Rbeckett (Aug 17, 2012)

RS finger sammiches are great!!!.  When you skin em you just have to make sure you bleed out the dark line that runs the length of their body.  That stuff will make ya sick.  Once ya dehead the critter, and skin it you will see the dark line.  Hang him up and milk that dark out and youre all set.  If you put it in the food processor and make it like a tuna or chicken salad consistency and add seasoning they are truly a great lil snack.  Just gotta get past the whole "I'm eating a snake" thing and youre good.  I used to make em up and pass em around and after they were all gone I would disclose the secret infredient.  Most of my freinds expect me to have something weird going on so they are rarely suprised or taken aback.  RS also have an extremely valuable venom that is used for all kinds of medical preps and drugs, so if you have apopulation of them you might want to consider getting a collector to remove them all at one time.  Just a thought.
Bob


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## PurpLev (Aug 17, 2012)

how very cool. 

we used to see rs in the desert, but always left them be and they did the same.


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## Old Iron (Aug 17, 2012)

Had a 4" Diamond Back in front of the house last week. Needless to say he didn't live long and they say there endangered list,they are if they get around me.

Paul


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## 7HC (Aug 17, 2012)

Old Iron said:


> Had a 4" Diamond Back in front of the house last week. Needless to say he didn't live long and they say there endangered list,they are if they get around me.
> 
> Paul



Meh......let him go his way and you go yours.  It's not like he's going to chase you down and attack you.

M


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## Charley Davidson (Aug 17, 2012)

7HC said:


> Meh......let him go his way and you go yours.  It's not like he's going to chase you down and attack you.
> 
> M



If he walks past you unexpectantly you are not gonna bite him, Unfortunately he doesn't give the same respect :nono:anic::soldier2::shotgun:


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## jfcayron (Aug 17, 2012)

shawn said:


> snakes are pretty cool animals


In fact they ARE cold-blooded. :lmao:

Joke aside, it is illegal to kill them here in AZ.


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## Old Iron (Aug 17, 2012)

7HC said:


> Meh......let him go his way and you go yours. It's not like he's going to chase you down and attack you.
> 
> M



Well I've got 2 little house dogs that go out to do there business and it mite bite them, This way it doesn't get the chance.

Paul


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## Old Iron (Aug 17, 2012)

shawn said:


> I don't want to start an argument here but snakes are pretty cool animals and deserve the same respect we give other potentially dangerous animals. Killing something simply because you are afraid of it or don't understand it, is never the right thing to do. I have removed a few rattlers in my neighbors backyards, it's a simple job to capture and relocate these guys. It's even simpler in the morning before they have warmed up.
> 
> Shawn




Shawn

I'm not afraid of them and I do understand snakes, how ever here in Alabama the only good snake is a dead snake. Now I let all other snakes go except the ones that can kill!!!


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## Old Iron (Aug 17, 2012)

jfcayron said:


> In fact they ARE cold-blooded. :lmao:
> 
> Joke aside, it is illegal to kill them here in AZ.




It is here also but not around me.

Paul


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## woodguy (Aug 17, 2012)

There are numerous references on the internet to the distribution of rattlesnakes around the Americas. This is just one quote:

"Various rattlesnakes species are found only in the Western Hemisphere from SW Canada to Argentina. 32 species and 83 subspecies of rattlesnakes are identified in the Americas. Crotalus has 29 species and 74 subspecies. Sistrurus consists of 3 species and 9 subspecies. South America has 9 subspecies of rattlesnakes. Mexico and Central America have 4 subspecies. Rattlesnakes can be found in a range of habitats and mountain elevations up to 14,000 feet. The timber rattlesnake was once found in both Rhode Island and the southern Maine, but has been exterminated from both states. Alaska, Delaware, and Hawaii have no records of rattlesnakes. Every other state has at least 1 species of rattlesnake."

I'm guessing the original poster isn't in Alaska at the moment.


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## November X-ray (Aug 17, 2012)

sssfox said:


> I had no idea there were rattlesnakes in Alaska.
> Learn something new every day!



My job is in North Carolina, my summer house is in Alaska. The snake was outside my office at work!


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## 7HC (Aug 18, 2012)

If you have a snake in your yard and you want it to move along, the easiest and safest way is to spray it from a distance with the garden hose.
Use the jet setting rather than a gentle spray (which it would probably enjoy!).

M


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## tommied (Aug 18, 2012)

Snakes are all to common here and its illegal to kill them too. Poor dogs get bit often but if you keep cats around the snakes will go elsewhere. 


tommie


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## stevecmo (Aug 18, 2012)

Wow, that's a big un.  How the heck did you get him to hold still while you measured him?


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## pjf134 (Aug 18, 2012)

To me RS taste like frog legs, they are still good. At the snake roundup you have to put them back where you found them and after they get milked. Texas used to have a cook-out with the snakes they round up, but I do think they stopped it a few years back. I did see a RS chase a friend of mine down in Southern WV, but the snake died of lead poison real quick, good thing because we were far from a doctor or anything else. I never seen that guy shoot that good before or after with a pistol. The snake round up I used to go to was in Northern PA and was a big event, but the one in Texas I hear was bigger.
Paul


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## November X-ray (Aug 19, 2012)

stevecmo said:


> Wow, that's a big un.  How the heck did you get him to hold still while you measured him?



I asked him very politely but he refused and had to be persuaded instead!


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## AR1911 (Aug 21, 2012)

I think the Texas rattlesnake roundup died off because the snakes were getting too hard to find.  The last few years they were transporting the snakes from one roundup to the next over several weeks time.


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## burnrider (Aug 21, 2012)

> I'm guessing the original poster isn't in Alaska at the moment.



Agreed, more like a bear than snake problem in Ketchikan.

For those living in snake country: Does short grass around your house discourage them from taking residence?


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## 7HC (Aug 21, 2012)

burnrider said:


> Agreed, more like a bear than snake problem in Ketchikan.
> 
> For those living in snake country: Does short grass around your house discourage them from taking residence?



Hard to say, but it does make them more visible.   However, snakes travel just like other animals, so although your grass may be well  trimmed there could be a whole community of rattlers in your neighbor's untidy yard just waiting to frolic on your nice smooth lawn!

M


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## Tony Wells (Aug 22, 2012)

I keep the "lawn" part of my place mowed pretty regular, and there are 4 cats outside, so I never see any snakes in the "lawn". The rest of it is left wild. I have ~2.5 acres, and about half or a little more is just woods. When I walk in the woods, I am watchful, and have seen many sort of snakes, but primarily Copperheads. Not too many rattlers in this part of East Texas. Once in a while, I hear about one, but never have seen one on my place. Across my back fence, there is a slow, wide creek that is more swamp that creek, and I have walked it a little while it was between owners, and yep, there are snakes there. Water Moccasins aplenty, some pretty large. I guess about 4-5" diameter and 5-6 feet long easily. I give them plenty of room. They can be quite aggressive. When I walked the property there, and my wooded portion, I do carry, and will use it if necessary. I don't normally kill Copperheads. They help keep the rodent population under control.

About a week ago, my wife reported seeing a Chaparral (Road Runner to you who don't know) running across the other neighbors back yard with a 2 foot snake in it's bill. She couldn't ID the snake from the distance, only that it was dark colored. 

Found this Hog Nosed snake up on the Cossotot River a couple of years ago:




And this near Lake Tyler about 3 years ago. Not positive, but believe it is a Cottonmouth:




I prefer to hunt them with my 35mm than anything else.


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## pjf134 (Aug 22, 2012)

My wife hates snakes and goes after them with a shovel, so I do not get in her way, she enjoys it too much. I live next to woods so I have many animals in my yard even a black bear last year. My neighbor does not come out at night because he told me he seen some weird looking creatures lately and my wife seen a coyote last week and woke me up to get rid of it but was gone before I got to see it. The coyote took the garbage bag off the back porch before my wife got a chance to put it in the can in the garage so it will be back because it ate good that day and left a mess all over the yard too while running from my wife.
Paul


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## 7HC (Aug 22, 2012)

pjf134 said:


> My neighbor does not come out at night because he told me he seen some weird looking creatures lately...........



Maybe he spotted your wife with her shovel. :yikes:

M


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## pjf134 (Aug 22, 2012)

7HC,
 My wife does not need a shovel to be scary.
Paul:angry:


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## core-oil (Aug 22, 2012)

Guess that over here in the U.K. it is a bit monotonous We only have one species of poisonous snake, the Adder, He is a really handsome snake, very timid, In my seventy odd years, i have only seen two of them , always out in the wilds, It is a serious offence to molest them in any way,  I believe the statistics are about six deaths from adder bites in the last 100 years

  We also have a copper coloured legless lizard called the slow worm, & further south down in England the smooth & grass snake, both harmless as well as some lizards, All species very seldom seen  I believe live & let live, I must confess to liking critters.

  I do not know how i would feel if these wee guys were deadly


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## 7HC (Aug 22, 2012)

pjf134 said:


> 7HC,
> My wife does not need a shovel to be scary.
> Paul:angry:



 :whiteflag: Then please don't tell her what I said.

M


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## 7HC (Aug 22, 2012)

core-oil said:


> Guess that over here in the U.K. it is a bit monotonous We only have one species of poisonous snake, the Adder, He is a really handsome snake, very timid, In my seventy odd years, i have only seen two of them , always out in the wilds, It is a serious offence to molest them in any way,  I believe the statistics are about six deaths from adder bites in the last 100 years
> 
> We also have a copper coloured legless lizard called the slow worm, & further south down in England the smooth & grass snake, both harmless as well as some lizards, All species very seldom seen  I believe live & let live, I must confess to liking critters.
> 
> I do not know how i would feel if these wee guys were deadly



I lived in the UK for many years and didn't see an adder (also called a viper) at all, although I was always aware of the possibility when walking through long grass or undergrowth.

However, I found that there were many dangerous animals lurking all over the country, usually appearing after it got dark........and they all walked on two legs.

M


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## pjf134 (Aug 22, 2012)

7HC said:


> :whiteflag: Then please don't tell her what I said.
> 
> M




 We will be in Tampa this winter so I won't tell her. We are just changing planes then on to Ft. Lauderdale for a day then Miami to catch a boat to the Islands for a week.
Paul


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## 7HC (Aug 22, 2012)

pjf134 said:


> We will be in Tampa this winter so I won't tell her. We are just changing planes then on to Ft. Lauderdale for a day then Miami to catch a boat to the Islands for a week.
> Paul



Enjoy your trip, but in all seriousness, do keep an eye on the path of tropical storm ISAAC: http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/graphics_at4.shtml?5-daynl?large#contents

M


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## core-oil (Aug 22, 2012)

7HC said:


> I lived in the UK for many years and didn't see an adder (also called a viper) at all, although I was always aware of the possibility when walking through long grass or undergrowth.
> 
> However, I found that there were many dangerous animals lurking all over the country, usually appearing after it got dark........and they all walked on two legs.
> 
> M


    Affirmative 7HC,  could not agree more with you After dark the city environments are more menacing than any other place on the planet That is why my poor old four legged critter who died off a couple of years ago, I felt safer with than the ones with only 50%of his legs!


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