Summer of 2014 Rattlesnake Thread

[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.

[ZirconJohn]

Originally Posted by 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?

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...!!!

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.

Originally Posted by Zelg

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.
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