# Rattlesnakes!!!!!!



## JAY55 (Mar 26, 2012)

Been seeing too many rattlesnakes at my local trail. Worries me if I'm their next victim : (


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## RandomGuyOnABike (Mar 5, 2013)

They're not rattlesnakes.. they're tonight's dinner, tomorrow's belt, and the day after's "souvenir" necklace.


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## Jeremy1983 (Feb 4, 2013)

I saw two rattlers on the same ride last week. Now, every f'n twig looks like a snake to me. I just try not to ride mid-day when they like to bake in the sun. I figure its best to just run them over if you can't stop safely. It's better than trying to stop abruptly and risking falling on top of it.


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## rockerc (Nov 22, 2010)

The poor maligned rattlesnake again! They are just out there to help us out... leave 'em be fercrissakes!


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## Jeremy1983 (Feb 4, 2013)

Dude f*** rattlesnakes. I'm on "Team People!"


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## milehi (Nov 2, 1997)

Jeremy1983 said:


> I saw two rattlers on the same ride last week. Now, every f'n twig looks like a snake to me. I just try not to ride mid-day when they like to bake in the sun. I figure its best to just run them over if you can't stop safely. It's better than trying to stop abruptly and risking falling on top of it.


You're not going to hurt them riding your bike over them. I ran over this one with a two ton car. All it did was pi$$ it off. It continued to harass me over the course of the summer, rattling at me under the car as I left for work, or slithering up to me from behind while BBQing. Finally, my kid popped it in the front yard. It was just too aggressive, and this area is known to have Mojave Green/Southern Pacific hybrids. That's a five iron for scale. It had nine beads on it's rattle.


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## scaryfast (Apr 23, 2004)

Ya, snakes eat rodents and other small animals which is good but I still say the best snake is a dead snake.


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## sprunghunt (May 14, 2006)

Rattlesnakes aren't very poisonous and it's unlikely you'll die from a bite that's properly treated. 

So leave the wildlife alone and don't be so scared of nature.


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## JAY55 (Mar 26, 2012)

Do you guys carry snake bite emergency kit?


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## Gordon Shumway (Sep 17, 2012)

JAY55 said:


> Do you guys carry snake bite emergency kit?


No, but I should. I am not as afraid of getting bit while on my bike as I am while off. I do have this fear of falling into the brush and there being a rattlesnake den in there though.

This guy was saved by his kit... I have heard you need to get the right one though, not all are the same and/or work.

How a $10 Purchase Saved a Man?s Life After He Was Bitten by a Rattlesnake | Video | TheBlaze.com


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## drjay9051 (Dec 6, 2006)

sprunghunt said:


> Rattlesnakes aren't very poisonous and it's unlikely you'll die from a bite that's properly treated.
> 
> So leave the wildlife alone and don't be so scared of nature.


I agree leave them alone. Hoever as far as toxicity. It depends rattlesnake venom for the most part is hemotoxic, that is it alters the bloods ability to properly coagulate (clot).

I believe the Mojave has neurotoxic venom. That is it affects the nervous system. Think paralysis of the diaphragm. Think respirator. Think; bad bite.

Anyway, they can be a real problem but are not out looking for people to bite. Just trying to survive like the rest of us.

Curious just how bad a bite can be check out these pics. BTW: I am not advocating hunting. Just that some of the best pics are on a hunting website.

Rattlesnake Bites and the Snakes of Hunting Country


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## medeist (May 28, 2011)

Some humans look for a excuse to kill....rattlesnakes being one of them


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## 450VoltsDC (Jul 5, 2010)

OCtrailMonkey said:


> This guy was saved by his kit... I have heard you need to get the right one though, not all are the same and/or work.
> 
> How a $10 Purchase Saved a Man?s Life After He Was Bitten by a Rattlesnake | Video | TheBlaze.com


Just Googled this 2007 WSJ article on IN-effectiveness of Snake Bite Kits

Deadly Dilemma: Do Snake-Bite Kits Help? - WSJ.com


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## bigpedaler (Jan 29, 2007)

I read somewhere that a snake's strike is about half their body length; so if you can, stay a full body length from them, and you SHOULD be okay. A five-iron (example above) is less than four feet, so just think "4 foot minimum".


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## BigRingGrinder (Jan 9, 2013)

^ coiled. Uncoiled you have to be ON them to get bit.

Pretty sure all rattle snake venom regardless of breed is a neurotoxin. The severity of a bite depends on three things. 1st... How much venom did the snake pump out? (big old rattlers are smart enough to not even waste venom on a defensive strike that wont result in a meal. The most dangerous rattler is a baby, it will pump out its entire venom supply every strike.) 2nd... The victim's allergic reaction to the venom. Rattle snake venom is in the same class as black widow, scorpion, and.... bee sting venom. If you are allergic to one of those, most likely the others will jack you pretty good as well. 3rd... How fast you get treatment. Guy i work with got bit on the hand at his house last year. He was not allergic and received treatment quickly. His hand was back to normal in under two weeks, cant tell he ever got bit.


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## J.B. Weld (Aug 13, 2012)

Y'all are a bunch of little girls- do you scramble up on a chair and scream "eek!" when you see a mouse? You're on a mountain bike, right? Ride around, bunny hop, or if you are a considerate sort shoo them off the trail so they don't get hurt. Good god!


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## backcountryeti (May 21, 2004)

sprunghunt said:


> Rattlesnakes aren't very poisonous and it's unlikely you'll die from a bite that's properly treated.
> 
> So leave the wildlife alone and don't be so scared of nature.


Rattlesnakes are not poisonous at all... They are venomous.


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## Ditchbanker (Feb 27, 2013)

Just got to take the nols wilderness first aid class. Their story is not to bother with a snake bite kit.

I happen to have a totally irrational fear of snakes. I acknowledge that its irrational but its a fear all the same. That said I am heading out shortly to ride an area with rattlers because it beats not riding. 

Realistically I figure if I am going to be hurt riding snake bites are low on the likelihood scale


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## ghglenn (Jan 26, 2012)

Just ride with a buddy so they can suck out the venom. Safety in Numbers. LOL


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## drjay9051 (Dec 6, 2006)

BigRingGrinder said:


> ^ coiled. Uncoiled you have to be ON them to get bit.
> 
> Pretty sure all rattle snake venom regardless of breed is a neurotoxin. The severity of a bite depends on three things. 1st... How much venom did the snake pump out? (big old rattlers are smart enough to not even waste venom on a defensive strike that wont result in a meal. The most dangerous rattler is a baby, it will pump out its entire venom supply every strike.) 2nd... The victim's allergic reaction to the venom. Rattle snake venom is in the same class as black widow, scorpion, and.... bee sting venom. If you are allergic to one of those, most likely the others will jack you pretty good as well. 3rd... How fast you get treatment. Guy i work with got bit on the hand at his house last year. He was not allergic and received treatment quickly. His hand was back to normal in under two weeks, cant tell he ever got bit.


Not to start a war but MOST rattler venom is hemotoxic ! RE: young rattler bite. Not true. In fact there is an entity called a dry bite.

The snake can control contraction of the venom gland. They do not waste venom if they don't have to. I'm not suggesting they are "intelligent" but they are not dumb venom killing machines either.

I used to breed West African Gaboon Vipers so I'm fairly well versed on snakes.

Neurotoxic think kraits, cobra,coral snakes.

Hemotoxic think rattlers, water moccasins.

ic.


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## disgustipated (Apr 29, 2006)

I see em all the time on gravel roads and occasionally on some of our rockier trails. No biggie.


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## BigRingGrinder (Jan 9, 2013)

drjay9051 said:


> Not to start a war but MOST rattler venom is hemotoxic ! RE: young rattler bite. Not true. In fact there is an entity called a dry bite.
> 
> The snake can control contraction of the venom gland. They do not waste venom if they don't have to. I'm not suggesting they are "intelligent" but they are not dumb venom killing machines either.
> 
> ...


Hardly a war when you are correct. =) I have a hell of a memory for random facts, that memory dosent help much when what you heard was incorrect does it? I stand corrected... hemotoxic they are, with the mojave containing neurotoxin.

Source I looked up said 20% of bites are "dry", but didn't state age of snake had anything to do with it. Still stand by the baby rattler being less likely to dry strike, I have heard that one many times.


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## A1an (Jun 3, 2007)

This is exactly why I murder all snakes AND do my best to eliminate their food supply. Sure my family will never be out on the trail, but I feel good knowing a rattlesnake 20+ miles from my home will never have the opportunity to attack my child or ruin my ride.


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## zgroove (Feb 10, 2009)

JAY55 said:


> Been seeing too many rattlesnakes at my local trail. Worries me if I'm their next victim : (


What is your local trail?


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## drjay9051 (Dec 6, 2006)

BigRingGrinder said:


> Hardly a war when you are correct. =) I have a hell of a memory for random facts, that memory dosent help much when what you heard was incorrect does it? I stand corrected... hemotoxic they are, with the mojave containing neurotoxin.
> 
> Source I looked up said 20% of bites are "dry", but didn't state age of snake had anything to do with it. Still stand by the baby rattler being less likely to dry strike, I have heard that one many times.


All good.

So here is a very serious snake. I used to have a few in my younger (and dumber) days.

I was legal and licensed by Florida but I'm thinking safer to ride than breed snakes.

Venom extraction from large gaboon vipers (Bitis gabonica rhinoceros) - YouTube


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## jimPacNW (Feb 26, 2013)

Did I hear correctly once that most snake bites are alcohol related? Don't drink and ride!


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## J.B. Weld (Aug 13, 2012)

jimPacNW said:


> Did I hear correctly once that most snake bites are alcohol related?


Yep, snakes are notoriously mean drunks.


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## drjay9051 (Dec 6, 2006)

A1an said:


> This is exactly why I murder all snakes AND do my best to eliminate their food supply. Sure my family will never be out on the trail, but I feel good knowing a rattlesnake 20+ miles from my home will never have the opportunity to attack my child or ruin my ride.


Bad Karma. Bad attitude.

Just my opinion.


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## JAY55 (Mar 26, 2012)

zgroove said:


> What is your local trail?


San Diego, 94 east (campo rd) sweetwater historic bridge.


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## DWill (Aug 24, 2010)

BigRingGrinder said:


> ^ coiled. Uncoiled you have to be ON them to get bit.
> 
> Pretty sure all rattle snake venom regardless of breed is a neurotoxin.


This isn't completely accurate there are rattle snakes with both Neuro and hemotoxic venom, and, if I'm not mistaken most rattle snakes have hemotoxic venom.


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## huntermos (Mar 7, 2011)

A1an said:


> This is exactly why I murder all snakes AND do my best to eliminate their food supply. Sure my family will never be out on the trail, but I feel good knowing a rattlesnake 20+ miles from my home will never have the opportunity to attack my child or ruin my ride.


Perfect example of an unreasonable and hysterical human reaction and, sadly, one of the all-to-common reasons why many animal species are endangered: emotional, irrational, illogical fear. Using your "logic," you'd best be sure to have all vehicles destroyed and all dogs within 20 miles of your home killed as they are responsible for far more human injury and death than snakes are. Better figure out how to stop lightning within 20 miles of your house as well as you are NINE times more likely to get hit by it than die from a snake bite.

Over the last decade, deaths from automobiles total approximately 34,000/yr, deaths from dog attacks total approximately 31/yr, deaths from lightning total approximately 55/year, snakes total about 6/yr... But go ahead, keep on killing an animal that is an important and valuable part of the ecosystems in which it lives, that wants ABSOLUTELY nothing to do with you or any other human, and only strikes when it is defending itself.


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## jwilliams (Jun 6, 2011)

If you look at Wikipedia it claims 12 deaths per year in the US from snakebites. Whatever, it's low odds. They have a very incomplete list of the deaths, but most deaths listed appear to be from snake handling churches or people in their own yard.

I don't kill them in the wild, but I am wary. Copperheads too, around here.


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## rehammer81 (Jun 18, 2010)

Just last Friday evening I was on my local trail for a quick ride and came hauling ass around a corner. As came around a corner I saw a rattler stretched out across the trail. I tried to turn sharper to the inside to dodge him but also made to stupid reaction of grabbing the brakes = washout and crash right on top of him. Doh! I scrambled off one direction and he scrambled off the other. I think he was just as surprised as me. He didn't start the rattle until he was safely in the bush. No strike. All is good except I find myself giving every single stick in the trail a double take. :-/

Also came across these two bull snakes yesterday on my commute home. Bow Chika whaw whaw! 
























Specialized Epic 29
Intense Tracer 29


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## huntermos (Mar 7, 2011)

jwilliams said:


> If you look at Wikipedia it claims 12 deaths per year in the US from snakebites. Whatever, it's low odds. They have a very incomplete list of the deaths, but most deaths listed appear to be from snake handling churches or people in their own yard.
> 
> I don't kill them in the wild, but I am wary. Copperheads too, around here.


CDC states 5 deaths per year, this site: Venomous Snake FAQs says 6, but some of their other stats are off. Either way, the risk of a snake bite -and death from one- is minuscule compared to just about any other risk out there (so long as you don't worship in a Baptist snake church I guess), as are deaths from any wild animal, yet there's this illogical fear that drives people to kill any and all animals that they perceive as a threat. People are far more dangerous to each other than any animal is...


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## Gordon Shumway (Sep 17, 2012)

maynsx said:


> It's better than trying to stop abruptly and risking falling on top of it.


Quit repeating what others say.. Troll fail.


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## drjay9051 (Dec 6, 2006)

J.B. Weld said:


> Yep, snakes are notoriously mean drunks.


And if they bite you after they have been drinking you will get quite a buzz.


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## Kiwi_GR_Biker (Nov 17, 2012)

Vader said:


> You're not going to hurt them riding your bike over them. I ran over this one with a two ton car. All it did was pi$$ it off. It continued to harass me over the course of the summer, rattling at me under the car as I left for work, or slithering up to me from behind while BBQing. Finally, my kid popped it in the front yard. It was just too aggressive, and this area is known to have Mojave Green/Southern Pacific hybrids. That's a five iron for scale. It had nine beads on it's rattle.


What flex shaft?


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## Oh My Sack! (Aug 21, 2006)

If I'm off the beaten path where others are very unlikely to stumble across or on a rattlesnake, it will always get a free pass. If it's somewhere where there's a good chance an unsuspecting individual, pet (dog/cat), or horse may encounter the serpent, I'll possibly off it. The bike trail is case by case basis. Usually, they're just moving on through and gone before the next rider comes along. That's cool.

I don't give a Rat's Ass if I won't die from a Rattler bite, the damage, treatment, and recovery can absolutely brutal and hugely expensive. My hunting dog is vaccinated for Crotalus spp as well as having gone through Snake Aversion Training where he was exposed on the trail to numerous MASSIVE rattlers of varying species. They use a small hood over the snake so it can't bite but it will strike. My Lab will now scent the snake and give it wide berth and keep on moving. His reaction is also instrumental in showing me that something's wrong so it's likely I can avoid the danger, as well.


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## ehigh (Apr 19, 2011)

Wait, what? You would 'off' a rattlesnake? They're a pretty awesome group of snakes. Wouldn't it be easier and more effective to relocate it if you're going to get involved with rattlesnakes like that? I'd rather snatch one then kill it. 

Sent from my Desire HD using Tapatalk 2


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## Jaybo (Mar 5, 2008)

A1an said:


> This is exactly why I murder all snakes AND do my best to eliminate their food supply. Sure my family will never be out on the trail, but I feel good knowing a rattlesnake 20+ miles from my home will never have the opportunity to attack my child or ruin my ride.


Wow, do you feel the same way about bears, cougars, or other stuff doing what they do.


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## Oh My Sack! (Aug 21, 2006)

ehigh said:


> Wait, what? You would 'off' a rattlesnake? They're a pretty awesome group of snakes. Wouldn't it be easier and more effective to relocate it if you're going to get involved with rattlesnakes like that? I'd rather snatch one then kill it.
> 
> Sent from my Desire HD using Tapatalk 2


In the situation that I described above, emphatically YES!

Relocate? :skep:

I'm not a trained Herpetologist and I'm not about to get that intimate with something that can jack me up if I make the wrong move.

But don't worry, I'm not a snake killing machine. I have no issue with non-venomous species and I don't seek out and hunt Rattlers. I've just seen too many good Dogs and Horses get nailed with tragic results where the Rattlesnake / Human / Pet interface just doesn't work.


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## milehi (Nov 2, 1997)

Kiwi_GR_Biker said:


> What flex shaft?


Dunno. I hate golf, even though I'm a ringer. Well, I can drive and putt but always have to ask my friends which club to use, and I lose interest after the fifth hole.


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## ehigh (Apr 19, 2011)

I can't imagine why you couldn't spend the time avoiding it instead. You can let people know about it if you need to. I've seen a number of rattlesnakes this week in populated areas but they typically go away. They aren't always particularly timid snakes, but I've managed to trap them with my bike a number of times. You don't have to buy a snake hook to get them to scram. Their venom is worth some money, I'm considering collecting sometime.


edit: FWIW-collection of two rattlesnakes is legal in CA


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## Cobra8d (Aug 3, 2010)

Every time I see one its a special treat for me, I don't understand the irrational fear. They're not the bogey man and as stated before don't want anything to with humans unless cornered and forced to defend themselves. I have never had an issue with any of the rattlers I have come across, I show them the respect they deserve as I am the visitor in there home. I will usually get them to move off the trail, mostly for there own safety, but there are usually hikers with dogs off there leashes too.


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## Kiwi_GR_Biker (Nov 17, 2012)

Here in NZ we don't have any snakes whatsoever which is nice. In fact there are no dangerous animals at all. Our fair land is totally benign. The only thing that females need to worry about is the one eyed trouser snake.  It must be strange going for a ride in the wilderness and having to worry about snakes, bears, mountain lions etc. It's bad enough just having to worry about punctures, repairs, spare parts, the weather and first aid. Rattlers would be something that would give me the shits. Those of you that talk about 'offing' the rattlesnakes how do you do it? With your gun laws I might add a sawnoff to the Camelbak.


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## Kiwi_GR_Biker (Nov 17, 2012)

Vader said:


> Dunno. I hate golf, even though I'm a ringer. Well, I can drive and putt but always have to ask my friends which club to use, and I lose interest after the fifth hole.


LOL - I used to think 9 holes was a marathon when I first started playing, now I hate playing nine cos you're only just getting going thru 9 holes.

Love the game but I'm glad I took up MTB biking this summer to see more of the outdoors and get the extra exercise. I have no use for a 3 iron anymore so I would take that riding as defence vs a rattler. IF I miss the rattler and smash it on a rock who cares? On the other hand I need my 5 iron.


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## A1an (Jun 3, 2007)

drjay9051 said:


> Bad Karma. Bad attitude.
> 
> Just my opinion.





huntermos said:


> Perfect example of an unreasonable and hysterical human reaction and, sadly, one of the all-to-common reasons why many animal species are endangered: emotional, irrational, illogical fear. Using your "logic," you'd best be sure to have all vehicles destroyed and all dogs within 20 miles of your home killed as they are responsible for far more human injury and death than snakes are. Better figure out how to stop lightning within 20 miles of your house as well as you are NINE times more likely to get hit by it than die from a snake bite.
> 
> Over the last decade, deaths from automobiles total approximately 34,000/yr, deaths from dog attacks total approximately 31/yr, deaths from lightning total approximately 55/year, snakes total about 6/yr... But go ahead, keep on killing an animal that is an important and valuable part of the ecosystems in which it lives, that wants ABSOLUTELY nothing to do with you or any other human, and only strikes when it is defending itself.





Jaybo said:


> Wow, do you feel the same way about bears, cougars, or other stuff doing what they do.


All in response to....


A1an said:


> This is exactly why I murder all snakes AND do my best to eliminate their food supply. Sure my family will never be out on the trail, but I feel good knowing a rattlesnake 20+ miles from my home will never have the opportunity to attack my child or ruin my ride.


Figured the exaggerations couldn't make it more obvious that I was mocking a prior thread and utilizing....










Simmer down.


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## huntermos (Mar 7, 2011)

A1an said:


> Figured the exaggerations couldn't make it more obvious that I was mocking a prior thread and utilizing....
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Well one, your statement is a common reaction among the easily frightened and increasingly paranoid American populace, and two, if you are going to try to write something sarcastic where the clues that you are _being_ sarcastic -such as facial movements, voice inflection, and syllable emphasis- cannot be viewed, it's no surprise that so many of us took you seriously! Perhaps one of these would help? :skep::madman:


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## baker (Jan 6, 2004)

They do freak me out, but on the trail, I leave them be when I see them. 

rattlesnake1 by bbaker22, on Flickr

At my house...with two little kids playing in the yard and a dog that has been bitten twice (going into cardiac arrest once)...I kill them.

rattlesnake2 by bbaker22, on Flickr


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## rockerc (Nov 22, 2010)

baker said:


> They do freak me out, but on the trail, I leave them be when I see them.
> 
> rattlesnake1 by bbaker22, on Flickr
> 
> ...


Seems like a set of these would be a good investment:









I have some and when I see a snake in the yard, I move it out into the wash... you might off one, but there's more to take their place... They keep the pack rats down too.


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## huntermos (Mar 7, 2011)

I usually try to move them as well, but don't have a problem with killing a snake that is living under my porch if I can't seem to relocate it. Ironically, the only injury I've ever had dealing with a snake was being hit in the shin by a rock thrown at the snake by a guy WHILE I was picking it up and moving it off the trail with a stick. I almost threw the snake at him... 

FWIW, I've killed my share of rattlers while growing up on a cattle ranch on the Utah/Colorado border. We were told by the old-timer cowboys that they are viscous and bite anything they see. That was an early realization that people are really motivated by primitive fears and incapable of reason in most situations (the overhyped fear of mt. lions, bears, and wolves being a similar -and equally disturbing- example). I soon realized that this was not the case and in 5 years on that ranch, we never had any bite injuries or deaths to any livestock, dogs, or people. Furthermore, neither I, my friends, or our many dogs, ever been bitten in the decades that we've been living, riding, and tramping about in the West, and I've only had one close call ever with my dog, which was avoidable because she was well trained.


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## Jlee197853 (Mar 15, 2004)

That is actually 2 males fighting for the right to mate with the female who is probably close by.


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## baker (Jan 6, 2004)

No rats here, but lots of other rodents. A seemingly endless supply, which is probably why the snakes love my 5 acres of yucca and cactus...


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## ehigh (Apr 19, 2011)

you own five acres and you can't handle a rattlesnake? seriously, get a tong.


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## H0WL (Jan 17, 2007)

jwilliams said:


> If you look at Wikipedia it claims 12 deaths per year in the US from snakebites.


I made this point in another thread...the death toll is misleading. Ask any ER doc working in an area with numerous venomous snakes and they can tell you that getting bitten by a venomous snake is not a desirable or even rare occurrence. You can suffer severe (and irreversible) tissue damage when there is a long delay in getting treatment when venom has been injected by a rattlesnake. 
I'm not sure I am in agreement with the 12 deaths/year statistic. In 2011, two people died from timber rattler bikes in one county east of Austin. In 2005, a woman west of Austin died of a rattlesnake bike before she could get back to her car; she was in a pasture collecting wild plants when she was bitten. Notably, at least two of these people were bitten on the hand or arm. That's just in one small area of the country.

Anyway, just want to counter the idea that a snake bite is no big deal. 
Very few people people in rural areas, particularly those with children/pets, have a live-and-let-live attitude towards venomous snakes in their yards, barns, sheds for obvious reasons. I just found out a few weeks ago that my sister-in-law, a genteel retired English teacher, has dispatched several copperheads in her yard (they live on a ranch) with a shot gun. Who knew? Anyway, non-venomous snakes get a free pass.

_ *Treating snakebites*
_
_According to the University of Maryland's Medical Center Web site, obtaining fast medical attention is crucial to surviving a bite from a poisonous snake. Here are some key tips:
_


_Wash the bite with soap and water._
_*Immobilize the bitten area and keep it lower than the heart.*
_
_Cover the area with a clean, cool compress or a moist dressing to minimize swelling and discomfort._
_If a victim is unable to reach medical care within 30 minutes, the American Red Cross recommends:_
_Apply a bandage, wrapped two to four inches above the bite, to help slow the venom. This should not cut off the flow of blood from a vein or artery - the band should be loose enough to slip a finger under it._
_A suction device can be placed over the bite to help draw venom out of the wound without making cuts. These devices are often included in commercial snake bite kits.
_


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## huntermos (Mar 7, 2011)

June Bug said:


> Anyway, just want to counter the idea that a snake bite is no big deal.
> [/I]


I don't think anyone is saying that they are no big deal, we -or at least me- is saying that being paranoid about them and killing them where/whenever one sees them is not warranted and is an extreme over-reaction. Nor is anyone saying you should let them live under you porch. Rather, we suggest relocating them if possible and only killing them if they return or are denning in your yard.


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## tductape (Mar 31, 2008)

Vader said:


> Dunno. I hate golf, even though I'm a ringer. Well, I can drive and putt but always have to ask my friends which club to use, and I lose interest after the fifth hole.


I'm with you on this Vader!


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## JoeyCapps (Sep 30, 2012)

The CDC and the few doctors I know say not to use snake bite kits. 
Maybe we should start wearing suits of armor and carry a lance, however this may affect strava times.


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## simonpqqe (May 28, 2013)

It's better than trying to stop abruptly and risking falling on top of it.


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## jeff (Jan 13, 2004)

So how would you deal with this one?


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## Live2rideUtah (Jan 3, 2012)

Holy crap that is a monster snake, even though snakes give me the willies I would love to see it in the wild from a safe distance. We have our fair share of snakes here in utah and I just try to stay away from them and let them go on thier way. I do ride with a small pistol but that is more for the slim chance I get stranded and need a noise maker or need to scare off a pissec off moose.


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## jeff (Jan 13, 2004)

The story I heard was that he was in a hunting blind with his father and the snake stuck it's head in for a look. 22 rattles.


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## Old Ray (Sep 5, 2010)

jeff said:


> So how would you deal with this one?


Most of the trails I ride in coastal San Diego county are literally crawling with rattlers. That's for a reason, though.

They have more of a reason to be there, in my opinion, than I do. There's a lot of rattlers, because there's a lot of rodents, their prey. They do a decent job of keeping the rodents under control. They are not out to bite anything they can't eat intentionally. So, basically, I leave them alone. They need their venom for the prey they have to kill in order to live, and I definitely do NOT need their venom. But I DO appreciate the job they do in keeping the ground squirrels, wood rats, and other rodents from overrunning the whole place. The prospect of that happening would be a bad thing.

Killing them without really needing to is just stupid, in my opinion. Rattlers in a yard or a public place like a campground are a deal-breaker, though. They simply have to go. I've heard mixed reports about success in relocating any predator, so dispatching the ones directly endangering people /domestic animals in yards, etc. is likely the safest course of action to take.


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## dstepper (Feb 28, 2004)

I live coastal Orange County CA and they are everywhere. Most of the time they are so docile they often don't rattle when you come up on them and you can easily get around them. I have been in Utah and they start rattling when you are 100 feet away and get very angry. My point is not all rattlers act the same. It was explained to me that the young aggressive ones stay on it the open more and challenge therefore come to the attention of the raptors and roadrunners. The shy ones are more likely to survive buy staying stealthy and in the brush. 

I was in Cleveland National forest this weekend and was surprised to see Forest Service (Fire Dept)) had killed one. They said this snake was very aggressive so the killed it. I remember when I worked for Cal Fire in Willits CA we always wore clothing and gloves they could not bite thru. Plus during a fire they are not to interested in biting just getting away. When coming upon a snake they will always try to get away by going downhill.


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## JAL67 (Aug 28, 2005)

I was told by a herpatologist that a rattler knows his venom is good for food...therefore if/when they strike at something they cant or wont eat, it is usually a dry strike with no venom release. I lived smack in the middle of the Mojave desert for 5 years, and never had problem one with the Sidewinders or Mojave Greens that lived there.


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## Island20v (Apr 22, 2013)

Lots of snakes around my parts as well. Made a trip to REI for a venom snake bite kit and some extra first aid supplies. Totally worth the extra 5-10oz in my pack.


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## JKA (Jul 26, 2006)

Might want to read this if you think a snake venom suction pump is going to help.

Suction for venomous snakebite: a study of "mock venom" extraction in a human model.
Alberts MB, Shalit M, LoGalbo F.
Source
Department of Emergency Medicine, University Medical Center, University of California, San Francisco, Fresno 93702, USA. [email protected]
Abstract
STUDY OBJECTIVE:
We determine the percentage of mock venom recovered by a suction device (Sawyer Extractor pump) in a simulated snakebite in human volunteers.
METHODS:
A mock venom (1 mL normal saline solution, 5.0 mg albumin, 2.5 mg aggregated albumin) radioactively labeled with 1 mCi of technetium was injected with a curved 16-gauge hypodermic needle 1 cm into the right lateral lower leg of 8 supine male volunteers aged 28 to 51 years. The Sawyer Extractor pump was applied after a 3-minute delay, and the blood removed by suction was collected after an additional 15 minutes. A 1991 Siemens Diacam was used to take measurements of the radioactive counts extracted and those remaining in the leg and body.
RESULTS:
The "envenomation load," as measured by mean radioactivity in the leg after injection, was 89,895 counts/min. The mean radioactivity found in the blood extracted in the 15 minutes of suction was 38.5 counts/min (95% confidence interval [CI] -33 to 110 counts/min), representing 0.04% of the envenomation load. The postextraction leg count was less than the envenomation load by 1,832 counts/min (95% CI -3,863 to 200 counts/min), representing a 2.0% decrease in the total body venom load.
CONCLUSION:
The Sawyer Extractor pump removed bloody fluid from our simulated snakebite wounds but removed virtually no mock venom, which suggests that suction is unlikely to be an effective treatment for reducing the total body venom burden after a venomous snakebite.
Comment in
Snakebite suction devices don't remove venom: they just suck. [Ann Emerg Med. 2004]


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## Island20v (Apr 22, 2013)

Anything helps. I am usually riding with someone so it won't be needed but in the event I am solo and deep in the woods I'll dial help and give this a shot. Any bit helps.


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## JKA (Jul 26, 2006)

They certainly didn't conclude that the kits do any harm so I agree that I would try it and then get medical care as quickly as possible if I were alone.


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## bitewerks (May 14, 2009)

I live in a state with rattlesnakes but there are none on my trails. I do see copperheads & cottonmouths plus non-venomous snakes. I always get a kick with I run across them while out riding & would love to see a rattler in the wild!


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## ehigh (Apr 19, 2011)

jeff said:


> So how would you deal with this one?


That guy couldn't hold a snake that big with all its weight out on a pole. A snake that big weighs a good heft.


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## rockerc (Nov 22, 2010)

ehigh said:


> That guy couldn't hold a snake that big with all its weight out on a pole. A snake that big weighs a good heft.


I dunno! See the size of his neck? His arms look pretty thick too, I reckon he bench presses snakes three times that size regularly


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## redrock_z71 (Oct 18, 2004)

Here's a pretty big one I came across riding Monday.


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## bitewerks (May 14, 2009)

I'm not sure it's true but I have heard that rattlers in TX have learned not to warn because they have become dinner for wild hogs. 

I am always mindful of where I put my foot down off the trail. A few weeks ago, I saw a fairly large snake sunning itself. It was so still that I thought for sure it was dead but finally caught sight of his tongue flicking. I think it was a copperhead.


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## YooperTX (Oct 15, 2010)

On the trail in Austin a few weeks ago, I encouraged it to leave the trail so a family could get through. I'm not opposed to killing them, I just don't carry the right tools on the bike to do it.

I also saw my first Copperhead last weekend, but it got off the trail before I got my camera out.


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## NorCalTaz (Nov 12, 2013)

Ran into 3 of them the year before last on the trails at Lake Natoma & Brown's Ravine. Reading this thread I am relieved that it is winter, would be nice if we had snow (love boarding), at least I won't have to watch for them for another few months.


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## Hooch (Jun 30, 2006)

haha here in australia we have something like 8 out of the top 10 deadliest snakes in the world. yet we don't panic. ive come across several red belly black snakes on rides. most of the time they hear you coming long enough to move off the trail


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## RobLyman (May 8, 2006)

*We get rattlesnakes here in Florida.*

We get rattlesnakes here in Florida. The second picture is a Pygmy I saw on my local trail. Ten minutes later I saw the water moccasin in the first picture. Those things scare me a bit. I passed one two weeks ago off to the side of the trail. He slithered a few feet into the grass, then reared up and opened his mouth. I stayed a good 10' from him.


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## RobLyman (May 8, 2006)

*Another Moccasin*

I see these more often than any other snake where I ride. Black racers are a close second. I don't kill them, but I do watch for "sticks" in the trail with a keen eye.


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## Guest (Dec 30, 2013)

I'm sure there's a MTB'r who has been bitten on a ride but I'd guess it's a rarity. I rode past a coiled snake (no idea what kind) during a century once but it didn't strike me or anyone else (apparently). I would concur that the snake-bite kit is of limited usefulness based on the courses I've been in. I've been "Skunked" twice on a ride so I'm more inclined to worry about Polecats.


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## brianW. (Nov 15, 2010)

My LBS sponsored a "Bring a Kid Mt Biking" event back in October. My 11 year old daughter lead some of the ride. While she was leading she slammed to a stop and pointed abut 5-8 ft in front of her. "A snake. has a triangle head, must be poisonous." sure enough it was a copperhead.


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## iWiLRiDe (Apr 17, 2006)

I know that rattle snakes eat lil critters and what not but I still say my favorite snake is a dead snake.


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## molossus (Feb 28, 2014)

FYI, the 'mojave green southern pacific hybrid' thing is an absolute myth.


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## PBNinja (Jan 30, 2014)

I'm thankful I live in Ireland where the only snakes are in new car showrooms and reptile houses at the zoo...........


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## Jayem (Jul 16, 2005)

I would trade the crazy mosquitos of Alaska for some snakes.


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## J.B. Weld (Aug 13, 2012)

Jayem said:


> I would trade the crazy mosquitos of Alaska for some snakes.


No doubt, I've never been driven out of anywhere because of snakes.


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## 29er4ever (Jan 8, 2013)

Saw this guy earlier this week. We've had such a warm fall and winter, this is the fourth snake I've seen in the last six months (three have been rattlesnakes).


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## WA-CO (Nov 23, 2013)

Interesting thread....I do my very best to respect all life, and would never kill a snake, even if the bastard bit me. Clearly I was in the wrong place at the wrong time. I think they are amazing and beautiful animals. Seriously.


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