Anyone step on a rattler?

[fyrewall]

While shooting April rockchucks in eastern Washington, I once flipped over a flat rock and discovered a bunch of tiny, about 1 inch long scorpions. I don't know if these were babies or some dwarf specie. My list has been edited to include scorpions - how could I not include them after being warned to shake out clothing before dressing in AM?

 

[a1712]

Stepped directly in the center of a Moccasin bank fishing in Port St. Lucie, Fl.. It will get your blood flowing. Brian.

 

[mmcu]

Never stepped on a rattler, but several years back I pulled my truck over on the side of a muddy two-track on our ranch a couple of hours before sunrise; hopped out and pulled my bow, pack, etc. out of the back seat of the truck and placed it on the bed cover.

In the process of getting my gear together for the morning hunt, I noticed a distinct and repeating "tap-tap-tap" on the side of my right boot. I dug my headlamp out of my pack and shined it towards my boot. Sure as shit, I was standing squarely on one very distressed Copperhead. He was doing everything that he could to get my oversized keester off of him.

I got off of him, kicked him into the brush and we went our separate ways.

The moral of the story is that snake boots work.

 

[Sam Staton]

I grew up in SE New Mexico and west Texas. Virtually every kind of crawling venomous thing in the world can be found out there. Every year, Sweetwater Texas has a rattlesnake roundup, and the catch is sometimes measured in the thousands. I do not suffer snakes to survive on my turf (defined as anywhere I am standing at the time) and will kill any snake I see. That also goes for scorpions, black & brown widows, and tarantulas. Yes, I know that a tarantula bite won’t kill, but I have NO intention of proving it the hard way.

 

[PRR1957]

Couple years ago on Fort Hood, TX one of the deer hunting guides got struck several times. After the morning hunt he walked back to his truck to go pick up his hunters. Turns out a rattler thought his nice warm engine block was a good place to warm up. The snake struck him in the leg as he was getting back into his truck.

I was posted at Ft.Hood from 1980/81 as a tank turret mechanic (45 Kilo). At the North end of the base was a tank sight in range with a limestone mountain behind the range that the mountains top was quarried for limestone at one time with a pit about 300’ in length and about 60’ or so wide that was always filled with young Texas diamond backs. A bunch of us GI’s would go up to pit and catch these snakes and pile them up in old wall lockers that were dumped up there, then after about 15-20 snakes and 3 or 4 hours of this, we would turn the lockers over and release the snakes so we could come back a couple of days latter and do to it all over again. The fact that not one of use ever got bitten was just pure dumb luck, and we did this every time we went to that gunnery range which we supported three tank battalions who went there two times a year. Do the math. Ahh yes, youthful stupidity along with boredom.

 

[vmaxpro]

Stepped on a mojave in bare feet about a month ago! You woulda thought I was an nba player with the vertical I jumped haha. Damn thing got into my garage

 

[jds holler]

I'm not from the South West part of our country, but I've done some running around there. I think that on balance, I'd rather mess with the rattlers than the cholla cactus. jd

 

[swd]

Killed this little guy Friday by our garden. Second one in two weeks.

 

[vmaxpro]

I'm not from the South West part of our country, but I've done some running around there. I think that on balance, I'd rather mess with the rattlers than the cholla cactus. jd

Ha! Yea cholla is no fun thats for sure. I took a bite from a desert centipede and let me tell you they pack one hell of a punch!

 

[Ringostar]

Less than 2 years ago, one of our dogs got bit by a small rattler on our patio. Since then I kill everyone that I find near the house. Most recently was two months ago next to the garage door. I smash the small scorpions in the house. The old lady made me smash a tarantula at patio once, but gets pissed at me when I run them over in the road.

 

[NorCalMikie]

I remember back when I was a teen, we were up behind the target stands looking for lead and I almost stepped on 3' gopher snake. Startled me enough that when my Ruger Mark I quit barking, there were about 20 little snakes about 1 inch long flopping around.

 

[Ed]

When I was in high school, about ‘95 or ‘96. I was walking along a berm through a wetland wildlife area here, in Florida. I saw something moving down near the water and stepped closer for a look. Suddenly, the grass and water was alive with what seemed like hundreds, must have been several dozen water moccasins, at least. My buddy and I high stepped out of there with a quickness. It was an unforgettable scene.

 

[kthomas]

I think it may be the dominate trait now. We have killed several around this area and they never rattled and would not rattle messing with them before dispatching. I have spoke to the snake round up folks at the trophy hunters and was told it was becoming a issue. Did not believe it and followed up with the 2 game wardens both said it is now becoming the dominate trait. They both said the trait before was recessive to not rattle. Humans by killing the noisy ones let the quiet ones survive to breed. My mom was almost bit by one of the quiet ones and saved by a dog who jumped in between.
We have seen plenty with plenty broken rattles but not any yet with none. Can see the natural progression.

In places where there are a lot of feral hogs, such as Texas, this is becoming a trait of the rattlers. Hogs eat snakes and the rattle is a dinner bell to them.

 

[garandman]

I wish....

 

[kthomas]

Damn near stepped on a coiled up baby diamondback just outside of Austin TX when going to relieve my bladder.

Had a small aggressive diamondback show up at my front door step one night last year as the wife and I were just getting back to the house from walking the dog. That one got sent back to snake heaven.

Being in AZ, I usually see them in the spring - they like to hang out on the black asphalt roads while trying to get themselves warmed up. Haven't had really any encounters in the AZ desert yet (just moved to AZ about ~1.5 years ago). I live in the Sonoran desert - supposedly the most venomous area of North America. Snakes, Tarantula hawks, scorpions, Gila monsters, etc all frequent this area.

 

[SEM]

had a Pacific rattler lung at my foot he missed and I missed him with my 40S&W while ground squirrel shooting, Almost stepped on a few others doing the same, Did shoot one that went 6', Hunting in early season deer zone walked up on one at night while heading back to the ATV just listened figured out where it was and gave a WIDE berth form then on a flashlight became a mandatory item on these late walks, The one that bit me was at home, long story but while mowing I thought it was a neighbors kids toy bent over to pick it up BIG MISTAKE I was surprised it did not hurt until later

 

[Centuriator]

I hate snakes.

 

[Danoh]

Not a rattler, but I had a second cousin get bit by a copperhead as a kid growing up in Kentucky. (none of us had enough sense to wear shoes)
Turned her whole lower leg almost black.

 

[snert]

Rebel regularly sends me photos or videos of bugs and snakes, just for the evil fun he gets outta it, knowing I am seriously bugaphobic and snakes make me pee myself. Have not seen a snake in years till he started doing this. Last week I was weedwhacking some high grass and suddenly my weedeater bogged. I lifted it out of the grass expecting a piece of rope or stems etc. Nah...I had a three foot black snake by the tail, wrapped up in the head of the weedeater. Thank God the handle was longer and he didn't dislodge when I cranked out about 5000 RPM in a panic. He was caught up good. I am surprised, given my luck, that he didn't get launched mouth first into my cargo shorts or similar.

Since he was mangled, i axed him if he liked his head...he said every now and then he loses it. I burned the carcass in the burn barrel. I am never going barefoot in my lawn again. And I am certain Rebel is down there in the Carolinas with a rubber voodoo snake and a little doll with Snert written on its shirt...

 

[willbas]

Two months ago this little fella was at the feet of shooter for the whole match. Now we check every possible hiding pace.