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DPChallenge Forums >> Photography Discussion >> The Little Friend I Ran Into On Fathers Day
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Showing posts 1 - 18 of 18, (reverse)
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 06/19/2006 12:32:43 AM · #1
This little fella made me take a detour on my hike. He would not move, even when provoke he just stood there blocking up the whole path. If you live out where I do, these freakin things are everywhere. 1 Almost killed a friend of mine, now I just call him Rattlesnake Steve.

06/19/2006 12:51:50 AM · #2
Originally posted by boomtap:
even when provoke he just stood there blocking up the whole path.


are you sure he was still alive? :-P
 06/19/2006 01:12:25 AM · #3
There was some debate on that, but I wasn't the one that was going to go picking him up.

Photography is kinda dangerous.

Message edited by author 2006-06-19 01:13:22.
 06/25/2006 01:19:26 PM · #4
I am corrected. He was actually just a western rattler, not a diamond back.
 06/25/2006 01:39:13 PM · #5
Originally posted by boomtap:
He was actually just a western rattler, not a diamond back.


Either way, it's a Western Diamondback Rattlesnake.

Did you actually step on it? I'd probably learn to fly if I did. I remember as a teenager swimming alone at the beach in Georgia a few years after Jaws came out. I was facing the shore and noticed several people pointing frantically at me. I turned around and my view of the horizon was completely blocked by two large fins as a pair of pilot whales surfaced about 6 feet away from me. I came out of the water DRY- and probably turned the sand to glass on my way out. :-)

Message edited by author 2006-06-25 13:46:09.
 06/25/2006 01:44:11 PM · #6
Really, they are not 2 diffrent things? Somebody told me it was not a diamond back.
 06/25/2006 01:52:05 PM · #7
It probably wasn't moving because once it felt the vibration of your tires it froze up. These guys dont like it when they are seen and it was most likely trying to blend into the ground by not moving. They usually don't dwell in areas where any kind of vibration can be felt by them. They feel threatened by vibration and if they are in city areas or areas of vibration it is usually due to either weather that disorients them or over population.

They won't scurry off like some wild animals but will be more chamileon in nature and try to blend in if feeling threatened. If you wanted to you could have moved him. You would just need a stick longer than he is. He wouldn't have come after you and even if he snapped he can only snap as far as his body length. He would also rattle his tail if he was trying to warn you. You would hear the noise and that noise means "get out!". With the stick you could have brought it to his neck and moved him off the path. He would have felt startled but safer afterwards and so would you have I think. But you do have to remember that the smaller these guys are the more powerful the poisonous punch. Thats a bummer because you can't see the smaller ones as well.

I could be wrong. He could have just been sick or hurt to. I can't tell from the photo but if you got up close the first thing you would hear is the rattle and that would be your signal to not come closer. He still would only back off or rear up to snap (you would see the "S" shape of the neck if really angry or warning you) and only at his length. They are really more afraid of you then you are of them.

I am more afraid of bees because they can fly and you never know when they are pissed! :)

Message edited by author 2006-06-25 13:59:18.
 06/25/2006 02:00:43 PM · #8
Originally posted by boomtap:
Really, they are not 2 diffrent things? Somebody told me it was not a diamond back.


Well, Western Rattler generally = Western Diamondback Rattlesnake. There's no separate "Western Rattler" species, however YOUR photo appears to be a Prairie Rattlesnake anyway. ;-)
 06/25/2006 03:08:01 PM · #9
You should go on Jeopardy! Thanks for the info.
 06/25/2006 03:41:17 PM · #10
From the colors in the photo it looks like it might be a Mojave Green (Crotalus scutulatus). If so, then it has a very nasty bite! We almost ran over one of these once while we were out rock hunting near Needles.

Here's a couple links with some info...

Don't Mess with Mr. Green

Mojave Rattlesnake


06/25/2006 04:21:42 PM · #11

Jason, I stepped about 1/2 inch in front of this guy's nose in exactly the position you see him here. It was 2 miles alone into a springtime desert hike.

I had my camera around my neck and when I looked down while grabbing it in my hand I saw the snake next to my foot at the same moment. I'm sure I jumped close to an Olympic record.

After a moment I immediately went to work taking pictures. I'm convinced the rattler was thinking, "If I don't move, he won't know I'm here!". It didn't work. ;)

Message edited by author 2006-06-25 16:23:35.
 06/25/2006 05:08:02 PM · #12
That is freaky. I am glad we saw this one with plenty of distance, and didn't step on it. I think I would have a heart attack if I was inches away like you. After seeing my friends reaction to a bite, I can tell you stay away from these buggers.
 06/25/2006 05:37:11 PM · #13
Originally posted by stdavidson:
I had my camera around my neck and when I looked down while grabbing it in my hand I saw the snake next to my foot at the same moment. I'm sure I jumped close to an Olympic record.

Hey Steve, I heard somewhere that if you tickle them under the chin they'll coil up and give you a nice dramatic pose. :D

06/26/2006 02:21:06 AM · #14
"Even when provoked!" Are you insane????????????
 06/26/2006 02:33:15 AM · #15
Not me, my stinkin dad is like "I am going to get him out of our way" So he took his tripod out and started moving it, and it just sort of slithered a bit but wasn't about to move. Then he clocked it right in the head with a clump of dirt, and it moved again but not out of the way. My dad is crazy.
 06/26/2006 04:37:39 PM · #16
Originally posted by scalvert:
I came out of the water DRY- and probably turned the sand to glass on my way out. :-)


haha!

Message edited by author 2006-06-26 16:38:57.
 06/26/2006 05:01:10 PM · #17
Originally posted by micknewton:
Originally posted by stdavidson:
I had my camera around my neck and when I looked down while grabbing it in my hand I saw the snake next to my foot at the same moment. I'm sure I jumped close to an Olympic record.

Hey Steve, I heard somewhere that if you tickle them under the chin they'll coil up and give you a nice dramatic pose. :D



You know... I desperately wanted one of those classic coiled strike pose pictures and tried to get the snake to cooperate but it wouldn't. After it completely emerged from its hole I chased it around hoping to get it mad enough to coil for me. It didn't.

Instead, all it did was keep slithering away. Finally, when it got fed up it turned and chased after me. No coil, dang it! Though it is a little disconcerting having a western diamondback chasing you down a path it was pretty slow and I was in no danger of being caught.
 06/26/2006 09:56:03 PM · #18
He was probably too cold to give you a good chase. Next time, put him in your pocket to warm him up first. They really like that.

I'll give you a couple points for trying anyway.

BTW, be careful when your doing that kind of thing. I've heard that here in Oregon the ODFW types can give you a citation for harrasing wildlife.

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