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RATTLESNAKE WARNING


caboose

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Due to the DROUGHT conditions in the east coast, rattlesnakes are being seen in unusual numbers. PLEASEEEEEE Tread carefully! We saw one in Atison, New Jersey today, and BOY WAS IT SCARY as heck!!! Three kids, a mom who is DEATHLY afraid of snakes ALONE, in the woods.....everything was ok, we tiptoed away very carefully and then ran like heck to our van!

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Ever heard the phrase "beating the bushes"...

Use walking stick, drag it, whack it, rattle it in bushes and long path. Sing, make noise, tell the snakes you are coming... They usually will leave, they don't want to see you as much as you don't want to see them...

 

Dale

 

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I'm Diagonally Parked, In A Parallel Universe.

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quote:
Originally posted by Dale_Lynn:

Ever heard the phrase "beating the bushes"...

Use walking stick, drag it, whack it, rattle it in bushes and long path. Sing, make noise, tell the snakes you are coming... They usually will leave, they don't want to see you as much as you don't want to see them...

--------------------------------------------------------


 

Well put, this along with a little common sense goes a long way. Snakes want no part of you if they can avoid a confrontation they will. I generally try to make noise as noted above, watch where I step and don't put my hand into to dark places without looking first. I've yet to have a snake that didn't haul but as soon as it realized I was coming.

 

BTW I was intrigued by the concept of snake shot so I did a quick search and found the following

http://www.jamescalhoon.com/snakeloads.html

I never knew about this until I read the post.

 

-------------------------------------

Hope is the destination that we seek.

Love is the road that leads to hope.

Courage is the motor that drives us.

We travel out of darkness into faith.

 

-=The Book Of Counted Sorrows=-

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Works most of the time, however, I stumbled on to a three-footer on open ground during my last hunt (cool morning and a little bit of sun). Thank heavens the "little guy" was moving slowly! Left him lie and went on about my business with my eyes open a little wider! icon_eek.gif

 

Children today are tyrants. They contradict their parents, gobble their food, and tyrannize their teachers. - Socrates

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Works most of the time, however, I stumbled on to a three-footer on open ground during my last hunt (cool morning and a little bit of sun). Thank heavens the "little guy" was moving slowly! Left him lie and went on about my business with my eyes open a little wider! icon_eek.gif

 

Children today are tyrants. They contradict their parents, gobble their food, and tyrannize their teachers. - Socrates

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In most east coast states (western states are more "liberal" about this), discharging (or even brandishing) a firearm in a park or on public land is gonna get you in a heap of trouble, unless you're defending yourself against a human attacker. If a ranger or park patrol officer catches you (I guess the operative word is "catch"), you are gonna find out that the snake you blew into hamburger has (had!) as much right as you to be where he/she is (was!).

Please don't overreact if you see a snake. Just move away from it...it's not going to chase you! Snakes WILL strike if cornered or if stepped on, but even most bites of this nature are "dry." A rattlesnake is not gonna waste its venom on something it can't eat...such as you! Just watch where you're going, and don't reach under logs without checking first. icon_eek.gif

 

"When the chips are down, the buffalo ate birds."

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In most east coast states (western states are more "liberal" about this), discharging (or even brandishing) a firearm in a park or on public land is gonna get you in a heap of trouble, unless you're defending yourself against a human attacker. If a ranger or park patrol officer catches you (I guess the operative word is "catch"), you are gonna find out that the snake you blew into hamburger has (had!) as much right as you to be where he/she is (was!).

Please don't overreact if you see a snake. Just move away from it...it's not going to chase you! Snakes WILL strike if cornered or if stepped on, but even most bites of this nature are "dry." A rattlesnake is not gonna waste its venom on something it can't eat...such as you! Just watch where you're going, and don't reach under logs without checking first. icon_eek.gif

 

"When the chips are down, the buffalo ate birds."

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I waded through a swamp (fetid, stinking water & muck well over my knees...) to reach a cache this afternoon. We've had an unusually wet summer here in the MidSouth and the local Cotton Mouth Water Mocassin is rather abundant.

 

My choice of snake protection today was a 4 foot branch that I snagged from a fallen tree on the way into the swamp. Used it to poke around in the foliage before I took a step.

 

I think the coyotes and alligator snappers worried me more than the chance of running across Mr. No-shoulders, though.

 

- "This river dont go to Aintry. You done taken a wrong turn." -

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quote:
Originally posted by Strix:

In most east coast states (western states are more "liberal" about this), discharging (or even brandishing) a firearm in a park or on public land is gonna get you in a heap of trouble, unless you're defending yourself against a human attacker. "


 

Thank the maker I live in Texas! I wasn't born in Texas, but I got here as quick as I could! But PLEASE do not call us "LIBERALS", be believe in the constitution... all of it!

 

Snakes do not want to bite you. They can't eat you, and they would rather save the venom for their dinner. If you just avoid them a little, they will also avoid you. In 11 years of desert warfare, the only snake bites we ever had to medivac out were because some dumb-@$$ troop was d!ck!ng around with the snake, and got what he deserved. The scorpions in KSA were also pretty potent!

 

One last note. If the snake is laying near the camp, cold and slugish, DO NOT dump a helmet full of hot shaving water on it to see if it will move quicker! It will !!!!!

 

Mike. KD9KC.

El Paso, Texas.

 

Seventeen minutes after her FIRST call for help, police officers arrived to find Ronyale White dead.

 

Prohibiting self defense is the ultimate crime. Police carry guns to protect themselves. What protects YOU ???

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________________________________

Please don't act like an idiot!

_________________________________

Oh chill out! Save your money and buy yourself a sense of humor........

icon_rolleyes.gif

 

><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><

What is the price of experience, do men buy it for a song,

Or wisdom for a dance in the street.................

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________________________________

Please don't act like an idiot!

_________________________________

Oh chill out! Save your money and buy yourself a sense of humor........

icon_rolleyes.gif

 

><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><

What is the price of experience, do men buy it for a song,

Or wisdom for a dance in the street.................

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Some points:

 

1. As above, rattlesnakes are pit vipers and can regulate their poison injection based on the heat signal their thermal pits get from the intended target.

2. If a snake sees an adult human full on, the snake will down-regulate the venom injection such that 25% or less of bites are full envenomations.

3. If a snake sees your hand, it thinks its dinner time and will inject more venom.

4. If a snake sees a kid's hand, it really hears the dinner bell.

5. Kids like to reach before looking.

6. Snakes like to eat.

7. Because of #4,5,and 6, kids are an especially important safety problem in snake country.

8. Bring a big stick and don't go lifting up vegetation or digging around for caches without the big stick doing the work.

9. If you see one sunning itself, go to an alternate route or go to a movie instead of geocaching. Leave sleeping snakes lie.

10. Please don't shoot the snakes, they are important in our eco system and in preventing infections (minor ones like tularemia, and bubonic plague...)

11. Attention Easterners: We realize that on the east coast, being called a "liberal" is no big thing, but here in Bush country, the "L" word is a fighting word. Please refrain from tossing that word around thoughtlessly. Most of us resent liberalism and find the term offensive.

 

By appointment to the Court of HRM Queen Mikki I.

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I didn't realize that passing on a warning would have stirred a few "obvious heated pots". Trust me with three kids, we did make a lot of noise on our trail, and I do believe I carry a big stick and walk softly (coining that phrase of course). I was quite surprised how aggressive this snake was. We were close, but not close enough that we couldn't run, etc. The obvious lack of water has made these "avoiding trouble" creatures more aggressive. We have run into a few other cachers with similar experiences in our area, Winslow, NJ and Atison. To the person who would enjoy the confrontation with one....no comment, look it up on a map. I could not be held in good conscience telling you where to go, and learning later you actually had an encounter due to my directions. These creatures do deserve our respect, no shooting them please. Especially since they are very valuable in our eco-system. Good luck caching, and hopefully this topic won't go any further then the warning it was meant to pass on icon_smile.gif

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I didn't realize that passing on a warning would have stirred a few "obvious heated pots". Trust me with three kids, we did make a lot of noise on our trail, and I do believe I carry a big stick and walk softly (coining that phrase of course). I was quite surprised how aggressive this snake was. We were close, but not close enough that we couldn't run, etc. The obvious lack of water has made these "avoiding trouble" creatures more aggressive. We have run into a few other cachers with similar experiences in our area, Winslow, NJ and Atison. To the person who would enjoy the confrontation with one....no comment, look it up on a map. I could not be held in good conscience telling you where to go, and learning later you actually had an encounter due to my directions. These creatures do deserve our respect, no shooting them please. Especially since they are very valuable in our eco-system. Good luck caching, and hopefully this topic won't go any further then the warning it was meant to pass on icon_smile.gif

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quote:
Originally posted by Barbi:

Due to the DROUGHT conditions in the east coast, rattlesnakes are being seen in unusual numbers. PLEASEEEEEE Tread carefully! We saw one in Atison, New Jersey today, and BOY WAS IT SCARY as heck!!! Three kids, a mom who is DEATHLY afraid of snakes ALONE, in the woods.....everything was ok, we tiptoed away very carefully and then ran like heck to our van!


 

Seems like a great opportunity to teach kids about snakes rather than to demonstrate one's fear of them. We once spotted a timber rattler while hiking with out five kids--snake as big around as my upper arm crossing the trail about thirty feet ahead of us. The kids were fascinated. My husband, who also dislikes snakes, did a good job of snifling his fear in situations like this--just as I managed to not freak when insects (I hate insects) crawl on me. Neither of us wanted to pass our phobias on to our kids.

 

wcgreen

 

--

Wendy Chatley Green

wcgreen@eudoramail.com

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Thank you Team Dragon and Wendy for clarifying what I originally wrote. The West does have liberal laws pertaining to gun use and ownership. Obviously, some people don't know that laws can be "liberal" even in conservative Bush country.

 

And Criminal, sorry if I offended you re: my reply to the snakeshot reference. Perhaps you should have used a smiley if you were trying to be humorous. We can't interpret your feelings on words alone.

 

That said, I still believe that anyone who discharges a firearm at a snake because they are frightened of it needs to be educated about snakes, ecology, and on the proper use of firearms and when to use them. But I will retract the word "idiot" in favor of "uneducated." There, now I'm PC.

 

"When the chips are down, the buffalo ate birds."

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quote:
Originally posted by Barbi:

Due to the DROUGHT conditions in the east coast, rattlesnakes are being seen in unusual numbers. PLEASEEEEEE Tread carefully!


 

Ummm... Rattlesnakes can't hear... Don't tiptoe away, stomp your feet. They only sense vibration... Yell "Hey Pretty Snake!" and they won't hear you (and will ignore your compliment) but romp arund and they're likely to move away...

 

Very rarely have I seen a rattlesnake coil and get even remotely defensive... they're usually placid and you can, and probably have, passed within feet of one several times without even knowing it... Only when you're right on top of them do they rattle, which is their way of showing they feel threatened...

 

I'm not saying don't be aware, as you always should be when outdoors, just don't be afraid... they really are beautiful snakes... and higher in the rockies, they have some awesome coloring, with lots of blacks and deeps browns and greys... some even have tints of blue... And they're fat! They're like a stubby blob of fang... I saw one that looked like it could barely move it was so chunky... Happy little chunky rattlebutt...

 

The best way to deal with snakes is become educated with snakes... Creepy to some but much better than fearing them forever...

 

geosig.jpg

Contents Under Pressure...

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Strix,

I was being semi-serious. I don't want that whole debate re-started. It was pathetic last time and I don't want it to start again.

 

Hope I didn't offend you either....... icon_wink.gif

 

BTW, I own and carry guns. Have never done so on a cache hunt yet though.

 

><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><

What is the price of experience, do men buy it for a song,

Or wisdom for a dance in the street.................

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Strix,

I was being semi-serious. I don't want that whole debate re-started. It was pathetic last time and I don't want it to start again.

 

Hope I didn't offend you either....... icon_wink.gif

 

BTW, I own and carry guns. Have never done so on a cache hunt yet though.

 

><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><

What is the price of experience, do men buy it for a song,

Or wisdom for a dance in the street.................

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This season I have come withing six feet of 5 Rattlesnakes. The three big ones rattled and the two juveniles lay curled up, one on the path and the oher on top of a rock group I was climbing on.

 

What worries me is the snakes I didn't see. It's no fun having to watch every step, especially in taller grass.

 

Some of the snakes around here have been reported to NOT rattle...because every snake that rattled got killed by some human. Natural selection coming back, with a bite.

 

I talked to a professional geologist who spends lots of time on BLM land, alone, in snake country. He agreed I'm in a high risk category for bites. Two solutions are to either put multiple sheets of newspaper around my legs under pants or get some kevlar gaiters. Appears other materials can be very hot to hike in.

I just don't want to accidently step on a rattler and get bit or have watch so closely and WORRY about stepping on one off trail. Hey, I like to explore and identify flora.

 

The newspaper is cheap and works but gets soggy. The pants I hike in (North Face Tibetan) have a collar inside that keeps the rolled newspaper from slipping out. I need some gaiters anyway to keep all the stickers out of my socks, so I'm going to order the Whisperlite Snake and Briar gaiters from Forestry-Suppliers.com. They run about $70.

They're lightweight and breathable.

 

I know most bites are dry and people seldom die, but snake bites can also produce some nasty long term neurological problems. Anyway, I've just come up too close on one too many snakes this year, and I'm not feeling as lucky as I use too.

-----

Greenjeens

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I've only encountered a rattler once in the wild, which is why I found Barbi's tale to be pretty cool. These snakes are very rare in NJ.

 

On a backpacking trip in NY's Catskills, a friend an I encounterd one smack in the middle of the trail. His ratttling scared the crap out of us and we ran about 50 yards in the other direction. Being that the snake was between us and our campsite, we returned. It just sat on the trail rattling every time we made any move towards it. Since there was no way around it and it wasn't showing any signs of moving we started tossing small stones at it in hopes it would get the message. Instead it seemed to get more pissed and stood its ground. We tried some more stones and eventually a direct hit caused him to move a few feet to the side of the trail and coil up. We then retreated, found a pair of long forked sticks and

walked by the snake veeery slowly, passing within 6 or 7 feet of it. It rattled away, but thankfully didn't strike (I would have died of a heart attack on the spot).

 

I was just very surprised by the way it acted. I was always taught that they are shy and would rather take off than confront a human.

 

And for those of you who will start flaming me for throwing stones at it, 1st the snake was between us and our camp, so we had to get by. The trail was the only way there. We weren't about to make our way along the rocky ledges after seeing this guy. At least we KNEW about him. Second, we only tossed small stones, with the intent to scare him away, not to kill or maim it.

 

"Life is a daring adventure, or it is nothing" - Helen Kell

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quote:
Originally posted by Mr. Vic:

A bunch of armed, nervous geocachers running around in the woods scare me a heluvalot more than a few rattlesnakes

-Mark.

 


 

A bunch of fear-driven phobic anti-gun geocachers scare me more than just about anything else I could EVER meet on a cache-hunt. Knowledge and understanding is power. Lack of knowledge and understanding is fear. I have knowledge of my guns, the constitution, the law, and the rules of my carry license. I have no knowledge of you, and certainly no understanding of your phobia. What I do is perfectly legal. Live with it!

 

Mike. KD9KC.

El Paso, Texas.

 

Seventeen minutes after her FIRST call for help, police officers arrived to find Ronyale White dead.

 

Prohibiting self defense is the ultimate crime. Police carry guns to protect themselves. What protects YOU ???

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quote:
Originally posted by Mr. Vic:

It was a joke son! Hence the icon_wink.gificon_wink.gificon_wink.gificon_wink.gificon_wink.gif!


 

Good enough. I guess I am sort of touchy today. It is my birthday, another year down the tubes and I am not the National Pistol Champ yet. icon_wink.gif Also, I am so tired of the frothing-at-the-mouth anti-gun-phobics. Carry is legal in 37 states, the majority in fact! They need to accept it as a FACT-OF-LIFE and get over it.

 

quote:

I have nothing against responsible gun owners, or hunters.


 

Cool. The second amendment isn't about hunting, as the federalist papers points out. I guess I am responsible. The Army trusted me for 20 years with a number of automatic weapons and much more. The state of Texas trusts me, and I passed a federal background check for my license. They all thought I was responsible. My dog loves me! Don't know which of those is most important...

 

quote:

Just people who run around in the woods killing anything that moves out of fear, ignorance or stupidity.


 

I don't hunt anymore. If you remember what Kippling said, once a hunter of men, etc. There is no more challenge in it for me, I have not shot at an animal since just after the First Gulf War. I do not need the food, and I just avoid what doesn't avoid me. Still, all of the above could be null and void in the right situation.

 

quote:

Will cache for food


 

I feel like that some days. PEACE! Have a very SAFE weekend geocaching - everyone. The end of summer is here. For us in Texas, that means we can start going out again... temps will be below 100. For those of you up north.... Brrrrrrrrr.

 

Mike. KD9KC.

El Paso, Texas.

 

Seventeen minutes after her FIRST call for help, police officers arrived to find Ronyale White dead.

 

Prohibiting self defense is the ultimate crime. Police carry guns to protect themselves. What protects YOU ???

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quote:
Originally posted by Mr. Vic:

It was a joke son! Hence the icon_wink.gificon_wink.gificon_wink.gificon_wink.gificon_wink.gif!


 

Good enough. I guess I am sort of touchy today. It is my birthday, another year down the tubes and I am not the National Pistol Champ yet. icon_wink.gif Also, I am so tired of the frothing-at-the-mouth anti-gun-phobics. Carry is legal in 37 states, the majority in fact! They need to accept it as a FACT-OF-LIFE and get over it.

 

quote:

I have nothing against responsible gun owners, or hunters.


 

Cool. The second amendment isn't about hunting, as the federalist papers points out. I guess I am responsible. The Army trusted me for 20 years with a number of automatic weapons and much more. The state of Texas trusts me, and I passed a federal background check for my license. They all thought I was responsible. My dog loves me! Don't know which of those is most important...

 

quote:

Just people who run around in the woods killing anything that moves out of fear, ignorance or stupidity.


 

I don't hunt anymore. If you remember what Kippling said, once a hunter of men, etc. There is no more challenge in it for me, I have not shot at an animal since just after the First Gulf War. I do not need the food, and I just avoid what doesn't avoid me. Still, all of the above could be null and void in the right situation.

 

quote:

Will cache for food


 

I feel like that some days. PEACE! Have a very SAFE weekend geocaching - everyone. The end of summer is here. For us in Texas, that means we can start going out again... temps will be below 100. For those of you up north.... Brrrrrrrrr.

 

Mike. KD9KC.

El Paso, Texas.

 

Seventeen minutes after her FIRST call for help, police officers arrived to find Ronyale White dead.

 

Prohibiting self defense is the ultimate crime. Police carry guns to protect themselves. What protects YOU ???

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Three years ago (pre geocaching) I was hiking with my kids on trails in the Newark Watershed area off Clinton Rd. in West Milford, NJ. We were on our way out of the woods and saw an Eastern Diamondback rattlesnake about 400 feet from the road. It was right on the trail. The snake was fully grown at about 4.5'! We stopped and backed up - I took a couple of pictures and then nudged it with a very long stick. It slithered off the trail and into a pile of rocks. I thought it was pretty cool but it really scared the kids.

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I usually use my walking stick, which has a forked end, pin the snake down, cut off his head, take the thing home, and then use one of the following recipes :

 

Grilled Rattlesnake with Mojo Criollo

 

Mojo Criollo

(Makes 1 cup)

 

1/3 cup olive oil

6 to 8 cloves garlic, thinly sliced or minced

2/3 cup fresh sour orange juice or lime juice

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste.

 

After cutting off its head and skinning and gutting it, marinate the snake in Mojo Criollo, (a Cuban marinating sauce consisting of lots of garlic and sour orange juice). Allow it to marinate for a couple of hours, then grill it.

 

or for Fried Rattlesnake (this one is easy)

 

Skin and gut snake and cut in 3" and 4" pieces Roll in mixture of flour, corn meal, milk, and egg. Salt and pepper. Deep fry in hot oil. Serve hot.

 

It's yummy, (tastes like chicken!)

And you get a neat hat band besides. Not to mention the cool rattle to amuze your friends with. icon_cool.gif

 

"it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks" Acts 26:14

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I usually use my walking stick, which has a forked end, pin the snake down, cut off his head, take the thing home, and then use one of the following recipes :

 

Grilled Rattlesnake with Mojo Criollo

 

Mojo Criollo

(Makes 1 cup)

 

1/3 cup olive oil

6 to 8 cloves garlic, thinly sliced or minced

2/3 cup fresh sour orange juice or lime juice

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste.

 

After cutting off its head and skinning and gutting it, marinate the snake in Mojo Criollo, (a Cuban marinating sauce consisting of lots of garlic and sour orange juice). Allow it to marinate for a couple of hours, then grill it.

 

or for Fried Rattlesnake (this one is easy)

 

Skin and gut snake and cut in 3" and 4" pieces Roll in mixture of flour, corn meal, milk, and egg. Salt and pepper. Deep fry in hot oil. Serve hot.

 

It's yummy, (tastes like chicken!)

And you get a neat hat band besides. Not to mention the cool rattle to amuze your friends with. icon_cool.gif

 

"it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks" Acts 26:14

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Where'd you see it on Clinton Road Skully and Mulder? I'm up there all the time and wonder if I should start being more careful. Was it near Cross Castle? Reading the story of Cross Castle in Weird New Jersey, one of the former residents recalls rattlesnakes being everywhere back on the early part of the century.

 

"Life is a daring adventure, or it is nothing" - Helen Keller

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quote:
...I usually use my walking stick, which has a forked end, pin the snake down, cut off his head, take the thing home...

 

Just remembered that rattlesnakes are considered endangered in some areas. Killing one could get you a day in court and a nice fine. Be aware of the laws in your area before taking one home for dinner.

 

"Life is a daring adventure, or it is nothing" - Helen Keller

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quote:
Originally posted by Mr. Vic:

Do you serve it with a dipping sauce? If so, what kind? I once ate fried rattlesnake in a restaraunt in Phoenix...tasted like chewy chicken!

 

-Mark.

 

Will cache for food


 

Mark,

Just noticed something ironic in your post and signture line...

No need to go to Phoenix.

I didn't mention two rattlsnakes were spotted in Las Trampas and two in Sunol this year, not far from San Ramon.

The last big one I saw at Las Trampas on the east ridge trail had a beautiful greenish tint, nine rattles and a intense purplish tongue. I sat with that snake for 15 minutes until it calmed down. Couldn't leave a riled up and poised to strike rattler on the edge of a trail. It gradually relaxed and then decided I wasn't a threat and moved on as I slowly approached.

 

I know some folks that own a stable in Crow Canyon. Their policy on the numerous rattlesnakes in the area.... inside the barns or outbuildings is a death penalty. Outdoors the snakes are free. Just reporting the stable rules. Maybe I could get them to freeze the dead snakes and then get coordinates to frig:-)

 

Have a nice hike:-)

----------

Greenjeens

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quote:
Originally posted by cachew nut:

Where do you get fresh sour orange juice?


 

By juicing a few sour oranges! icon_wink.gif A sour orange is just another variety of orange (Citrus aurantium). Personally I use limes.

 

quote:
Do you serve it with a dipping sauce? If so, what kind? I once ate fried rattlesnake in a restaraunt in Phoenix...tasted like chewy chicken!

 

Definately serve with dipping sauces. I use several, including, but not limited to, sweet and sour sauce, tarter sauce, hot musturd, and horse radish. But if I'm up camping and without anything, snake tastes just dandy fried in a cast iron skillet with a little bit of pepper.

 

Remember, it has to be a big snake. Snakes are boney. It's not worth trying to harvest a little snake, not enough meat on those bones.

 

quote:
Just remembered that rattlesnakes are considered endangered in some areas. Killing one could get you a day in court and a nice fine. Be aware of the laws in your area before taking one home for dinner.

 

Here in the desert area of central Washington, Bull and Rattlesnakes are plentiful. I don't see them becoming endagered anytime soon, as most folks won't go within 10' of 'em.

 

I find it fascinating that people have encountered rattlesnakes that don't buzz when you get near them. I've never heard of that before. When I'm hiking through the desert, on trail or off, I either drag the end of my walking stick behind me, or constantly tap the ground in front of me, just to let the buzztails know I'm there and get 'em to sound off, so I know where they are. I've never got within striking distance of a snake before he sounded off.

 

I think most peoples fear of these snakes is unwarranted. I watched a fellow(wildlife biologist) on tv the other day antagonize a rattle snake to prove a point. He poked and proded and harrassed that snake for several minutes and dang near had to step directly on top of it before he could get it to actually strike him. The point being, snakes are not aggressive, and you're not likely to be bit by one unless you 1) Step directly on top of it, or 2) Poke, prod, and harrass the thing until it has no choice but to strike to defend itself.

 

So, watch where you're stepping, and don't play with the snake unless you intend and know how to harvest the thing. But please don't throw rocks at them! Thats just going to injure the it, and he'll go off and die somewhere. What a waste of good snake meat! icon_smile.gif

 

Happy caching this weekend!

 

-Duke

 

"it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks" Acts 26:14

 

[This message was edited by Duke_ on August 31, 2002 at 09:37 AM.]

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quote:
Originally posted by cachew nut:

Where do you get fresh sour orange juice?


 

By juicing a few sour oranges! icon_wink.gif A sour orange is just another variety of orange (Citrus aurantium). Personally I use limes.

 

quote:
Do you serve it with a dipping sauce? If so, what kind? I once ate fried rattlesnake in a restaraunt in Phoenix...tasted like chewy chicken!

 

Definately serve with dipping sauces. I use several, including, but not limited to, sweet and sour sauce, tarter sauce, hot musturd, and horse radish. But if I'm up camping and without anything, snake tastes just dandy fried in a cast iron skillet with a little bit of pepper.

 

Remember, it has to be a big snake. Snakes are boney. It's not worth trying to harvest a little snake, not enough meat on those bones.

 

quote:
Just remembered that rattlesnakes are considered endangered in some areas. Killing one could get you a day in court and a nice fine. Be aware of the laws in your area before taking one home for dinner.

 

Here in the desert area of central Washington, Bull and Rattlesnakes are plentiful. I don't see them becoming endagered anytime soon, as most folks won't go within 10' of 'em.

 

I find it fascinating that people have encountered rattlesnakes that don't buzz when you get near them. I've never heard of that before. When I'm hiking through the desert, on trail or off, I either drag the end of my walking stick behind me, or constantly tap the ground in front of me, just to let the buzztails know I'm there and get 'em to sound off, so I know where they are. I've never got within striking distance of a snake before he sounded off.

 

I think most peoples fear of these snakes is unwarranted. I watched a fellow(wildlife biologist) on tv the other day antagonize a rattle snake to prove a point. He poked and proded and harrassed that snake for several minutes and dang near had to step directly on top of it before he could get it to actually strike him. The point being, snakes are not aggressive, and you're not likely to be bit by one unless you 1) Step directly on top of it, or 2) Poke, prod, and harrass the thing until it has no choice but to strike to defend itself.

 

So, watch where you're stepping, and don't play with the snake unless you intend and know how to harvest the thing. But please don't throw rocks at them! Thats just going to injure the it, and he'll go off and die somewhere. What a waste of good snake meat! icon_smile.gif

 

Happy caching this weekend!

 

-Duke

 

"it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks" Acts 26:14

 

[This message was edited by Duke_ on August 31, 2002 at 09:37 AM.]

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You're pretty lucky, I've only seen one rattler in Las Trampas and I've hiked there hundreds of times. I've yet to come across one in Sunol, however I have a cache hidden there and others have reported seeing a rattler nearby. (I've posted warnings.)

 

I recently saw a huge one near New Melones Reservour near Angels Camp. I passed within 2-3 inches of it before it started rattling. Poked it with a stick a couple of times and it slithered away. (see my post for The Green Scarab cache)

 

Anyway, I'll take a couple rattlesnakes over a tick icon_eek.gif any day of the week!

 

-Mark.

 

Will cache for food

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You're pretty lucky, I've only seen one rattler in Las Trampas and I've hiked there hundreds of times. I've yet to come across one in Sunol, however I have a cache hidden there and others have reported seeing a rattler nearby. (I've posted warnings.)

 

I recently saw a huge one near New Melones Reservour near Angels Camp. I passed within 2-3 inches of it before it started rattling. Poked it with a stick a couple of times and it slithered away. (see my post for The Green Scarab cache)

 

Anyway, I'll take a couple rattlesnakes over a tick icon_eek.gif any day of the week!

 

-Mark.

 

Will cache for food

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quote:
Originally posted by Mr. Vic:

You're pretty lucky, I've only seen one rattler in Las Trampas and I've hiked there hundreds of times. I've yet to come across one in Sunol, however I have a cache hidden there and others have reported seeing a rattler nearby. (I've posted warnings.)

 

Anyway, I'll take a couple rattlesnakes over a tick icon_eek.gif any day of the week!

 

-Mark.


 

So you remember Mr. Greenjeans too! What a strange sidekick. Funny, I didn't find out till years later He really had GREEN jeans. B&W TV...how was I to know?

 

Good, so you are aware of local snakes!

 

"Lucky" does not quite accurately describe the feeling at the time of stopping two strides in front of a large snake in stricking pose. I didn't feel lucky wth the several skunks I almost walked into either, they stamp their feet somehow. Nor the coyote close encounter, the bear outside the tent, rabbid bat, the wild turkey that chased me...how was I to know it was nesting? And those darned horses that came running, right up on me. The scariest and most curious sight was a whole group of wild pigs (havalinas?) and piglets rooting through the underbrush...man those things are big and wary, made room for them!

 

I did feel a little lucky seeing the mountain lion at Las Trampas, until it headed into chapparal below me, possibly towards my car.

 

So, I guess getting some Kevlar gaitors is a plan to free up some attention from watching for snakes immediately ahead, to focus on other denizens of forest and field.

Maybe just too lucky... Mr Lucky:-)

----------

Greenjeens

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quote:
Originally posted by Mr. Vic:

You're pretty lucky, I've only seen one rattler in Las Trampas and I've hiked there hundreds of times. I've yet to come across one in Sunol, however I have a cache hidden there and others have reported seeing a rattler nearby. (I've posted warnings.)

 

Anyway, I'll take a couple rattlesnakes over a tick icon_eek.gif any day of the week!

 

-Mark.


 

So you remember Mr. Greenjeans too! What a strange sidekick. Funny, I didn't find out till years later He really had GREEN jeans. B&W TV...how was I to know?

 

Good, so you are aware of local snakes!

 

"Lucky" does not quite accurately describe the feeling at the time of stopping two strides in front of a large snake in stricking pose. I didn't feel lucky wth the several skunks I almost walked into either, they stamp their feet somehow. Nor the coyote close encounter, the bear outside the tent, rabbid bat, the wild turkey that chased me...how was I to know it was nesting? And those darned horses that came running, right up on me. The scariest and most curious sight was a whole group of wild pigs (havalinas?) and piglets rooting through the underbrush...man those things are big and wary, made room for them!

 

I did feel a little lucky seeing the mountain lion at Las Trampas, until it headed into chapparal below me, possibly towards my car.

 

So, I guess getting some Kevlar gaitors is a plan to free up some attention from watching for snakes immediately ahead, to focus on other denizens of forest and field.

Maybe just too lucky... Mr Lucky:-)

----------

Greenjeens

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i don't know much about the flora and fauna in your neck of the woods, but here in NL we are lucky enough not to have any dangerous venomous creatures. we do however get lynx, coyotes, and the largest black bears in the world among other predators. i am a sportsman and a hunter, although it is not a popular belief firearms in the right hands are the ultimate in defense, however in the wrong hands... well you know. when ever i go afield for what ever reason i take my dogs. while with a bear it is lamb to the slaughter, but with a coyote they have better than 50-50 odds. you have to be careful though, there are laws about untethered dogs and firearms out of season but the way i figure it if a bear was to see me a dinner i would rather sacrifice either a dog or the fine for shooting it out of season than be the main course.

about the best advice anyone can give you is to use your best judgement and that of those who are experienced woodsman in your area. someone replied along the lines to one of my posts: 'remember, the cache will be there tommorrow, its best if you can be to'.

above all the fun you have be safe!

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