I went down to check the water levels in my pasture troughs and nearly stepped on a 2’ timber rattler. He was slowly meandering across my top paddock. I threw a stick at him, hoping to get him to move faster, but he just coiled up in the tall grass by the fence and rattled at me.
I brought the dogs in - his path would’ve taken him close to the fence for the back yard. I’ll have to watch where I step.
StG
I’ve been in that type of situation a couple of times.
It can be 80 degrees outside, but hearing a rattle is enough to make a man break out in a cold sweat.
I was hiking up in the Sierras once and found a big rattler in the middle of the path. I decided to go the other way around the rock.
Cheaper than running the air conditioner!
Holy shmokes! :eek: You’re right Flyer, that’s a sound to make you break into a cold sweat. Like a rifle cocking or a big cat roar.
If you check Gato’s recent thread, someone found antivenin for $200. I don’t know how far you are from medical help, but would it be worth keeping some around?
Sunny Daze - I work for a company that distributes Crofab, which is the antivenin for humans. Honestly, if I was bite I’d make my first call to 911, the second to the warehouse director’s cell. He’d open it in the middle of the night for me. the local hospital probably has it, but I wouldn’t take any chances.
StG
Good. 
Yep, snake season is upon us.
Antivenin. I just learned a new word today, cool!
Nasty Bastards!
I suspect it is far more foolhardiness than bravery, but when I hear a rattle I immediately get excited and think - “Cool! Rattlesnake!” :D. Of course even I’m pretty careful to look around cautiously before deciding where to put my feet next.
I definitely saw the snake before he saw me. Here’s a pic of a snake killed in a back yard this week, 2 counties away. Mine was much smaller - only about 2’, and about the diameter of a garden hose.
StG
We relocate sneks from around our house (where they eat our friends, the toads) to the woods. Last summer my gf ran to get a feed sack while I kept my eye on a big black rat snake. When she returned, I went to grab him. He rattled. Scared the crap out of both of us for a second, then I grabbed him.
I have a black snake that live in my shed walls. Huge guy - probably at least 6’, although I never see the whole snake at once. But he’s a good guy and welcome to eat the rodents in the shed where I keep my wood pellets. I didn’t know about toads. I like toads.
StG
I know they can cause death, but how often do they? Are they all that dangerous as the hype of old westerns?
I killed one, once. Held its head down with a stick and I cut its head off. Damn thing was in my way.
It was a cool summer morning, so he wasn’t moving too fast. Lucky for me. Wish I’d kept some of its parts, but I let the guys I was with have them.
rattlesnakes only kill about 8 people a year in the US, but that’s because people get treatment. Still, it’s dangerous, painful and very unpleasant.
StG
Yep. Compare that with India where there are more venomous snakes, their venom is nasty, and medical care is lagging. Yearly there are (on average) *46,000 deaths *due to venomous snake bites.