Caution while in the boonies

[Bob22222]

Having grown up and lived most of my life in rattlesnake, bear, and or mt.lion country I would ofter the same common sense advice for all. When out tromping around in the sticks make noise. Lots of human sounds as you plod along. Not many of nature's creatures want much to do with you. Also, around here it might help keep you from getting shot. Doesn't work with momma bear and cub, however. Stay on trails, make your approach audible from a distance and they should be gone long before you get where they were. Snakes as I understand it "hear" for the most part through ground vibration so (not that I do it) it's likely a good idea to clunk a walking stick ahead of each step if you know you are in snake country.

 

[Cymon]

Just something to add for those of you who enjoy the outdoors with your canine companion...vets (at least my vet in California) offered an antivenom type shot to be given with yearly vaccines. This way if your pooch gets bit you have hours instead of minutes to get them treatment. I opted for it because I would mountain bike with my dog miles from help sometimes and I would have needed the time.

Also as a side note...keep a special eye out for juvenile snakes. They don't warn as well as the adults because they use only cammo as thier defense but at the same time can release the same amount of venom and don't regulate the amount they release. I took a leak on a baby rattle snake on the side of a trail with my daughter in an osprey pack on my back. Scared the piss out of me literally because I never saw it until it slithered under some brush. Now I always double check where I relieve myself in nature.

 

[Nicco61]

They can be fast but when you walk up on one they take their time getting away because they're the baddest thing around.

 

[Dezert4Runner]

Just want to remind you all to be careful out there, watch your kids & dogs. I came upon this while walking my dog.

Southern Pacific Rattlesnake. This is the worst one in SoCal to get bit by with the exception of the Mohave Rattlesnake. I knew a guy who got bit by a Southern Pacific while on Palomar Mountain in SD county. Had to get a life flight to a hospital and the bill was north of $100k. I forget how many viles of anti venin they used, but with this particular species, it was a lot. Luckily he had good insurance and only paid his $100 deductible!

This guy was on the edge of the rock pile we were camped against. The kids were climbing all over those rocks all day too. Was discovered later in the night when everyone was using that corner as the bathroom and one guy stepped close enough for it to set off a warning.

This one is a Speckled Rattlesnake.

Sidewinders only get like 3ft long so it must have been another type of rattlesnake you saw if it was anywhere near 5 ft long. Biggest I've seen is 2.5ft in Borrego Springs area, and I've seen dozens.

Check out this link Mohave Desert Sidewinder - Crotalus cerastes cerastes

 

[Drunner97]

Southern Pacific Rattlesnake. This is the worst one in SoCal to get bit by with the exception of the Mohave Rattlesnake. I knew a guy who got bit by a Southern Pacific while on Palomar Mountain in SD county. Had to get a life flight to a hospital and the bill was north of $100k. I forget how many viles of anti venin they used, but with this particular species, it was a lot. Luckily he had good insurance and only paid his $100 deductible!



This one is a Speckled Rattlesnake.

Sidewinders only get like 3ft long so it must have been another type of rattlesnake you saw if it was anywhere near 5 ft long. Biggest I've seen is 2.5ft in Borrego Springs area, and I've seen dozens.

Check out this link Mohave Desert Sidewinder - Crotalus cerastes cerastes

Eh, I probably exaggerated slightly on the size of the sidewinder, I was pretty blasted and it was dark, haha. Was definitely a sidewinder though, pretty tell tale with the way they move. That little guy up in the pic was maybe a foot long, tiny little guy in comparison of some of the rattlesnakes I've seen.

 

[Lee_Kee]

A few weeks ago after a short break beside the highway for my grandson to take care of business behind the bushes, my son almost stepped on a rattlesnake. It was still light out but the sun was going down.

Not the first time I've seen a snake when going behind the bushes.

 

[Nicco61]

And they don't rattle as loud as you'd want them to.

 

[Ron4RNevada]

Around here we generally see them between sunrise and about 10:00am while it's still cool.

After that its too warm for them out in the sun.

The prevalent rattler here is the Great basin Rattlesnake.

 

[Bandit Runner]

I thought this thread was going to have a "deliverance" theme.

 

[ThorInc]

I thought this thread was going to have a "deliverance" theme.

It does, you just have your volume off.......: