Unwanted guests

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  • capncarl
    Veteran Member
    • Jan 2007
    • 3564
    • Leesburg Georgia USA
    • SawStop CTS

    Unwanted guests

    Click image for larger version

Name:	E30E05A5-C885-4E47-A44F-D972B516949E.jpeg
Views:	275
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ID:	839529Not something you want to find hiding under your raised flower bed, firewood rack.... or under my squash plants leaves! This beast was photographed by my neighbors daughter and grandkids as they were driving their golf cart around the new houses under construction in their neighborhood near here. They called husband for assistance and he said just run over it! Obviously he didn’t understand the word big snake! A golf cart won’t normally kill a snake of this magnitude unless it is a lucky hit.... I’ve even run over them on a paved road with my F150 and had them keep crawling.
    capncarl
    Last edited by capncarl; 05-25-2020, 01:20 PM.
  • cwsmith
    Veteran Member
    • Dec 2005
    • 2737
    • NY Southern Tier, USA.
    • BT3100-1

    #2
    "Big snake".... I do NOT like snakes!!!

    What kind was it? I know Rattler's can get fairly big in your region, or do you folks now have to contend with Python's (hopefully not those Anaconda's that Florida is having a problem with) ?

    But, did you forget to attach the photo?

    CWS
    Last edited by cwsmith; 05-25-2020, 10:59 AM.
    Think it Through Before You Do!

    Comment

    • capncarl
      Veteran Member
      • Jan 2007
      • 3564
      • Leesburg Georgia USA
      • SawStop CTS

      #3
      Sorry..... I saved text message before I added photo, then went back back to edit and added photo but my login timed out before the photo was added.

      Comment

      • cwsmith
        Veteran Member
        • Dec 2005
        • 2737
        • NY Southern Tier, USA.
        • BT3100-1

        #4
        Ohhhh... Rattler!!!

        Most of the rattle snakes up here are tiny by comparison, usually under three foot for fully-grown adults, with most around two foot or less. We have none around Binghamton, with the nearest about 20 miles to the east where the hills are more dense. I went to high school in Windsor, NY and just across the river you'd find them mostly near the rocky creek beds. In Painted Post where we lived for thirty years (75 miles west of Binghamton) we had them everywhere. First time my wife and I went berry picking, just up the hill from where we have house, they are often seen. Not long after I moved there in 73', it was reported that one was found in the plant foundry which was right in the village and just across the street from where lived initially. Prior to 73', there was a Drive In theater to the west of the village and it had to be closed because a couple people were bitten on their way to the concession stand. A year or so later, a truck driver was bitten at the rest stop in that area. He got out of cab to relieve himself and was bitten.

        Funny story, from back in the mid-60's IIRC. I was in the Civil Air Patrol and we were called out to a SAR mission down in the Catskills. A Air Force B-47 went missing and we were called to ground search an area and were told to watch out for rattle snakes. As my team spread out to to search a rocky, densely brushed area I approached a old stone wall. It was pretty deteriorated and my thoughts were that surely there would be snakes there. I stood there for a minute, tossed a few rock with the idea I'd spot some movement or hear a rattle... nothing! So, I climbed on top of the wall, made some more noise while looking for a place to jump off... nothing heard. So I jumped off, and when I landed, there was this loud flutter and I think I turned pale, and lost a year or two at that moment!!! It was a Grouse that I had scared out of it's hiding!

        I'm not afraid of snakes, but I don't mess with them either. As my Grandfather once told me (they had rattle snakes on the farm in Wellsboro, PA) you shouldn't be afraid of snakes that you see, it's the one's that you don't see that matter!

        CWS
        Think it Through Before You Do!

        Comment

        • Carlos
          Veteran Member
          • Jan 2004
          • 1893
          • Phoenix, AZ, USA.

          #5
          He looks well fed.

          I ran into a Gila Monster while mountain biking recently, that was a surprise. He was behind a rock I started to sit on for a break.

          Comment

          • capncarl
            Veteran Member
            • Jan 2007
            • 3564
            • Leesburg Georgia USA
            • SawStop CTS

            #6
            I’ve seen some rattle snakes that were larger than this one, and they will all make you hurt yourself getting out of their way. The excitement probably does damage to your heart for sure. Occasionally someone comes up with a cottonmouth moccasin this size! They have a bad attitude and seem to want to always get in the boat with you. I’ve beat the side of an aluminum boat down several inches with a boat paddle trying to keep one in his side of the boat. My worst experience with a cottonmouth was when one decided to come in my shop door when I was unlocking it to enter. I didn’t see him lying against the wall until he went into the shop. It took several hours to locate and get him out of the shop. It

            Comment


            • cwsmith
              cwsmith commented
              Editing a comment
              Darn good reason to live up here in New York!

              We've got rattle snakes of course in many areas, and a few copperheads, so I've read; but I don't know anyone who has ever actually seen a copperhead. Generally speaking, rattlers are fairly passive and will get out of your way if they here you coming. It's when they are surprised or stepped on that they get defensive. But, like my Grandfather said, it's the one's that you don't see that are dangerous.

              Do you get Corel snakes where you live? They would be the one's that I think I'd most fear. You don't want to leave any kind of debris laying around the yard as they love to shelter under old wood, leaves, and such. I have an old buddy from work who now lives in southern Florida, he says they are in his area south of Ft. Meyers. Personally, I think I prefer putting up with snow and ice!

              CWS
          • durango dude
            Senior Member
            • Mar 2011
            • 934
            • a thousand or so feet above insanity
            • 50s vintage Craftsman Contractor Saw

            #7
            holy smokes, that's a big rattler. We have a few timber rattlers around here ----- but I've never seen one that big.

            Comment

            • leehljp
              Just me
              • Dec 2002
              • 8429
              • Tunica, MS
              • BT3000/3100

              #8
              SO how do I get rid of peaceful but destructive armadillos. 4 were born in our neighboring house (behind our yard) but the neighbors moved out last fall. The four baby armadillos started coming over back around March and are almost grown now. I don't know what happened to the mother. I haven't seen her in a couple of months. The armadillos are not afraid and will come up to anyone who walks by when they are scrounging for bugs or worms.

              I called the mayor to get animal control to come and trap them.
              Hank Lee

              Experience is what you get when you don't get what you wanted!

              Comment

              • capncarl
                Veteran Member
                • Jan 2007
                • 3564
                • Leesburg Georgia USA
                • SawStop CTS

                #9
                Armadillos are constantly digging in our yard every night. They will ruin a garden looking for earthworms and grubs, literally turn a tomato plant upside down. I finally resorted to putting up an 18” high wire fence around the garden just for Armadillos. I keep 2 traps set in the back corner of the yard and usually catch 1-2 a week. They are simular to Tender Traps, aprox 16”x16”x36”, I don’t use any bait, just set them next to the neighbors fence and they walk in and trip the trap gate. I carry them about 10 miles to Luke Bryan’s 32 Bridge and turn them loose...... maybe he will write a song about the aggrivating critters! They are one strong animal! I’ve had them tear out of both of my traps which are made out of welded wire.

                CWS, we do have coral snakes here too, very simular markings to a scarlet king snake, red and yellow bands together vrs, red and black bands together. The coral snakes don’t get very large and are not agessive and have gnawing type teeth where the pit vipers, rattlesnakes, have fangs. They still make you hurt yourself.

                Comment

                • cwsmith
                  Veteran Member
                  • Dec 2005
                  • 2737
                  • NY Southern Tier, USA.
                  • BT3100-1

                  #10
                  Understand about the coral snakes but wasn't sure how far north out of Florida they habitated. Yes, King Snakes and Corel's are all too similar, but while the King is non-poisonous, the Corel can be quite deadly. IIRC, a Corel is about the deadliest snake in North America with regard to it's poisonous venom. It doesn't deliver it very well because it doesn't have fangs, it just bites and hangs on for a few seconds in order to get the job done. I recall reading that it's venom is second only to the African Mamba.

                  There is a "saying" to distinguish the King from the Coral snake: "Red on black, friend to Jack; red on yellow kill a fellow". Personally speaking, I just as soon not hang around long enough to remember such verse.

                  Back in my CAP days, I attended four separate Air Force-sponsored "survival" schools, three winter and one summer. Winter survival schools were held in the Adirondacks up toward Plattsburgh AFB. The summer one, down in southern PA. I didn't care for the that so much, just too many mosquitos and of course rattle snakes were on your mind too.

                  When I worked at Ingersoll-Rand in Painted Post, I had a friend who attended a "Rattlesnake Roundup" down in Noxen, PA. I asked Rick why he ever do that and he explained that he was afraid of rattlesnakes and thought it might be a cure. Not sure about that for either of us, but it holds no attraction for me. Rick explained some of the 'goings on' and it was a bit nuts. I think I later saw a video about it. There was one little contest that I thought a bit bizarre, where you got into a fenced-in area, about six by six feet and the idea was to pick up a rattlesnake and stretch it out and see how many rattlesnakes in a row you could line up side-by-side, before any would move out of line. Not exactly my kind of adventure at any age!

                  CWS
                  Think it Through Before You Do!

                  Comment

                  • Pappy
                    The Full Monte
                    • Dec 2002
                    • 10453
                    • San Marcos, TX, USA.
                    • BT3000 (x2)

                    #11
                    Hard to tell how big he is but he's at least big enough to make a decent meal! Around here we have rattler, cottonmouth and coral snakes. Probably some copperhead but I haven't seen one. I've had one dog bit by a rattler but she survived. The occasional coral gets around the house and we had one come inside. I have a rat snake living in my storage barn that is about 4' long. The shedded skin I just found was about 1 1/2" in diameter.
                    Don, aka Pappy,

                    Wise men talk because they have something to say,
                    Fools because they have to say something.
                    Plato

                    Comment

                    • capncarl
                      Veteran Member
                      • Jan 2007
                      • 3564
                      • Leesburg Georgia USA
                      • SawStop CTS

                      #12
                      Rattlesnake Roundups use to be in every public event! If there was a Mall grand opening, there would be a Rattlesnake Roundup! I think the public has ben educated on the ecological value of these snakes now. The popular method of chasing the snakes out of one of their favorite hide outs, gopher turtle holes, was to push a water hose down the hole and pour in a generous ration of gasoline. The snake would come out quickly but the gopher didn’t fare very well. Being an endangered species I believe this practice was outlawed. K

                      Comment

                      • capncarl
                        Veteran Member
                        • Jan 2007
                        • 3564
                        • Leesburg Georgia USA
                        • SawStop CTS

                        #13
                        Pappy, I didn’t see this snake personally, it was photographed a few miles down the road, ( if I had seen the snake where he was it wouldn’t have much of a head), but it was easily over 5 ft long. I’ve seen several that were nearly 6’ long but they are rare! Thank goodness. I’ve heard that 7 footers exist, and a Fla legen Ross Allen, had that length in his reptile farm and had a bounty out for an 8 footer. These critters are like alligators, For ever foot of length their body size nearly doubles! So a rattler over 6 ftlong could be double the body size as this beast.

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