rattlesnakes anyone!

[eustace]

I have learned they don't attach to me if I have a drink or two in me as for snakes they don't care.

Crappiemaster, I talked to a cousin of mine in Walla Walla and he has seen a couple of Rattlers last weekend near the Touchet River. I would say It's a safe bet they are out when the suns' radiant temp reaches above 68*. Where you are talking about that happens just about every time the sun shines from now on.

[kevinb]

There is now a small population of rattlers at Fort Lewis. Apparently these dudes like to hitch rides on military equipment leaving the Yakima Training Center. There was a Lakewood Firefighter that had one bite his boot while on a call out there. I guess they found a way to survive through western washington winters but not surprising...the eastside gets much colder.

Woo-Hoo,Lakewood Rattlers. They will start joining gangs,then we'll be in trouble.

[eustace]

Kevinb, I had heard stories about Rattlers in the Centralia area I just figure they where a type of bull snake indiginous to that valley. These rattlers on Ft.Lewis do they think they are reproduceing. I know western Washington is getting longer and warmer summers then in the past so I could see that as a possibility.

[kevinb]

Kevinb, I had heard stories about Rattlers in the Centralia area I just figure they where a type of bull snake indiginous to that valley. These rattlers on Ft.Lewis do they think they are reproduceing. I know western Washington is getting longer and warmer summers then in the past so I could see that as a possibility.

Its unknown if they have been reproducing but is known that they have been able to get through the cold. I don't have details but Lakewood Fire and Pierce County Fire Dist. 17 have issued the use of caution in these areas and Fort Lewis as well. I don't think theres a large population but enough that other people have seen several. Its more of an advisory. I know rattlers would have plenty to eat..alot of little critters running around.

[eustace]

When I lived in the Graham & Orting area I hunted Ft.Lewis once and It kinda reminded me of our forest over here the big Red Ant hills and the Big Trees not growing branch to branch, a little more open.

[kayak chris]

IMO: The last thing I would want to do...... when hiking to a fishing spot....with my gear....my fishing pole..........Is to try and drop everything while I "quick draw" on a snake. The possibility of hurting myself or a companion would be to far great.

Again: Snake Boots.

Walk confidently and quickly! Focused on the fishing your about to do. The set-ups, lures and strategy that is going to get you the big fish. Enjoy the view along the way. And have your firearm properly loaded to defend against the possibly cougar or bear encounter.

[crappiemaster]

You will run into some this time of year, but they are still very slow moving and just sunning themselves on the rocks like you guys said. I use to be a park aid at Crow Butte State Park on the Columbia during the summers in college and one of our duties was to remove snakes from the campground. Tents, bathrooms, grass and put them back in the sagebrush away from the park, alive. They will look for a warm place in the early spring (mainly rocks.) or a cool place in the summer(park bathrooms are ideal for a snake to cool down.) Like any thing else, if you can see it or hear it, you can react quicker. This time of the year, they may not rattle, coil, or move much, making it hard for you to know if you are going to step on one but they are still there, at least on this side of the state. You can be standing on a rock casting to your favorite hole and reach down to grab a lure and see one that has been laying there the whole time enjoying the sun. I have had that happen twice. I try not to kill them, but when the adrenaline starts going, they pay the price. Potholes, seep lakes, Lower Snake River and the Columbia have tons of rattlers. ANd it is not the big ones you have to worry about, it's the 3-4 button guys. If the wind is blowing just a little, you can barely hear them!!If you want to deal with them this time of year, Rock Creek that empties into the Columbia toward John Day Dam is usually good. I don't think I have ever been there when I haven't seen someone there walking with a long snake they had just killed. But....the smallmouth, catfish, perch, and crappie are in there as well!!!

[eustace]

Crappiemaster, I have killed enough of them for a life time, when I was a teenager. As I was saying in a earlier post where I grew up I used to see them daily, now I haven't seen one there for almost 20yrs. I was told by shawn (pg 1) that he seen some while fighting fire near there. The Grand Ronde is a place where I get nervous in the summer mornings fishing. I am done killing the rattlers.

[HillbillyGeek]

Snakes play a very important role in our ecosystem and they should not be killed unless it is absolutely necessary. Even poisonous snakes are not as dangerous as many people think. Most snakes prefer not to tangle with anything that's not a meal and will scram when given the chance. The biggest exception to this rule is the cottonmouth, which is VERY territorial and will defend its turf with extreme prejudice. Kill all of them you want. Those vermin have a very bad attitude.

The Southern Missouri/Northern Arkansas area (Mark Twain National Forest) is the copperhead capital of the world, and every year more people die of bee stings than copperhead bites.

Although I've gotta admit, I've dispatched quite a few of the little buggers when they caught me off guard and it made a little pee stain on my pants... :pale:

[Fish On!]

Rattlers will be out anytime from early March on in much of E.WA. I've fished and hunted all my life over there and never had that many encounters with snakes until one time 2 years ago. I've always worried more for my dogs than myself. Snakes I've seen are always heading the other way and will leave you alone unless you step or screw with them.

Hiking in Northrop Canyon near the N. end of Banks Lake I came across 6 rattlers in about 300 ft. along the old road. One was over 6 ft and as big around as a pop can! The road became too wet and muddy for travel, so I had to go into the long grass trail on the side of the road. Only time in my life I felt freaked out over snakes!.....I had a trekking pole and I was hitting the ground both sides like a blind man and heard another 2-3 snakes go slithering off the trail without seeing them.

That area was in the State Park. When I was at the store in Electric City I told the guy behind the counter about my snake experience. He laughed and said people see snakes there all the time!....I would never take a dog in there. As far as ticks the past 2 years have been epic. 2 years ago it was wicked and almost as bad last year. Hopefully with all the cold and snow we've had this winter they have been thinned out.

[crappiemaster]

[crappiemaster]

Good stuff guys! They are huge on our ecosystem. With the wind blowing this time of the year, especially in the Columbia Gorge, lots of time the boat stays at the launch, but the fishing still happens. There are some areas that are good habitat for the rattlers and they thrive. Byron Ponds are a place I wouldn't even touch because of all the rattlers out in the spring. There is some good top water largemouth fishing in the early summer, but you kind of hold your breath as you hike to them. I even saw one guy hauling one out when I was duck hunting one day in early November. He was actually looking for them, sid he liked to eat them. I one once, not bad, but not something I'd like to eat every week.

[HillbillyGeek]

Good stuff guys! They are huge on our ecosystem. With the wind blowing this time of the year, especially in the Columbia Gorge, lots of time the boat stays at the launch, but the fishing still happens. There are some areas that are good habitat for the rattlers and they thrive. Byron Ponds are a place I wouldn't even touch because of all the rattlers out in the spring. There is some good top water largemouth fishing in the early summer, but you kind of hold your breath as you hike to them. I even saw one guy hauling one out when I was duck hunting one day in early November. He was actually looking for them, sid he liked to eat them. I one once, not bad, but not something I'd like to eat every week.

Not surprisingly, rattlesnake tastes like chicken. Seriously.

When I was in boy scouts, we used to load our entire troop into the bed of a truck (not legal anymore -- no seat belts) and go copperhead hunting in the Mark Twain National Forest after 10 pm. I don't know how he did it, but our scoutmaster convinced all of our parents that we would be safe in this endeavor. We all wore knee-high rubber boots and had homemade "snake sticks" for pinning their little heads to the ground. Only the scoutmaster was allowed to pick up live snakes and bag em.

So why the heck would we do this? Our scoutmaster was good at skinning the little buggers and making hatbands out of their hides. He would then sell them to the locals for at least $20 each -- nicer ones went for $40. We could easily grab 20+ copperheads per trip. They came out onto the road at night because it stayed warm long after the sun went down. Remote roads with little traffic were easy to find, and copperheads were everywhere! The proceeds from our little "hunting" trips was used to buy supplies for the troop.

When it was time for the yearly scout camp jamboree (which lasted one full week) our troop always had MUCH better gear than all of the other troops -- and we never disclosed our revenue source. Those were the days... a dozen boys chasing poisonous pit vipers at night and turning them into cash.

[kevinb]

Good stuff guys! They are huge on our ecosystem. With the wind blowing this time of the year, especially in the Columbia Gorge, lots of time the boat stays at the launch, but the fishing still happens. There are some areas that are good habitat for the rattlers and they thrive. Byron Ponds are a place I wouldn't even touch because of all the rattlers out in the spring. There is some good top water largemouth fishing in the early summer, but you kind of hold your breath as you hike to them. I even saw one guy hauling one out when I was duck hunting one day in early November. He was actually looking for them, sid he liked to eat them. I one once, not bad, but not something I'd like to eat every week.

Not surprisingly, rattlesnake tastes like chicken. Seriously.

When I was in boy scouts, we used to load our entire troop into the bed of a truck (not legal anymore -- no seat belts) and go copperhead hunting in the Mark Twain National Forest after 10 pm. I don't know how he did it, but our scoutmaster convinced all of our parents that we would be safe in this endeavor. We all wore knee-high rubber boots and had homemade "snake sticks" for pinning their little heads to the ground. Only the scoutmaster was allowed to pick up live snakes and bag em.

So why the heck would we do this? Our scoutmaster was good at skinning the little buggers and making hatbands out of their hides. He would then sell them to the locals for at least $20 each -- nicer ones went for $40. We could easily grab 20+ copperheads per trip. They came out onto the road at night because it stayed warm long after the sun went down. Remote roads with little traffic were easy to find, and copperheads were everywhere! The proceeds from our little "hunting" trips was used to buy supplies for the troop.

When it was time for the yearly scout camp jamboree (which lasted one full week) our troop always had MUCH better gear than all of the other troops -- and we never disclosed our revenue source. Those were the days... a dozen boys chasing poisonous pit vipers at night and turning them into cash.

Awesome story. Parents today would never approve. I've come across tons of rattlers in the Lake Lenore area. All would bolt when we came near them,EXCEPT ONE. This little bastard decided he wasn't going anywhere and then gave a mild chase on me. My Uncle came over and tried to stop 'em with a fishing rod. The rattler would keep charging....I heard my uncle say something to the effect of "get back" It kind of freaked me out,I could hear it in his voice that he was a little worried(my uncle was in the special forces back in nam)I didn't think anything would make him worried. The snake held its ground...we ended up having to find another way out. I'm not sure what the point of my story is.....oh yeah!!!!

ROGUE SNAKE aka lil' bastard:-$