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San Diego County Cache Critters


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Yowzah!! Gotta watch your step out there folks! This is near "Pirates Treasure" (GCV75N)

 

This morning I was surprised ( and I do mean SURPRISED!) when I walked right past a very large rattler. I heard a rustle in the brush about 3' away. I turned around -- I was 7 or 8 feet away by that time -- and saw it in a "Back off, Slim, or things could get real ugly..." pose! I practically jumped out of my skin! :(:(:(

 

After getting clear and calming down, I got out my camera and took some pictures (all the while staying well back...)

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This is a Red Diamond Rattlesnake or Crotalus exsul (formerly C. ruber) Note the characteristic racing stripes near the rattles. This is the largest species of rattlesnake in the San Diego area. Most adult specimans range from 2 1/2 to 4 1/2 feet in length. This one looks to be pretty close to four feet in length.

Edited by Let's Look Over Thayer
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Yowzah!! Gotta watch your step out there folks! This is near "Pirates Treasure" (GCV75N)

 

This morning I was surprised ( and I do mean SURPRISED!) when I walked right past a very large rattler. I heard a rustle in the brush about 3' away. I turned around -- I was 7 or 8 feet away by that time -- and saw it in a "Back off, Slim, or things could get real ugly..." pose! I practically jumped out of my skin! :ph34r::ph34r::ph34r:

 

After getting clear and calming down, I got out my camera and took some pictures (all the while staying well back...)

 

This is a Red Diamond Rattlesnake or Crotalus exsul (formerly C. ruber) Note the characteristic racing stripes near the rattles. This is the largest species of rattlesnake in the San Diego area. Most adult specimans range from 2 1/2 to 4 1/2 feet in length. This one looks to be pretty close to four feet in length.

James-

Nice shots of one of our most common local rattlesnakes - here on the coast and in the desert. That raccoon tail is a real giveaway for identifying these guys. Fortunately, they tend to go the other way most of the time.

-GD

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Satueday, 3/25/2006

Spotted this Australian White Ibis (Threskiornis molucca) while unsuccessfully searching for the very tricky Jekyll and ???? micro hide (GCMKQ2) in Sydney's Hyde Park. I came back at night and found the cache over 50 feet from GZ. The Australian Ibis is similar to but distinct from the Sacred Ibis that are native to Africa.

-GD

 

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Monday, 3/20/2006 (Adelaide) and Monday, 3/27/2006 (Sydney)

American Cockroach (Periplaneta americana)

Largest species of of the Periplaneta family. Although named "American", this variety actually came to the North American continent from Africa as early as 1625 - a very recent event given their 250 million year evolutionary history (see American Cockroach). I was unable to find when or how they managed to get to Australia. There are native Australian species but these are the kind I encountered on recent nighttime sorties in South Australia and New South Wales.

 

Curiously, one of the Australian cockroach species lives in the U.S. (Eurycotis floridana) through what is thought to be a result of plate tectonics movements when Australia and South America split from the super-continent Pangea a mere 50 million years ago.

-GD

 

GCHBG4)

:bad::o:ph34r:

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GCR1CD

:huh::o:bad::o

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Yowzah!! Gotta watch your step out there folks! This is near "Pirates Treasure" (GCV75N)

 

This morning I was surprised ( and I do mean SURPRISED!) when I walked right past a very large rattler. I heard a rustle in the brush about 3' away. I turned around -- I was 7 or 8 feet away by that time -- and saw it in a "Back off, Slim, or things could get real ugly..." pose! I practically jumped out of my skin! :o:o:P

 

After getting clear and calming down, I got out my camera and took some pictures (all the while staying well back...)

This is a Red Diamond Rattlesnake or Crotalus exsul (formerly C. ruber) Note the characteristic racing stripes near the rattles. This is the largest species of rattlesnake in the San Diego area. Most adult specimans range from 2 1/2 to 4 1/2 feet in length. This one looks to be pretty close to four feet in length.

It looks like I placed my newest cache near a couple of rattlesnakes. All but the FTF have mentioned finding the snake (and we didn't see it when we placed the cache). It seems like the people going for the cache now are actually going to find the snake.

 

I would never recommend doing what this cacher did. :blink:

 

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This guy posed for quite a while before skittering off into the brush.

 

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I found him up on "Puzzle Hill" on our way to Missing Link.

Nice photo of a Southern Alligator Lizard (Elgaria multicarinata). Alligator lizards are sometimes mistaken as snakes due to their slithering motion when surprised. They are capable of eating small mammels and birds and other lizards. We have a number of these guys around the Gecko abode. One took up residency in our garage for the longest time and another got into our dining room once - which did not amuse Gecko Mom.

-GD

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Saturday, 4/15/2006

Desert Iguana (Dipsosaurus dorsalis)

Fish Creek/Sandstone Canyon area of Anza Borrego Desert State Park in vicinity of several caches that we have found in the past or are yet to be visited by any Geckos, such as AA6. This individual dashed in front of Gecko Gurl while we were walking over to a remnant petrified forest on an Anza Borrego Foundation outing. Desert Iguanas are reportedly able to comfortably withstand higher temperatures than any other local variety of lizard. They are able to climb into trees and bushes and are very quick when they want to be. I have previously seen specimens out in the midday sun in Death Valley but they never let me get nearly this close for photographs.

-Gecko Dad

 

The Full Monty

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Note the conspicuous dorsal ridge

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Up close and personal

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Friday, 4/14/2006

A pair of Gray Foxes (Urocyon cinereoargenteus) encountered as I was climbing down from Rego Mountain to the west of Blair Valley. I imagine the stormy conditions and remote location helped this pair decide to watch me rather than scamper off. These are the first Gray Foxes I have seen in the desert. Around San Diego, they tend to be relatively reclusive and are generally a nocturnal species. I did see one at midday in the small canyon east of the Presidio but it did not linger before disappearing into the surrounding vegetation. Gray Foxes are the largest of the four species of fox in the U.S. and are the only members of the dog family that can climb trees. Notice that the left most of this pair is missing much of one ear. It is the one I saw first as it scrambled a short distance in these rocks with a nearly perfect camouflage match to the background. I had to take a photo and display and magnify that image on my camera screen to make an initial identification. Then I angled down slope a bit so I could see it in silhouette. That's when the second fox popped up on the right. They seemed extraordinarily curious about me and stood in the position for at least five minutes without appearing to move in any way, including the expressions you see in these photos. With rain clouds continuing to zip by overhead, I finally opted to move along and they did too.

-GD

 

The first fox checking me out

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The pair in their "fixed" position

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A closer look at "one ear"

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... and it's mate

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And now for something completely different...not a rattlesnake.

 

Looks like member of genus Thamnophis (a.k.a. garter snake) but I'm not sure what species. Perhaps someone could identify it?

Burlington I presume. Burlington garters last forever.

Edited by SD Rowdies
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47e5ce8c-44ce-4128-b853-9fc6f96f6162.jpg

 

And now for something completely different...not a rattlesnake.

 

Looks like member of genus Thamnophis (a.k.a. garter snake) but I'm not sure what species. Perhaps someone could identify it?

 

LLOT-

It is probably a Two-striped Garter Snake (Thamnophis hammondi). They range from central coast of California down into Baja.

 

Here is a photo of a juvenile I encountered last year on the walk back from Penny Mine.

-GD

 

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Well, since Don posted photos from Australia, I guess I can post a few from our recent road trip, although I can't claim any of them are as clear as what you have posted so far.

 

We saw several of this type of Jay while we were in the Redwoods.

 

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We saw this little rabbit on the way to the Missouri Headwaters in Montana:

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On the same trail, we saw lots of beaver activity, but we couldn't find the beavers...we did spot their dam though...

 

The work on this tree was very fresh...

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This one was an old fall...

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This pair of bald eagles was working on a kill that there were 4 wolves working on. I couldn't get close enough to get a picture of the wolves, and I really had to crop and zoom the picture so the eagles showed up.

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This bison was grazing right next to our car.

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Here is another right next to the car...

 

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One of many elk we encountered.

 

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Well, since Don posted photos from Australia, I guess I can post a few from our recent road trip, although I can't claim any of them are as clear as what you have posted so far.

Cornertstone-

Very nice photos. Thanks for sharing them. Yes, it is ok to post critter shots from different locations if you were caching when you saw them (or on your way to a cache). Or it is just too hard to resist sharing a special animal encounter with our local caching community.

 

It looks like you were in Yellowstone or close by. Did you visit any of the many virtual caches while there? One of our favorites is Hayden Valley Bears (GCJP1Q).

-GD

 

Here is a mother grizzly and two or her triplet cubs photographed from that site while they were foraging after sunset. [i held my camera up to our small spotting scope (Groovy's idea). Also captured some quicktimes in the same manner.]

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We saw this hefty dude while while we walking back from Yellowstone - Very Bad Breath (GC7A91). We called him "Trotter" because ...

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... he suddenly dashed across our path moments after Gecko Gurl and Groovy Gecko skirted his position. It was the direct path back to our car (GG and GG are in black shirts). ^_^

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Duganrm had a huge surprise today walking over to Go Cougars! I was right behind him when he suddenly jumped back when he got within 5-6 feet of a huge rattlesnake. The snake immediately coiled up in the strike position and began aggressively rattling. I have never seen a rattler that pissed before or that loud! icon_smile_shock.gif Anyhow we took a different way to the cache and walked much much slower after that!!!

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Duganrm had a huge surprise today walking over to Go Cougars! I was right behind him when he suddenly jumped back when he got within 5-6 feet of a huge rattlesnake. The snake immediately coiled up in the strike position and began aggressively rattling. I have never seen a rattler that pissed before or that loud!

Anyhow we took a different way to the cache and walked much much slower after that!!!

 

Looks like a Red Diamond. I have seen them raise up like cobras as often as not and go into the warning mode like you describe. In my experience, if you don't threaten them or approach any closer, they'll usually go their own way. Still can become a dangerous situation if you suprise them before they see or detect you. Best to give them lots of room.

-GD

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Duganrm had a huge surprise today walking over to Go Cougars! I was right behind him when he suddenly jumped back when he got within 5-6 feet of a huge rattlesnake. The snake immediately coiled up in the strike position and began aggressively rattling. I have never seen a rattler that pissed before or that loud!

Sounds a lot like my "surprise" from a couple weeks ago (scroll up this page for the photos and the story...)

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Duganrm had a huge surprise today walking over to Go Cougars! I was right behind him when he suddenly jumped back when he got within 5-6 feet of a huge rattlesnake. The snake immediately coiled up in the strike position and began aggressively rattling. I have never seen a rattler that pissed before or that loud!

Anyhow we took a different way to the cache and walked much much slower after that!!!

 

Looks like a Red Diamond. I have seen them raise up like cobras as often as not and go into the warning mode like you describe. In my experience, if you don't threaten them or approach any closer, they'll usually go their own way. Still can become a dangerous situation if you suprise them before they see or detect you. Best to give them lots of room.

-GD

That's exactly what we did! ^_^ When we came back from the cache the large angry snake was gone. Of course that didn't make us feel any better because we now had no idea where it had slithered off too.... :laughing:

 

But this situation does raise the need for a quick review of what you should do if someone happens to get bit. I know that you are supposed to tie off the wound above it to slow down the blood flow back to the heart. You are supposed to keep the wound below the heart. Lastly you need to get going to the nearest emergency room. Any other suggestions?

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Duganrm had a huge surprise today walking over to Go Cougars! I was right behind him when he suddenly jumped back when he got within 5-6 feet of a huge rattlesnake. The snake immediately coiled up in the strike position and began aggressively rattling. I have never seen a rattler that pissed before or that loud!

Anyhow we took a different way to the cache and walked much much slower after that!!!

 

Looks like a Red Diamond. I have seen them raise up like cobras as often as not and go into the warning mode like you describe. In my experience, if you don't threaten them or approach any closer, they'll usually go their own way. Still can become a dangerous situation if you suprise them before they see or detect you. Best to give them lots of room.

-GD

That's exactly what we did! ^_^ When we came back from the cache the large angry snake was gone. Of course that didn't make us feel any better because we now had no idea where it had slithered off too.... :laughing:

 

But this situation does raise the need for a quick review of what you should do if someone happens to get bit. I know that you are supposed to tie off the wound above it to slow down the blood flow back to the heart. You are supposed to keep the wound below the heart. Lastly you need to get going to the nearest emergency room. Any other suggestions?

Make sure to Geocache with a partner and then make sure that your partner walks ahead of you on the trail.

 

It works for me, just ask the Geobabes if you don't believe me.

 

Sweet old Harmon

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But this situation does raise the need for a quick review of what you should do if someone happens to get bit. I know that you are supposed to tie off the wound above it to slow down the blood flow back to the heart. You are supposed to keep the wound below the heart. Lastly you need to get going to the nearest emergency room. Any other suggestions?

According to the website for American Family Physicians (AFP)...

 

* Stay calm.

* If you see the snake, try to remember what it looks like. Do NOT approach the snake; don't try to catch it or to kill it.

* Take off any jewelry or tight clothing near the bite quickly, before swelling starts.

* Lift a bitten arm or leg so it is level with your heart.

* Clean the bite wound. Be sure to wipe in the direction away from the wound.

* If you think the bite was from a poisonous snake, get to a hospital as soon as you can. In most of the United States, you should have time to get medical help before the bite is a serious danger to your life.

* If medical help is more than 30 minutes away, tie an elastic wrap two inches above the bite. The wrap should be loose enough to slip a finger underneath it.

* Do NOT bleed the wound.

* Do NOT try to suck the venom out of the wound.

* Do NOT put ice on the bite.

 

On the other hand, U of Maryland Medical Center says:

 

* Call for emergency assistance immediately if someone has been bitten by a snake. Responding quickly in this type of emergency is crucial. While waiting for emergency assistance:

* Wash the bite with soap and water.

* Immobilize the bitten area and keep it lower than the heart.

* Cover the area with a clean, cool compress or a moist dressing to minimize swelling and discomfort.

* Monitor vital signs.

 

If a victim is unable to reach medical care within 30 minutes, the American Red Cross recommends:

 

* Apply a bandage, wrapped two to four inches above the bite, to help slow the venom. This should not cut off the flow of blood from a vein or artery - the band should be loose enough to slip a finger under it.

* A suction device can be placed over the bite to help draw venom out of the wound without making cuts. These devices are often included in commercial snake bite kits.

 

If all else fails, application of a tourniquet between brain and heart will resolve all present and future health problems... :o

Edited by Let's Look Over Thayer
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But this situation does raise the need for a quick review of what you should do if someone happens to get bit. I know that you are supposed to tie off the wound above it to slow down the blood flow back to the heart. You are supposed to keep the wound below the heart. Lastly you need to get going to the nearest emergency room. Any other suggestions?

According to the website for American Family Physicians (AFP)...

 

* Stay calm.

* If you see the snake, try to remember what it looks like. Do NOT approach the snake; don't try to catch it or to kill it.

* Take off any jewelry or tight clothing near the bite quickly, before swelling starts.

* Lift a bitten arm or leg so it is level with your heart.

* Clean the bite wound. Be sure to wipe in the direction away from the wound.

* If you think the bite was from a poisonous snake, get to a hospital as soon as you can. In most of the United States, you should have time to get medical help before the bite is a serious danger to your life.

* If medical help is more than 30 minutes away, tie an elastic wrap two inches above the bite. The wrap should be loose enough to slip a finger underneath it.

* Do NOT bleed the wound.

* Do NOT try to suck the venom out of the wound.

* Do NOT put ice on the bite.

 

On the other hand, U of Maryland Medical Center says:

 

* Call for emergency assistance immediately if someone has been bitten by a snake. Responding quickly in this type of emergency is crucial. While waiting for emergency assistance:

* Wash the bite with soap and water.

* Immobilize the bitten area and keep it lower than the heart.

* Cover the area with a clean, cool compress or a moist dressing to minimize swelling and discomfort.

* Monitor vital signs.

 

If a victim is unable to reach medical care within 30 minutes, the American Red Cross recommends:

 

* Apply a bandage, wrapped two to four inches above the bite, to help slow the venom. This should not cut off the flow of blood from a vein or artery - the band should be loose enough to slip a finger under it.

* A suction device can be placed over the bite to help draw venom out of the wound without making cuts. These devices are often included in commercial snake bite kits.

 

If all else fails, application of a tourniquet between brain and heart will resolve all present and future health problems... :o

Thanks! The last two blurbs confirm what I've been told to do. But you have to admit that Harmon's idea of letting the Geobabes walk in front is a very effective method of prevention! :lol:

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Thanks! The last two blurbs confirm what I've been told to do. But you have to admit that Harmon's idea of letting the Geobabes walk in front is a very effective method of prevention! :lol:

It may be effective but, alas, I don't get out much with the Geobabes...

 

...and Ms. LLOT makes me walk in front! :o

 

(Must be time for another animal photo so that we can change the subject... :o )

Edited by Let's Look Over Thayer
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I've had the pleasure of studying, collecting and working on snakes for a good chunk of my life. They are fascinating creatures and we are both blessed and cursed to have their company here in San Diego.

 

The comments I would add to the above discussion on snake bite venomations are:

 

1) Stay calm. Freaking out never helps anything.!

 

2) Get help. If you are up in MTRP get on the phone and get a helicopter ride out of there! Well worth the cost.

 

The time you save may save a finger, a hand, or your life!

 

Lastly. Most snake bites are provoked by stupid actions . . . like that in the photo of the geocacher restraining the Red Rattle Snake seen in these forums. Don't try to catch the snake and don't try to kill it. That's how you are most likely to get bit.

 

My 5 cents

 

Jeff / drexotic

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I've had the pleasure of studying, collecting and working on snakes for a good chunk of my life. They are fascinating creatures and we are both blessed and cursed to have their company here in San Diego.

 

The comments I would add to the above discussion on snake bite venomations are:

 

1) Stay calm. Freaking out never helps anything.!

 

2) Get help. If you are up in MTRP get on the phone and get a helicopter ride out of there! Well worth the cost.

 

The time you save may save a finger, a hand, or your life!

 

Lastly. Most snake bites are provoked by stupid actions . . . like that in the photo of the geocacher restraining the Red Rattle Snake seen in these forums. Don't try to catch the snake and don't try to kill it. That's how you are most likely to get bit.

 

My 5 cents

 

Jeff / drexotic

Thanks for the 5 cents Jeff! I spent my childhood fearing copperheads and cottonmouths. The same is now true with rattlers after several close encounters since I've been out here. I can't imagine picking one up but I did kill a small one in my sideyard with a shovel about 5 years ago. I wasn't going to let it disappear and later threaten us, the neighbors or my dog. I was extremely careful when I did it. :laughing:

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Friday, 28 April 2006

White-throated Swift (Areonautes saxatalis). One of the more difficult subjects to photograph due to their speed and erratic flight maneuvers. Nearly four hours into a hike in the Fish Creek Mountains - after logging J & R and The Crow's Nest - I descended into the Mud Hills without having seen any living critters - vertebrate or otherwise. With afternoon temperatures averaging around 97 degrees in the shade (shade, what shade?), I was suddenly buzzed by a small flock of these speedsters. This is the single photograph I was able to capture and then only because the Swift flew into the scene I was previewing. Attempting to track them with an autofocus camera was hopeless.

 

I well recall this species of swift from the early 60s when I was climbing around in the desert peaks west of Davis Dam, back before any development out there aside from Bob McCullough's primitive Lake Havasu test site where my dad performed field trials on the Scott outboard motors he designed. Temperatures could be above 110 degrees but the heat never seemed to bother the swifts.

 

Frequently you hear them first and then they buzz you within a few yards, often hanging around for surprisingly long periods. I have seen the same phenomenon up in the Lagunas, such as on the Champagne Ridge between Cuyamaca's East Mesa and the Pioneer Mail trailhead. It is easy to lose track of time watching and admiring these aerial acrobats.

-GD

 

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9addf195-5319-405a-8b5c-b7c971ac01ea.jpg

Edited by Team Gecko
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But this situation does raise the need for a quick review of what you should do if someone happens to get bit. I know that you are supposed to tie off the wound above it to slow down the blood flow back to the heart. You are supposed to keep the wound below the heart. Lastly you need to get going to the nearest emergency room. Any other suggestions?

According to the website for American Family Physicians (AFP)...

 

* Stay calm.

* If you see the snake, try to remember what it looks like. Do NOT approach the snake; don't try to catch it or to kill it.

* Take off any jewelry or tight clothing near the bite quickly, before swelling starts.

* Lift a bitten arm or leg so it is level with your heart.

* Clean the bite wound. Be sure to wipe in the direction away from the wound.

* If you think the bite was from a poisonous snake, get to a hospital as soon as you can. In most of the United States, you should have time to get medical help before the bite is a serious danger to your life.

* If medical help is more than 30 minutes away, tie an elastic wrap two inches above the bite. The wrap should be loose enough to slip a finger underneath it.

* Do NOT bleed the wound.

* Do NOT try to suck the venom out of the wound.

* Do NOT put ice on the bite.

 

On the other hand, U of Maryland Medical Center says:

 

* Call for emergency assistance immediately if someone has been bitten by a snake. Responding quickly in this type of emergency is crucial. While waiting for emergency assistance:

* Wash the bite with soap and water.

* Immobilize the bitten area and keep it lower than the heart.

* Cover the area with a clean, cool compress or a moist dressing to minimize swelling and discomfort.

* Monitor vital signs.

 

If a victim is unable to reach medical care within 30 minutes, the American Red Cross recommends:

 

* Apply a bandage, wrapped two to four inches above the bite, to help slow the venom. This should not cut off the flow of blood from a vein or artery - the band should be loose enough to slip a finger under it.

* A suction device can be placed over the bite to help draw venom out of the wound without making cuts. These devices are often included in commercial snake bite kits.

 

If all else fails, application of a tourniquet between brain and heart will resolve all present and future health problems... :laughing:

Thanks! The last two blurbs confirm what I've been told to do. But you have to admit that Harmon's idea of letting the Geobabes walk in front is a very effective method of prevention! :laughing:

 

Oh, Har-de-Har-Har!!!!!!!!

 

Now just wait a minute............Harmon told us that snakes always bite the last guy in line, so he is protecting us by letting us walk in front!!!!!!

Me thinks we've been had!

More demerits for the Probie.........

Splashette

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But this situation does raise the need for a quick review of what you should do if someone happens to get bit. I know that you are supposed to tie off the wound above it to slow down the blood flow back to the heart. You are supposed to keep the wound below the heart. Lastly you need to get going to the nearest emergency room. Any other suggestions?

According to the website for American Family Physicians (AFP)...

 

* Stay calm.

* If you see the snake, try to remember what it looks like. Do NOT approach the snake; don't try to catch it or to kill it.

* Take off any jewelry or tight clothing near the bite quickly, before swelling starts.

* Lift a bitten arm or leg so it is level with your heart.

* Clean the bite wound. Be sure to wipe in the direction away from the wound.

* If you think the bite was from a poisonous snake, get to a hospital as soon as you can. In most of the United States, you should have time to get medical help before the bite is a serious danger to your life.

* If medical help is more than 30 minutes away, tie an elastic wrap two inches above the bite. The wrap should be loose enough to slip a finger underneath it.

* Do NOT bleed the wound.

* Do NOT try to suck the venom out of the wound.

* Do NOT put ice on the bite.

 

On the other hand, U of Maryland Medical Center says:

 

* Call for emergency assistance immediately if someone has been bitten by a snake. Responding quickly in this type of emergency is crucial. While waiting for emergency assistance:

* Wash the bite with soap and water.

* Immobilize the bitten area and keep it lower than the heart.

* Cover the area with a clean, cool compress or a moist dressing to minimize swelling and discomfort.

* Monitor vital signs.

 

If a victim is unable to reach medical care within 30 minutes, the American Red Cross recommends:

 

* Apply a bandage, wrapped two to four inches above the bite, to help slow the venom. This should not cut off the flow of blood from a vein or artery - the band should be loose enough to slip a finger under it.

* A suction device can be placed over the bite to help draw venom out of the wound without making cuts. These devices are often included in commercial snake bite kits.

 

If all else fails, application of a tourniquet between brain and heart will resolve all present and future health problems... :)

Thanks! The last two blurbs confirm what I've been told to do. But you have to admit that Harmon's idea of letting the Geobabes walk in front is a very effective method of prevention! :)

 

Oh, Har-de-Har-Har!!!!!!!!

 

Now just wait a minute............Harmon told us that snakes always bite the last guy in line, so he is protecting us by letting us walk in front!!!!!!

Mwthinks we've been had!

More demerits for the Probie.........

Splashette

I ain't naming any names but some weenie tipped the Geobabes off about my trail etiquette.

 

First thing this morning they ordered me to lead the way along the trail. Later in the day they got DQ Blizzards on their mind and so with a tad of cunning I was able to resume my usual position at the rear of the line.

 

Dang! that was close, I could o' got snake bit.

 

Poor ol' Harmon

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But this situation does raise the need for a quick review of what you should do if someone happens to get bit. I know that you are supposed to tie off the wound above it to slow down the blood flow back to the heart. You are supposed to keep the wound below the heart. Lastly you need to get going to the nearest emergency room. Any other suggestions?

According to the website for American Family Physicians (AFP)...

 

* Stay calm.

* If you see the snake, try to remember what it looks like. Do NOT approach the snake; don't try to catch it or to kill it.

* Take off any jewelry or tight clothing near the bite quickly, before swelling starts.

* Lift a bitten arm or leg so it is level with your heart.

* Clean the bite wound. Be sure to wipe in the direction away from the wound.

* If you think the bite was from a poisonous snake, get to a hospital as soon as you can. In most of the United States, you should have time to get medical help before the bite is a serious danger to your life.

* If medical help is more than 30 minutes away, tie an elastic wrap two inches above the bite. The wrap should be loose enough to slip a finger underneath it.

* Do NOT bleed the wound.

* Do NOT try to suck the venom out of the wound.

* Do NOT put ice on the bite.

 

On the other hand, U of Maryland Medical Center says:

 

* Call for emergency assistance immediately if someone has been bitten by a snake. Responding quickly in this type of emergency is crucial. While waiting for emergency assistance:

* Wash the bite with soap and water.

* Immobilize the bitten area and keep it lower than the heart.

* Cover the area with a clean, cool compress or a moist dressing to minimize swelling and discomfort.

* Monitor vital signs.

 

If a victim is unable to reach medical care within 30 minutes, the American Red Cross recommends:

 

* Apply a bandage, wrapped two to four inches above the bite, to help slow the venom. This should not cut off the flow of blood from a vein or artery - the band should be loose enough to slip a finger under it.

* A suction device can be placed over the bite to help draw venom out of the wound without making cuts. These devices are often included in commercial snake bite kits.

 

If all else fails, application of a tourniquet between brain and heart will resolve all present and future health problems... :)

Thanks! The last two blurbs confirm what I've been told to do. But you have to admit that Harmon's idea of letting the Geobabes walk in front is a very effective method of prevention! :)

 

Oh, Har-de-Har-Har!!!!!!!!

 

Now just wait a minute............Harmon told us that snakes always bite the last guy in line, so he is protecting us by letting us walk in front!!!!!!

Mwthinks we've been had!

More demerits for the Probie.........

Splashette

I ain't naming any names but some weenie tipped the Geobabes off about my trail etiquette.

 

First thing this morning they ordered me to lead the way along the trail. Later in the day they got DQ Blizzards on their mind and so with a tad of cunning I was able to resume my usual position at the rear of the line.

 

Dang! that was close, I could o' got snake bit.

 

Poor ol' Harmon

:) By the way, the weenie wasn't me.... :P

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I agree with Don that we need to get back to the pictures, but I have to mention a critter that I saw this morning on the way to work (Sorry, No Pictures).

 

Lockheed Martin is right at the edge of Waterton Canyon. The Platte River runs though Waterton Canyon into Chatfield Lake and then runs North eventually going through the center of Denver. The Google Map below shows LM and Waterton Canyon Road crossing the Platte River. Chatfield Lake is off the Map to the North. Castle Rock is to the South East, so I come to work on back roads, eventually getting on to Waterton Canyon Road.

 

As I was driving on Waterton Canyon Road today just before getting to the Platte River, I saw a big animal entering the road from my Right. I starred a the thing, trying to make sure I wasn't imagining what I was seeing in the road in front of me. It was a large cat and I mean large. It wasn't no little bobcat. It was kind of surreal, but as the large animal made it's way across the road in front of me, I realized that I was watching a large mountain lion crossing the road. The thing wasn't running at a full sprint but more of a fast walk and I got a really good look at it. I could see the huge paws and the distinct cougar head. This big cat was the familiar mountain lion color, but it had some dark areas on it's paws and across its back.

 

After exiting the road, he quickly disappeared in the bushes. I was stunned. As I drove past the Platte River, about 20 feet beyond where I saw the cat, I looked to my left and saw 5 deer standing in the middle of the river very tightly bunched together. I suspect that the cat was on the hunt for those deer and they were standing in the river for protection.

 

I'm just glad I saw the mountain lion from the safety of my truck instead of on the trail. The good news is that there are tons of deer around here for the mountain lions to eat, and human attacks are very rare.

 

da31e834-4692-4859-80ae-c126a14e539c.jpg

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I agree with Don that we need to get back to the pictures, but I have to mention a critter that I saw this morning on the way to work (Sorry, No Pictures).

 

Lockheed Martin is right at the edge of Waterton Canyon. The Platte River runs though Waterton Canyon into Chatfield Lake and then runs North eventually going through the center of Denver. The Google Map below shows LM and Waterton Canyon Road crossing the Platte River. Chatfield Lake is off the Map to the North. Castle Rock is to the South East, so I come to work on back roads, eventually getting on to Waterton Canyon Road.

 

As I was driving on Waterton Canyon Road today just before getting to the Platte River, I saw a big animal entering the road from my Right. I starred a the thing, trying to make sure I wasn't imagining what I was seeing in the road in front of me. It was a large cat and I mean large. It wasn't no little bobcat. It was kind of surreal, but as the large animal made it's way across the road in front of me, I realized that I was watching a large mountain lion crossing the road. The thing wasn't running at a full sprint but more of a fast walk and I got a really good look at it. I could see the huge paws and the distinct cougar head. This big cat was the familiar mountain lion color, but it had some dark areas on it's paws and across its back.

 

After exiting the road, he quickly disappeared in the bushes. I was stunned. As I drove past the Platte River, about 20 feet beyond where I saw the cat, I looked to my left and saw 5 deer standing in the middle of the river very tightly bunched together. I suspect that the cat was on the hunt for those deer and they were standing in the river for protection.

 

I'm just glad I saw the mountain lion from the safety of my truck instead of on the trail. The good news is that there are tons of deer around here for the mountain lions to eat, and human attacks are very rare.

 

da31e834-4692-4859-80ae-c126a14e539c.jpg

For crying out loud, what's the matter with you running around without your camera? I thought I learned y' better than that.

 

What a treat!

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For crying out loud, what's the matter with you running around without your camera? I thought I learned y' better than that.

 

What a treat!

 

I couldn't have been that quick on the draw anyway. <_<

Good point. I can see how you might forget your camera but don't ever forget that a Mountain Lion see's you as the other white meat.

 

O shoot, I'm bantering again ain't I? Sorry.

Edited by SD Rowdies
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<snip> It was a large cat and I mean large. It wasn't no little bobcat. <snip>
For crying out loud, what's the matter with you running around without your camera? I thought I learned y' better than that.

I couldn't have been that quick on the draw anyway. ;)

Wow! SO cool... Wish I could have seen it!

 

I've seen a few mountain lions in Colorado and New Mexico and I've never gotten out my camera in time either. They sure do vanish quickly...

 

Perhaps this could serve in place of the picture you would have liked to upload?

07d37c8b-fab8-4c8d-b951-6dd99c2d04e0.jpg

 

(Yeah, I know it's not a mountain lion...and it wasn't going to or from a cache, unless you count the fact that all my caching adventures start here at the house...)

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<snip> It was a large cat and I mean large. It wasn't no little bobcat. <snip>
For crying out loud, what's the matter with you running around without your camera? I thought I learned y' better than that.

I couldn't have been that quick on the draw anyway. :D

Wow! SO cool... Wish I could have seen it!

 

I've seen a few mountain lions in Colorado and New Mexico and I've never gotten out my camera in time either. They sure do vanish quickly...

 

Perhaps this could serve in place of the picture you would have liked to upload?

07d37c8b-fab8-4c8d-b951-6dd99c2d04e0.jpg

 

(Yeah, I know it's not a mountain lion...and it wasn't going to or from a cache, unless you count the fact that all my caching adventures start here at the house...)

 

What kind of dog is that??? You live with Siegfried and Roy? :D

 

Thanks to all of you for the pictures. This is my favorite thread. :)

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I agree with Don that we need to get back to the pictures, but I have to mention a critter that I saw this morning on the way to work (Sorry, No Pictures).

 

Lockheed Martin is right at the edge of Waterton Canyon. The Platte River runs though Waterton Canyon into Chatfield Lake and then runs North eventually going through the center of Denver. The Google Map below shows LM and Waterton Canyon Road crossing the Platte River. Chatfield Lake is off the Map to the North. Castle Rock is to the South East, so I come to work on back roads, eventually getting on to Waterton Canyon Road.

 

As I was driving on Waterton Canyon Road today just before getting to the Platte River, I saw a big animal entering the road from my Right. I starred a the thing, trying to make sure I wasn't imagining what I was seeing in the road in front of me. It was a large cat and I mean large. It wasn't no little bobcat. It was kind of surreal, but as the large animal made it's way across the road in front of me, I realized that I was watching a large mountain lion crossing the road. The thing wasn't running at a full sprint but more of a fast walk and I got a really good look at it. I could see the huge paws and the distinct cougar head. This big cat was the familiar mountain lion color, but it had some dark areas on it's paws and across its back.

 

After exiting the road, he quickly disappeared in the bushes. I was stunned. As I drove past the Platte River, about 20 feet beyond where I saw the cat, I looked to my left and saw 5 deer standing in the middle of the river very tightly bunched together. I suspect that the cat was on the hunt for those deer and they were standing in the river for protection.

 

I'm just glad I saw the mountain lion from the safety of my truck instead of on the trail. The good news is that there are tons of deer around here for the mountain lions to eat, and human attacks are very rare.

 

 

What a great story, Dave! Sure would have liked to been there to see the show. In this case, your account is at least as memorable as a photo. Thanks for sharing.

-GD

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