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It's That Time Of Year.


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Hit four caches in the Nevada desert today. Two of the four had guardians - Diamondback Rattlers. Even with the wet weather, the snakes are out - beware. Strange how the grandkids walked behind me after spotting the first one because "...grandpa has a walking stick." :unsure:

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Was caching in NV early last month. Sure glad I didn't come across one of those rattlers! Here in GA I have run into a decent sized King Snake and a very large Garter Snake thus far in '05. They're harmless so I don't mind much. A rattler would have scared the bejesus out of me tho!

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I've been seeing snakes for at least a month. We found a cache a few weeks ago next to what must have been a black rat snake den. They were all over the place. We saw at least 8 huge ones within 50 feet of the cache.

 

Haven't seen any rattlesnakes or copperheads yet though. They aren't as common around here but we do have them.

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While out caching yesterday we came across a young king snake out sunning itself. My three and a half year old daughter thought it was real cool till she saw it move. She watched it from a distance, (just the type of behavior I want to encourage).

 

Semper Fi

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While out caching over the weekend I felt I was being extra cautious. We were in wooded areas and also throwing in some urban micros. I found I was very attentive in the woods for slithery thing and by golly I ended up stepping on a small garter snake in a municipal park. I have to remind myself they can be anywhere, not just in the woods.

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In Indiana, we have plenty of copperheads and some rattlers. At least we used to have plenty of them; over the past 5 or 6 years, I have noticed a conspicuous absence of snakes in my region.

 

Lately (three years, give or take), I have seen a few dead snakes along the roads, several unidentified snakes in lakes and streams, no (very common) blacksnakes, and a hawk transporting a dead snake in flight. That's it, and I spend a lot of time outdoors.

 

Where have all the snakes gone? :):unsure:

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I don't suppose pepper spray would do anything to them?

Why would you want to pepper spray an animal in its own environment? We are the ones who are intruding on their turf. Just relax and they go their way and you go yours. If you can't continue because its camping out, then wait and do the cache another day. Don't just spray it with something that could injure it because you need a tupperware fix. I have come across a few black snakes already this year. They are harmless as most snakes we find are.

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King snakes are your friend, as are the gopher snakes.

 

Rattlesnakes are actually quite shy and harmless . . . unless you get too close. That is why a walking stick is a good thing to have.

 

I have walked within inches of a large rattlesnake that never rattled at me. Another time I was collecting wood and almost reached right into the shady spot a snake was in . . . and he never rattled at me.

 

Since snakes eat rodents, they are good to have around. :mad: Just keep your eyes open and if you see a snake, give them room and they will leave you alone.

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Snakes don't bother me. Most time I just leave them be. My wife doesn't like them. She gets upset if I pick them up (with the stick) if they are on an actual trail. I tell her I'm just moving them out of the way so the next person coming by doesn't freak out. The nice thing about this weekend was that these were the first rattlers the grandkids had ever seen. Now they know what the basic Diamond Back looks and sounds like.

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pepper spray???

Rattle snakes use heat to strike ,me thinks pepper spray would just p... them off :mad: and they can be mean when p... off. Think of it this way your on your beach blanket getting some sun and someone hits you with pepper spray. Just leave them alone and be on your way.

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Running from a snake is a good way to find the business end of another one.

 

Back slowly (and caslmly) away and continue on your way - rattlers aren't out to hunt you.

 

Good use of my Diablo hiking stick is to nudge them away when I accisently get too close. Also to probe for them under the shrub.

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I don't suppose pepper spray would do anything to them?

Why would you want to pepper spray an animal in its own environment? We are the ones who are intruding on their turf. Just relax and they go their way and you go yours. If you can't continue because its camping out, then wait and do the cache another day. Don't just spray it with something that could injure it because you need a tupperware fix. I have come across a few black snakes already this year. They are harmless as most snakes we find are.

If a rattlesnake is between me and a cache, I am certainly not going to yield. As far as nature goes, I consider humans part of the grand scheme of nature. So I'll do what it takes to get to the cache.

 

I figure pepper spray would probably be better than tossing a BIG rock on top of it or poking and pinning it with my walking stick to chop it's head off.

 

As far as rattlers being shy, I would be happier if they were just gone. I've had a couple of run in with diamond back rattlers they are the nastiest ugliest thing around.

 

There is no way you can convince me a snake with venom is harmless. :mad:

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Just logged this cache yesterday. It was a close encounter with a rattler of some sort (prairie, perhaps?). At any rate, I would urge people to try not to agrivate them unless necessary. Pepperspraying them, poking them, or anything else is just begging for trouble. Unless you carry a kit and like to show off bite marks, I'd recommend leaving one of nature's more effective attackers alone.
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If a rattler was between me and a cache, I'd walk around it. Simple fix unless the cache is on the side of a cliff. That or scare it off. They aren't going to rear up and attack as soon as they see you. More like flee.

 

Don't just spray it with something that could injure it because you need a tupperware fix.

 

Nice point. Unless you'e hiked for 2 hours or even camped overnight, doing something like that is pointless.

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While not actually caching, I was fossil-hunting in the creek very near a cache when I spotted a very large copperhead on the bank. I aint scared of snakes, and while usually would have just walked around him, the site is used quite frequently by kids and adults looking of shark teeth, so I "took care" of the snake. it was the biggest copperhead I've seen in awhile.

Keep a careful eye out. My friend, who was barefoot, didnt see it and would have stepped on the snake had I not mentioned that it wouldnt be so wise to do such.

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Saw a 2' long Boa snake sunning it's self on the trail leading to a cache Friday. Then on Saturday I spotted this guy on the trail after I hid this cache. Been lucky and havn't see any buzztails yet.

 

I have seen 2 different cases of snake bites and they are not pretty. Both times it was the persons fault because they were trying to handle the snake. :mad:

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the best way to get over your fear of snakes is to educate yourself with facts about their lives. snakes are by and large harmless to us unless provoked (that includes clumsily stepping on their back). as far as the poisonous species in the u.s. think of it this way: 1) snakes are all about the conservation of energy. being poikilotherms (cold blooded) they are constantly moving to adjust their body temps to promote optimal metabolism, and try to stay out of the way of larger animals. 2) they use the venom they produce to bring them a meal. venom takes energy to produce. the snake doesn't want to waste it on a creature they can't eat (that's you). this is why in many cases the bite of a poisonous snake is "dry" (no venom injected). they can meter the amount of venom injected into the prey species (conserves energy). 3)striking a large animal exposes them to a lot of risk. they have no way of knowing if you are a predator of snakes or not, or what your defensive response will be.

 

i have had encounters with rattlesnakes (timber rattlers), copperheads, and cottonmouth water moccasins. in many of these encounters the snake could have struck but didn't. for the most part i have found the poisonous species by and large less aggressive than some of the non-poisonous ones. this is especially true of the water moccasin, who has a totally unwarranted reputation for aggression.

 

to avoid being bitten i'd suggest watching where you put your hands and feet. if you come near a poisonous snake, slowly move away and be on your way. most often poisonous snakebites occur when the snake is being molested (attempting to kill it or handle it). a live and let live policy will almost assure you of not being bitten.

 

should you, in spite of all precautions, be bitten. forget about cutting and sucking, putting ice on the site, shocking the punctures with direct current electricity, and any other such treatments. as calmly as you can go directly to your nearest emergency room. it is extremely unlikely that you will die as a result of a poisonous snake bite in the u.s.

 

spend a little time learning about snakes and forget all the BS out there about them and you can go back to worrying about finding the cache instead of being terrified of snakes.

 

harry

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snake season is definitely going to put a damper on my caching. My kids are city slickers and not very cautious. It scares the tar out of me to think they would literally step on a rattler and get bit. Not sure what I would do first...pass out or scream! ;)

I have only seen a couple so far while out with my sister and that was enough to freak me out. Caterpillars are fine with me, but fat rattle snakes are too much for this woman!

Any advice on how to avoid them or scare em off before I run into them?? :lol:

 

Fairly Odd Mother

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Ya know, a lot of those snakes eat things like mice

The same mice that carry deer ticks.

The same deer ticks that carry lyme desease.

One of the reasons that lyme desease cases have increased is that we (mankind) have reduced the number of predators that kept the host animals in check. Fewer hawks, owls, foxes and SNAKES, has led to more vermin like mice which are prime tick carriers. Another reason that snakes are protected in Pennsylvania. I'd rather take my chances with a 3 foot snake than another pinhead sized deer tick. I already know what the tick can do and I've gotten close enough to the other. Unless it's camping outside my back door, the snake can go on his way and I'll go on mine.

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Exactly. Thanks for reminding everyone how important snakes are to the ecosystem . . . and ultimately to our health because they eat rodents.

 

Any advice on how to avoid them or scare em off before I run into them??

A walking stick for yourself and each child would be good, with a lesson for each child about using the stick in front of them and to poke into bushes and holes. Bamboo poles are inexpensive and can be cut to the correct length for each child. They can customize their stick with something for the grip. I wrapped nylon cord around the grip area of mine.

 

The snakes really aren't that prevalent -- I feel fortunate to have seen that one at Sit Awhile -- and they really won't come after you. Just keep your eyes open and explain to the children how important it is to be cautious when you are out in "snake territory."

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We have rattlers, king snakes, and gopher snakes (we may have more - but I haven't seen any other). Everytime I see one they give me the chilly willies.

 

I don't suppose pepper spray would do anything to them?

It can mak'em pretty spicy on the grill. Use it sparingly!

 

Seriously, though. I think it would just upset them and that isn't the solution I would be looking for.

 

:D

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:DThis will be a Bumper Year for Snakes & Critters here in the Desert Southwest do to all the moisture / rain we have had this season. I have only seen a couple of Rattlers so far this year ~~~ I do not fear them, I do respect them. There has been a sighting at one of my urban caches (Old Town Yuma) Click Here The area is posted as to the possiiblity of Snakes & Critters ~~~ :DPicture Edited by GIDEON-X
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The last time I saw a rattlesnake it was lying in the sun in the middle of a trail. It rattled at me, but didn't move. Because of a cliff on one side and a drop off with bushes on the other, I couldn't go around it. I threw a few small pebbles near it (not at it) and that got it to move off. Then I just walked on by. I didn't find it to be a big deal. I got a kick out of seeing it. Usually they take off before you can get a good look at them.

 

I am more concerned about the baby garter snakes in my yard because I worry I will hit one with the lawn mover. Unlike the adults, they don't get out of the way very fast. I have to be very careful when mowing.

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If a rattlesnake is between me and a cache,  I am certainly not going to yield.  As far as nature goes, I consider humans part of the grand scheme of nature.  So I'll do what it takes to get to the cache. 

 

I figure pepper spray would probably be better than  tossing a BIG rock on top of it or poking and pinning it with my walking stick to chop it's head off. 

 

As far as rattlers being shy, I would be happier if they were just gone.  I've had a couple of run in with diamond back rattlers they are the nastiest ugliest thing around. 

 

There is no way you can convince me a snake with venom is harmless.    :D

Yes, you are a part of nature, and if you get bit, you'll be even closer to nature (and you'll get the grande smilie in your log.

 

I'm sorry, but this just wrong. :D:D

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