my first timber rattler

[ezpickins]

came across this big guy along a tributary of the Savage River in MD - can't say i was too happy to see him....

 

[Fishidiot]

As one who likes reptiles, I'd consider it a good catch.

A rare event and a memorable FFing experience - part of the Appalachian heritage.

 

[lv2nymph]

^Agreed^ But they sure do get your attention!

 

[geebee]

can you eat them, or are they protected ?

 

[BeastBrown]

Believe you can get a license for 1 to kill, have to count rattle rings I think to determine age or sex, saw video about it once.

 

[Sabot]

I believe all snakes are edible. We had to handle, learn to prepare and eat snakes as part of our training (Army) at Ft. Sherman in Panama. The instructors said rattlers were particularly tasty. The summary of laws that comes with your fishing license covers the regs . for killing snakes.

 

[bikerfish]

they are protected, there is a season and a catch limit, not sure about them though
always enjoy seeing snakes, great find!

 

[wildtrout2]

BeastBrown wrote:
... have to count rattle rings I think to determine age or sex, saw video about it once.

The number of rattles on a snakes tail only tells the number of times that snake has shed it's skin, not how many years old it is. Neat looking snake though.

 

[k-bob]

you may not have been too happy to see it, but what if you didnt see it? thanks, good reminder to watch where you put your feet and hands.

 

[k-bob]

btw I have limited experience in that area, and have never seen a copperhead, but have been told they are common out there.

 

[troutbert]

The regulations are found here:
http://fishandboat.com/fishpub/summary/repamp.html

 

[afishinado]

Yeah, leave them alone. I see an awful lot of them on Forkston Mountain, where my cabin is located. I will admit I "get rid" of them when I see them right around and under! my cabin, but I let them be everywhere else.

 

[perrycountypappy]

I have to at least speak for those of us out there who hate seeing snakes. I know I should not feel that way but I do and I am too d&*$ old to change that about myself. I am with afishinado, I do not like them around my cabin or when I am camping, around my tents. But I would like to think if I leave them be, they will leave me alone as well, it has worked out for both of us so far. But my respect for them has always helped me be careful when out fishing.

 

[wildtrout2]

The only thing I don't like about snakes is you don't usually see one until you're on top of it, and with a rattlesnake that's not a good thing. This is one of 2 rattlers I saw last season in Potter.

 

[pcray1231]

The only thing I don't like about snakes is you don't usually see one until you're on top of it.

Yup. For those who pack heat, I have no problem with it. But snakes is not a viable reason. If you see it, and identify it, you had plenty of time to get away from it. And I'm not afraid of snakes that I see. It's the ones I don't see that put that fear into me. And there's nothing you can do to protect yourself except for to watch where you step and put your hands.

 

[ezpickins]

I let him be. I figure he lives there, not me. But I'm not ashamed to say that I was pretty freaked out.

I had it in my mind to be on the lookout for rattlers - I had heard that they were pretty common in the area. I walked along with my wading staff taping ahead on logs, rocks, etc...didn't want to surprise one.

This guy was sitting right next to the trail if I hadn't seen him I would have walked right by within a bout a foot or so.

I saw it before it rattled - but as I took a step closer to get a look it started to rattle. So it would have warned me.

it was cool to see, no doubt makes a good story - but like I said I was pretty freaked out.

I was back in there pretty far by myself and the prospect of hoofing it out snakebitten didn't appeal very strongly.

I had fished in for a few hours and had just started my way back (literally about 1 minute on the trail)when i saw it - so I was looking at several miles of hiking to get out in, what I now knew was snake infested woods.

All I could imagine was one snake after another along the trail - not true I reckon' but my pulse was definitely up.

So I went back to the stream and kept to the stream the whole way back - figuring they don't like cold water too much.

I'll tell you one thing for my summer small stream explorations I'm going to get a pair of good old-fashioned thick rubber hippers. I know that the snake would have no problem getting through the light weight breathables that I had on - but I think the rubber hip waders ought to be pretty snake proof.

This is the first timber rattler - but the second rattler in two years (after never seeing one before). Last year in Utah i almost stepped on one that never rattled at me until I literally stepped about 2 inches from it.

and on another snake note - when I got back to the camp - my wife had a picture on her phone from her morning run on the bike trail at Ohiopyle. It was a stinking copperhead! Two poisonous snakes in the same day.

 

[k-bob]

to me, thick rubber hippers would be pretty hot. these protect waders from thorns and you from snakes

http://www.cabelas.com/product/Cabelas-TurtleSkin-Snake-Armor-Gaiters/750260.uts

 

[Stimey]

cool picture. I have to admit, I am always really on edge about rattlers when I fish. I guess that's good because I'm always on the lookout. I know two people who got bit (both turkey hunters) in NC PA. Both were bitten in the hand. Both were climbing up a steep bank and reached out for brush to hold onto..... BAM. Neither of the snakes rattled prior to strike. So I'm really careful going up banks.

 

[PennypackFlyer]

I'm glad that the number of rattles do not equate to the number of people that they bit.

P.S. Do not count the rattles when you've been drinking, cause we all have heard that the most bites occur when someone shows someone what they can do with a rattlesnake and a few drinks.


Note: The PA Brown Snake is not a Water Moccasin (Look similar) so please do not kill them.

 

[Brown71]

Those are neat pictures. I have always thought snakes are pretty cool, and I try to photo them when I see them, used to keep some non poisonous ones as pets. Congrats.

As far as the copperhead pic goes, that place has as many copperheads as anywhere that I am personally aware of. We go to Ohiopyle several times yearly for that very reason - just to try to see some coppers. There is a lot of water snakes also, but usually if you try hard enough you will see a copper or two every time.