Summer of 2014 Rattlesnake Thread

[ZirconJohn]

:bouncy: Hello fellow field herping enthusiasts who love to hunt rattlesnakes.

Welcome to the official Summer of 2014 Rattlesnake Thread

In this thread; anything about on site - field herping for rattlesnakes goes.

Whatever you want to talk about... get in here and let's do this, and it's OKAY to talk about yourself and what you do as long as it's about rattlesnakes.

I want to see your video's and pictures... I want to talk about what you do, and how you do it... things you have learned and things you can teach me. And so, if you see me doing something wrong in one of my vids... please... please SAY IT...! - 'I know how to take constructive criticism' :yes:

I am very new, I am a total greenhorn to field herping anything, let alone the infamous rattlesnake.

My girlfriend 'Denise' and I go in the field OFTEN as we can. She is my 360º eyes and ears when I'm in photography mode.

I am in Northern California, City of Ukiah - Mendocino County. I am a Native American, and I am strict believer in respectful catch and release snake hunter for video and pictures ONLY.

This has become a passion for me recently, and since I am very new to all of this... I am NOT here to teach, I am here to learn.

In this video I am TOO CLOSE, and did not notice until after watching the video. I have since ordered industry approved snake leggings, a nice American made snake tong, and boots for both Denise and myself.

This is our favorite rattler, we named him 'Sylvester' -- In the video I indicate that Sylvester may be approximately 6" around the middle. Not true. We have since measured him and he is 10.25" girth at the middle and 42" length w/o the rattle

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ScR-VlgfhjQ
ScR-VlgfhjQ

http://i1370.photobucket.com/albums/ag258/johnedelgado/Rattlesnakes/DSC_0325_zps05f5fd47.jpg (http://s1370.photobucket.com/user/johnedelgado/media/Rattlesnakes/DSC_0325_zps05f5fd47.jpg.html)

[Sublimeballs]

Nice find, hoping I can ad to this thread this year. The timber rattlesnake always seems to avoid me. Me and my GF are out searching more and further into their range so fingers crossed.

[babyboa97]

Super happy about my first eastern diamondback of 2014 in south florida

[babyboa97]

Crotalus adamanteus

[ZirconJohn]

Nice find, hoping I can ad to this thread this year. The timber rattlesnake always seems to avoid me. Me and my GF are out searching more and further into their range so fingers crossed.

Ahhh... you are on the east coast... east of the Mississippi :yes:

Do you and your GF wear proper gear... leggings and boots?

Have a catcher... or snake tong?

Super happy about my first eastern diamondback of 2014 in south florida

Nice catch... :blink:

Sounds like you go often; do you catch and release?
What kind of gear do you wear... and what do you use to grab ahold of these amazing critters?
Do you have video... what other species rattler do you catch?

[babyboa97]

Ahhh... you are on the east coast... east of the Mississippi :yes:

Do you and your GF wear proper gear... leggings and boots?

Have a catcher... or snake tong?



Nice catch... :blink:

Sounds like you go often; do you catch and release?
What kind of gear do you wear... and what do you use to grab ahold of these amazing critters?
Do you have video... what other species rattler do you catch?


We'll for venomous snakes I do t really even catch them. I photographs them and help them off the road and set them to go on their way. I usually have a pair of boots. Jeans and a snake hook and my camera. And as far as other rattlesnakes I catch would be the dusky Pygmy rattlesnake but I don't have pictures on my phone of. And soon I'll be heeling for cane break rattlesnakes

[babyboa97]

Sorry for the typos. Herping*

[Georgia]

Big time Canebrakes here in Georgia... Not very hard to find where i go herping. Unlike others in this thread, i keep some of them. Plenty of Copperheads and Cottonmouths. Theres not so many Pygmies here as other places...

[ZirconJohn]

Crotalus horridus

A.K.A. -- Canebreak, Timber, or Banded Rattlesnake.

I'm just recently become familiar with this species. And apparently there are no known sub-species.

They have a mild temperament... and are a very beautiful patterned rattler, just gorgeous.

[simpleyork]

a great basin a cruised up a few nights ago
http://i1015.photobucket.com/albums/af276/simpleyork/IMG_3014_zps54fd1747.jpg (http://s1015.photobucket.com/user/simpleyork/media/IMG_3014_zps54fd1747.jpg.html)
smaller one found last night
http://i1015.photobucket.com/albums/af276/simpleyork/IMG_3047_zpse9f1b737.jpg (http://s1015.photobucket.com/user/simpleyork/media/IMG_3047_zpse9f1b737.jpg.html)
http://i1015.photobucket.com/albums/af276/simpleyork/IMG_3057_zps0f8fae23.jpg (http://s1015.photobucket.com/user/simpleyork/media/IMG_3057_zps0f8fae23.jpg.html)

[Pareeeee]

Cool thread! We only have one native rattler here, the Massassauga, which I've only been lucky enough to spot once in the wild. I'll see if I can find the photo when I'm on my PC later, it's not very good though.

[54bogger]

Great thread, I've been hunting for eastern diamondback's but havent had any luck so far
I'm going to repticon tomorrow in columbia, S.C to pick up 2 EDB's from south fla.
I just take pic's of the snakes I see and move on but I just had to have a couple of EDB's!

[ZirconJohn]

I found me a beauty... you guys just gotta see this rattler... :)

Went in the field this last Wednesday, and absolutely stunning Northern Pacific - Crotalus oreganus oreganus

Denise and I always name our snakes, each catch is a different name.

In the vid, I say he's gonna calm down... but, I had him about 40 minutes and he NEVER calmed down :laugh:

We named this rattler 'Travis' - and he is an absolutely handsome your feller... just look at him :yes:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oazh8CdbUd0
Oazh8CdbUd0

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nth5h9772Ao
Nth5h9772Ao

http://i1370.photobucket.com/albums/ag258/johnedelgado/DSC_0244_zps27e9788d.jpg

http://i1370.photobucket.com/albums/ag258/johnedelgado/DSC_0070_zps723f482b.jpg

[FWK]

Wow, Travis is a stunner. Very nice find.

[SnoopySnake]

Wow, he's gorgeous. The blue tints on the side and two tone tongue are just amazing.

[Sublimeballs]

No real gear for us other than a couple snake hooks, water, snacks, and boots.She likes to cover up a little more because of bug bites, they don't really bite me. I usually don't full on catch the hots I find. I manipulate them to stay around for me to check out, and ill sometimes tail them if an animal is exceptionally calm. I don't really take the risk like I used to after owning a hot, keep the actual interaction to a minimal but still get to enjoy the animals presents.

If I have to remove a venomous snake from someone's yard, garage,etc.. I simply use a snake hook(2 if needed) and a 5 gallon bucket(keep it in my car) with a really tight lid and air holes.

[Georgia]

My EDB Brutus!

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=OSn8PxUrUtA

[Pareeeee]

Because the only picture of a wild Massassauga I've managed to take is super far away:
http://i.imgur.com/RASbFE6.jpg

Here's a couple pics of one that I had the pleasure of getting up close to. He was part of a presentation at one of our National Parks. The park ranger brought him out for everyone to see.

These are from a few years ago.

http://i.imgur.com/eXRW0EB.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/IXlRCPI.jpg

Ontario's only venomous snake. (well, not counting garters, but they are so luke-warm they don't count in my books :P )

[ZirconJohn]

Wow people... lots of GREAT pics... really great - everybody... thank you :yes:

Massassagua... I'm trying different pronunciations...,

1. Moss-ah-sog-wah

2. Moss-ah-saw-wah

3. Moss-saw-wah

This has been a very busy week for me, the newb snake hunter...

Since Wednesday, I have three more rattlers I found... hundreds of pics and more video.

1. Of course there was Travis from Wednesday, this last week.

2. Caught yesterday..., I'll be posting up Betty Boop... she has a boo-boo on her neck, maybe she was attacked by a bird of prey and she was able to get away. Anyway... she's a bit tore-up... Betty Boop :laugh:

3. Today, me and Denise caught Henry... hhahhaa... 'Hissee-Fit Henry' - No rattling, no strikes... Henry was a sissy la la... but a really beautiful taupe markings over moss green w/ copper eyes... just gorgeous.

Mannn... I really hope y'all don't get tired of me, I'm like a kid in a candy shop when I get a rattler in front of me.

Stay tuned... I'll be loading up pics and video soon.

Pareeeee... how in the hale y'all say Massassagua up they in your neck of the wood...?

[Pareeeee]

Massassagua... I'm trying different pronunciations...,

1. Moss-ah-sog-wah

2. Moss-ah-saw-wah

3. Moss-saw-wah

Pareeeee... how in the hale y'all say Massassagua up they in your neck of the wood...?

Well I spelled it wrong. Heh. It's Massasauga, not Massassauga :P
Then, you added to my error and spelled it Massassagua. :wacky:

Anyhow, it's pronounced Mass-uh-saw-guh. Emphasis on the bold.
Latin name is Sistrurus catenatus

Also, an interesting fact about the name:
The eastern massasauga rattlesnake got its name from an Aboriginal word. ‘Massasauga’ is the Chippewa word for great river-mouth, and describes the location where the snake was originally found, in marshes along rivers. The snake’s latin, or scientific, name is Sistrurus catenatus catenatus. Sistrum means a rattle and oura means tail, in reference to the rattle at the tip of the snake’s tail. Catenatus means chained, which describes the pattern on the snake’s back.

The Eastern Massasauga Rattlesnake - Stewardship Guide - A Resource and Field Guide for living with Rattlesnakes in Ontario (http://www.massasauga.ca/stewardship_guide/section_1/pg8.htm)

.

[ZirconJohn]

Here's one me and the Mrs. caught couple weeks ago...

Denise and I married on the 16'th of July.

Northern Pacific Rattlesnake - Crotalus oreganus oreganus

This is 'Henry' - Measured at 42" w/ 13 button rattle.

Henry was an absolute jewel... Denise and I caught him first thing in the morning about 8:00 AM.

We really hated to let him go only after about 40 minutes to take pics and video, I could have spent the whole day with him.

Whenever we hunt this area now, we always go look for Henry... hopefully we see him again someday.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L1fx83SJQ0w
L1fx83SJQ0w

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5mox2qYizGU
5mox2qYizGU

http://i1370.photobucket.com/albums/ag258/johnedelgado/DSC_0195_zps67627be0.jpg

http://i1370.photobucket.com/albums/ag258/johnedelgado/DSC_0065_zpse822dd51.jpg

[JWFugle]

well heres my shots of a timber i came across last sunday. out in the Shawnee forest in southern IL. i didnt attempt to hold or handle, i did scoot him off the road with a stick though.

and the video i made of him, he was not happy about moving haha
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vRhiX1lN4fc

[Georgia]

My Alabama Canebrake...yes thats his real color.
http://i1085.photobucket.com/albums/j424/georgiagrower/Mobile%20Uploads/1406161656448.jpg (http://s1085.photobucket.com/user/georgiagrower/media/Mobile%20Uploads/1406161656448.jpg.html)

[Georgia]

He has a nice gun metal blue tint

[Joshchimera]

The blue tinted Rattlesnake is a very rare thing to see in my opinion. I have seen pics of a blue American Bullfrog that was wild caught and kept in captivity.

[Joshchimera]

My Alabama Canebrake...yes thats his real color.
http://i1085.photobucket.com/albums/j424/georgiagrower/Mobile%20Uploads/1406161656448.jpg (http://s1085.photobucket.com/user/georgiagrower/media/Mobile%20Uploads/1406161656448.jpg.html)
This is a beautiful rattler as well! I really like its pattern and coloration!

[Will0W783]

The only rattlesnakes I see around here are the ones I own- part of the downsides of living in a city (no wildlife).

I own a gorgeous EDB (Mysterio), and albino WDB (Namora), a Prairie/Mojave hybrid (Sinestro), and a big batwing (Bruce Wayne). Sinestro and Bruce are incredibly docile, and the diamondbacks are pretty laid-back too.

[millertime89]

I haven't had any luck finding prairies around here although a friend of mine found a pair in the middle of breeding a few weeks back. I'm still on the hunt...

[ZirconJohn]

The only rattlesnakes I see around here are the ones I own- part of the downsides of living in a city (no wildlife).

I own a gorgeous EDB (Mysterio), and albino WDB (Namora), a Prairie/Mojave hybrid (Sinestro), and a big batwing (Bruce Wayne). Sinestro and Bruce are incredibly docile, and the diamondbacks are pretty laid-back too.

It's cool man... PICS... if you have'em - post'em... :yes:

[millertime89]

It's cool WOman... PICS... if you have'em - post'em... :yes:

Fixed it for ya. :P

[brandonh]

I managed to find some back home but i am on vacation atm so i can't post them till i get back but i did find this cute little guy out here !

Northern pacific neonate

[ZirconJohn]

Been a while since I've visited this thread...

YouTube shut my original account down for unknown reasons.

Anyway... they recommended I open a new account.

I thought, okay... I'll make a Channel BETTER than the last one...

Okay... and so... I did

Please visit and subscribe ---► https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCohUvAnDUjG-NsYEmqzwjHg

Here is a video I put together of about half the rattlers I caught in 2014...,

Rattlesnake California Hunt Catch Respect Release Rattlesnakes - YouTube (http://youtu.be/1QkVTx5OwBU)
1QkVTx5OwBU

[Zelg]

Hey, just found your thread and started watching your new video (only a few minutes as I have to go out right now) and really enjoyed what ive seen so far. How have you found your rattlers? Just happened across them on trails or do you go rooting around in bushes, flipping rocks etc?

I had the pleasure of finding a rattler earlier this summer. The first one I have ever seen in the wild (32 yrs old now and lived in so cal most of my life, now on central coast). It was just on the edge of the trail not even 25 yards after the trail began. Scared the crap out of me cause i wasnt expecting to find one so close to the road. Ill post pics of it later. Exciting creatures to come across. I'll definitely be checking out your youtube, you guys look like you have a lot of fun out there.

[Will0W783]

I actually just took some nice photos of my buzztails this weekend. I parted with my big Batwing in order to bring in a proven breeder female EDB. My male EDB has been so antsy and looking for a mate, so I felt this was best. I will miss Bruce, but he went to a guy who had been dreaming of a Batwing all his life, so he will have an excellent home.

Here's Mysterio, my 3-year-old male EDB:
http://i254.photobucket.com/albums/hh115/Will0W783/Mobile%20Uploads/2014-10/20141018_192135_zpsk9iymq0y.jpg (http://s254.photobucket.com/user/Will0W783/media/Mobile%20Uploads/2014-10/20141018_192135_zpsk9iymq0y.jpg.html)

Here is Lorelei, the new female EDB. She just had 9 babies a few months ago, so she is a tad thin right now:
http://i254.photobucket.com/albums/hh115/Will0W783/Mobile%20Uploads/2014-10/20141018_192424_zpsvva6isjo.jpg (http://s254.photobucket.com/user/Will0W783/media/Mobile%20Uploads/2014-10/20141018_192424_zpsvva6isjo.jpg.html)

http://i254.photobucket.com/albums/hh115/Will0W783/Mobile%20Uploads/2014-10/2014-10-18_19.26.27_zps27kkjdj9.jpg (http://s254.photobucket.com/user/Will0W783/media/Mobile%20Uploads/2014-10/2014-10-18_19.26.27_zps27kkjdj9.jpg.html)

Here is my female albino WDB, Namora:
http://i254.photobucket.com/albums/hh115/Will0W783/Mobile%20Uploads/2014-10/2014-10-18_19.28.04_zpsjoajmyw9.jpg (http://s254.photobucket.com/user/Will0W783/media/Mobile%20Uploads/2014-10/2014-10-18_19.28.04_zpsjoajmyw9.jpg.html)

Male albino WDB (still needs name):
http://i254.photobucket.com/albums/hh115/Will0W783/Mobile%20Uploads/2014-10/2014-10-18_19.27.28_zpsra40plhj.jpg (http://s254.photobucket.com/user/Will0W783/media/Mobile%20Uploads/2014-10/2014-10-18_19.27.28_zpsra40plhj.jpg.html)

Male prairie x mojave hybrid, Sinestro. This guy never rattles and is the calmest viper I've ever seen:
http://i254.photobucket.com/albums/hh115/Will0W783/Mobile%20Uploads/2014-10/20141018_192346_zpshx7j9zjo.jpg (http://s254.photobucket.com/user/Will0W783/media/Mobile%20Uploads/2014-10/20141018_192346_zpshx7j9zjo.jpg.html)

[ZirconJohn]

Hey, just found your thread and started watching your new video (only a few minutes as I have to go out right now) and really enjoyed what ive seen so far. How have you found your rattlers? Just happened across them on trails or do you go rooting around in bushes, flipping rocks etc?

Well... the area we frequent, about a 2 mile X 3 mile section of a 300+ square mile BLM property is an area we have stumbled on while out hiking one day. We were not out looking for rattlesnakes. We were however aware that rattlesnakes are in abundance in this County and the nearby bordering County. So when we were out hiking one day... in the soft powdery dirt road we noticed snake tracks... LOTS of them, everywhere...!!! :smug:

So... we decided to hunt the area.

Luckily we were right in the middle of mating season April, May... June - And we went looking. And boyyyyy did we find...! Rattlesnake City... a cornucopia of rattlesnakes.
I learned what type sun shelter they like 'for this area' - and that's key. The sun shelter they like and use in your area may be different.
I also learned to read their tracks in the soft powdery-like dirt... I can read which way they are going. How I did that was, when I caught one I placed him on the powdery dirt and of course see which he's going. Then I read the tracks, they make certain ridges and by reading those ridges I see which way they are going... they are all characteristically the same. In one of my videos File #07 a rattlesnake I named Buddy... in the beginning of that video I mention that I read his tracks.
Anyway... it's all about your area and the type ground cover, rocks, shrubs etc. etc. You have to get out there and learn to read them... they are there, you will find them. I will be happy to help you more if you need further assistance.

I had the pleasure of finding a rattler earlier this summer. The first one I have ever seen in the wild (32 yrs old now and lived in so cal most of my life, now on central coast). It was just on the edge of the trail not even 25 yards after the trail began. Scared the crap out of me cause i wasnt expecting to find one so close to the road. Ill post pics of it later. Exciting creatures to come across. I'll definitely be checking out your youtube, you guys look like you have a lot of fun out there.

I'm 58 years old... I lived in rattlesnake country all my life and I never seen one. I actually had a fear of rattlesnakes. And so, in video File #00 my wife and I went out into rattlesnake territory HOPING we would see a rattlesnake as a means to get over our fear. Well, our (especially my) fears turned into fascination. And so now, all I do is read about rattlesnakes, watch video and pay close attention to anything rattlesnake.
Rattlesnake herping is a special calling in my opinion. Please be careful.
You are in Southern California...? - You are sooooooooo lucky. You have many species of rattlesnakes where you are... very-very lucky. In NorCal we have one species - Northern Pacific Rattlesnake - C. o. oreganus.
.

[D Grade]

I cannot wait to do this soon. Hoping to head out with Nathan (CrotalusR#1) soon for some field herping in AZ.

[ZirconJohn]

Ahhhhhhhh-mannnnnnnn... SPRING is almost here...!!! :bouncy:

I have a fever -- a fever for rattlesnakes...!!! :wacky:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L1QO6pDAOfE
L1QO6pDAOfE