Ran across this guy while hiking yesterday.

[Snarky]

I'm in the east bay nor cal hills Mt. biking at least twice a week and some times more to hike.. Ive ran across 5 rattlers this year alone, 2 in the last two weeks... we're more concerned for our dogs than getting bit ourselves, truth is they aren't too much to worry about.. you just really need to pay attention where you step and put your hands and whats in front of you, on any given trail or under logs and in small caves.. be alert and aware.. they dont always warn you.. a good LONG stout stick is the best.. their striking distance is really rather short. o..as a kid we used to dig em out of burrows ... (22 total in one once!) we deep fried more than half.. quite tastey! saw a gorgeous king finishing up a garter snake the other day.. so cool!

I've got a six-foot California King at my place, I encounter him at night occassionally on the concrete walkways when I'm taking my dogs out. He is totally calm, me and my dogs can step right over him without him striking at all. I must say though, the first time I saw him I about had a heart attack. Vivid black and white rings and huge.

He must be taking care of the rattlers because I have 6 acres on top of a desert butte but have never seen one. Also there are so many quail and roadrunners up here I don't think any juvenile snakes have a chance.

[SickofSoCal]

Like a California King:

[Snarky]

This is the local rattlesnake called a Mojave Green. Its a pit viper and has a bad neurotoxin but like the desert tortoise I've simply never seen one except dead on the highway.

[SickofSoCal]

This is the local rattlesnake called a Mojave Green. Its a pit viper and has a bad neurotoxin but like the desert tortoise I've simply never seen one except dead on the highway.

Yeah, all this talk about the tortoise, but I ain't never seen one either.

[orangeusa]

Worked years ago up in Brea dump for short time - was working for Rockwell (radar stuff). Bottom line - saw at least 20 BIG black diamond rattlers each day. Some were 3' some got up to 4' and 5" at thickest point. They ate the rats at the dump.

I didn't kill any. In general, was taught not to kill anything I don't plan to eat. Might shoot something menacing my pets. Will shoot ANYTHING menacing my family.

And yes, grew up on a farm. The only critters which killed our animals (sheep and cattle) were feral dogs. Had plenty of foxes and wolfs - but they ate other wildlife.

So, millions of humans and thousands of rattlers - do the math.

Stock photo, but they looked like this:



.

[CenterX]

prejiduce?

I read an article that 75% of snake bites are on the hand. Mostly men from 18-27 and alcohol is usually involved. I imagine some drunk hillbilly trying to pick up a snake ? lookyheer wat we got, ouch.

Drunk city slicker try'n to be as tough as a bill billy...... Country boy's got game slick.

Let the snake go it's own way. They eat nonindigenous rats, feral cats and help keep the world cleaner in that way.

Also like others have posted - firearms are forbidden in Parks and designated open space - unless you CCW but that doesn't allow you to shoot a snake legless or not.

Don't you just love the Santa Cruz mountain hikes. The picture brings back great memories.

Hike on in confidence.

[Noah3683]

This is the local rattlesnake called a Mojave Green. Its a pit viper and has a bad neurotoxin but like the desert tortoise I've simply never seen one except dead on the highway.

Heh take a ride with me and I'll find you at least a dozen in a matter of 2 hrs. Give me a day, I'll find you the tortoise too. However, I'm less inclined to show people to tortoises. Last time I did that, the bastard went back later and captured it. Not cool.

[Noah3683]

I like snakes. They are one of God's creatures just like the rest of anything else.

People should not be killing snakes willy nilly or just for the sake of "fun". They are an important part of the balance of Nature where there still is natural nature. (not the backyard of your suburban home)

I never pass up the chance to handle one (and no, not a rattler duh!)


From my personal photo collection:

Nice gopher BTW

[CenterX]

I like snakes. They are one of God's creatures just like the rest of anything else.

People should not be killing snakes willy nilly or just for the sake of "fun". They are an important part of the balance of Nature where there still is natural nature. (not the backyard of your suburban home)

I never pass up the chance to handle one (and no, not a rattler duh!)


From my personal photo collection:

This is a gopher snake or also called a "Bull Snake" cause they shake their tail as if they are a rattler - they are full of bull. The bit is still toxic and can cause a nasty infection.

Got to love snakes cause the get everyone all riled up just like spiders. Nutt'n better than a snake in a crowded mall for a bit of fun.

The Santa Cruz mountains and hills also have some of the coolest mid-sized tarantulas out about this time of year.

[SickofSoCal]

Thank you my friend. He was a pretty big one too. The biggest I think I've handled.

It's hard to scale from the photos, but he was probably about 3 1/2 feet long:

[CCWFacts]

There are rattle snakes all over California. I have seen them in Los Angeles. Regardless of legal questions of carrying, I think that trying to use a gun to defend against a snake is foolish. If you're in danger and he decides to strike, it will happen so fast you won't even see it. If you have enough time to see that there's a snake, and it still hasn't struck, then you have enough time to back away. No one could draw fast enough to be able to stop a snake. From what I can see, snake strikes take about 80 to 100 milliseconds. That is beyond the limits of human perception or reaction.

I can understand wanting to kill snakes that are around the house as a preventive measure, but killing snakes out in the wilderness doesn't protect anyone. It's senseless killing of animals which are preventing the world from being overrun with mice and rats.

[killmime1234]

I read somewhere (I actually could have sworn it was here on calguns) that the reason rattlers aren't rattling anymore is because of evolution. In the past they needed rattles because they warn predators that "I'm poisonous, leave me alone" and "don't step here." However, as it's been stated on here, many people kill any rattlers they find. That means the ones that are inclined to rattle are killed off, while the quieter, more cautious ones survive. Thus, more and more rattlesnakes don't rattle as an evolutionary defense to a new predator--man.

Interesting stuff.

[rifle man]

Worked as a house framer one summer in the ventura hills along the coast. It was a very hot summer that year. in extreme heat the rattle snakes look for whatever shade or cover they can find. So you hade to be very careful just picking up a sheet of ply or any building material. It got so bad that owner of the home being built had to shut down the site and have the snakes removed.

[Alaric]

The truth of the matter, as in most such things is somewhere in the middle.

No, you don't need to kill every rattler you meet. Nor should you. They keep the rodent population in check.

That said, they do make a fine survival meal and everyone should have the opportunity to take one, prepare it and eat it at least once in their life. If you do kill it, you should do so because you're going to eat it.

[chsk9]

i used to kill every rattler i saw up until about a month ago, i was about 6" from getting lit up, hiking through some brush to get to the shore of a lake. 4' model, one of the biggest ones id ever seen. buzzing and coiled, ready to murder. i should have been bit, honestly. just very lucky that i was able to get back slowly. a little while before that, i was in a philosophical debate about the "karma" of killing snakes for no reason. i said i didnt believe in it.

but i do now. i just let them go.

I agree- the snake was much more afraid of you, back up and go around when possible.