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pickle
06-26-2016, 10:52
What do you do when there is a snake in the middle of the trail?

swjohnsey
06-26-2016, 11:00
Go around.

Sandy of PA
06-26-2016, 11:01
Either walk around it or gently encourage it to move off with a trekking pole. Small non-venomous ones, just step over.

CamelMan
06-26-2016, 11:10
Well, most of the one's I've seen have been on or near the side, but one time I threw some rocks at a rattler to get it to move far enough for me to want to walk past it. There wasn't much choice because there was a wall on one side and a drop off on the other. Otherwise I probably would have just tried to go around it. It was pretty stubborn, but I don't have all day. Maybe it's worth a try to jump over with a running start? ;)

squeezebox
06-26-2016, 11:22
I don't think snake jumping is an Olympic sport.

bigcranky
06-26-2016, 11:30
Depends on the snake. Early in the morning you'll find them stretched out trying to warm up. If it's a big rattler, either encourage it off the trail, or walk around. No biggie. Don't forget to shoot a photo. :)

Since the vast majority of venomous snake bites occur to the hands and face, the best advice is not to pick it up and try to kiss it. :)

OkeefenokeeJoe
06-26-2016, 13:10
If it's a rattler, give it PLENTY of room and go around. DON'T do as one person previously (in another post) recommended and "step over the tail." FOOLISH and asking for a bite. I'd also not recommend jumping over a rattlesnake for the simple reason rattlers can strike with blinding speed and can easily nail you mid-jump. Know, too, if you have to walk around a rattler and it requires you to walk through some underbrush or vegetation, keep a sharp eye out for additional rattlers since a den can be moving together.

Getting bitten by a rattlesnake is, to say the least, very unpleasant. Getting bitten by a rattlesnake in the middle of nowhere is a hideous nightmare.

OkeefenokeeJoe

map man
06-26-2016, 13:10
If I know it's not venomous I step over it. If I'm not sure I go around it. If the terrain won't allow that I wait for it to move off the trail.

I try to follow the golden rule when encountering wildlife, so since I would not like someone prodding me with a trekking pole or throwing rocks at me I don't do those things to snakes. I have read accounts of people prodding snakes into action so they can get a better photograph and this seems really wrong to me.

Mamabear17
06-26-2016, 13:15
wait or go around remember you are in it's home.

Rain Man
06-26-2016, 16:20
What do you do when there is a snake in the middle of the trail?

Count my blessings.

Shutterbug
06-26-2016, 16:47
What do you do when there is a snake in the middle of the trail?

Most snakes will move away if you give them an opportunity, but rattle snakes will often coil up and defend their position. I usually just back off and give them time to move on, but I have had times when they refused to move. In those instances, I look for a long stick, longer than a hiking pole, to use to encourage them to move on. I have thrown rocks, but rocks just make the snake coil up.

Cotton mouthed moccasins will actually attack. Because they are water snakes, you don't usually encounter them on a trail, but if the trail is in the south and near water, you might see one. I once had one swim 10 feet to try to get at me. I was in a boat and beat it back with my paddle. I have had others come after me on the bank, but I can run faster than they can.

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daddytwosticks
06-26-2016, 17:09
Walk around it. :)

The Cleaner
06-26-2016, 18:10
Start worrying about the ones you can't see.:eek:

swisscross
06-26-2016, 19:05
Kill it, skin it, grille it, eat it.

Turk6177
06-26-2016, 19:17
While I would rather it just slithered off on its own, often times, they just sit there continuing to warm themselves. I am not a big fan of walking around the snake due to my fear that I will be walking into something I can't see. If it does't move after a little while, I try to find some small rocks to roll near it to see if I can encourage it to move. I don't think I would get close enough to it to use a trekking pole to move it. They can strike a lot farther than one thinks.

Gravytrain
06-27-2016, 00:59
Mmmm rattlesnake! Though it is probably against some rule somewhere to kill one, based on where you are at the time. I remember back in basic training at Fort Benning, we found ourselves in the middle of an infestation, but couldn't move because there were no other available training areas. And if you've ever taken part in planning a training mission, you know the absolute nightmare it is when one LITTLE things changes after the plan has been approved by the CG and range control. Anyways, there were so many, and some really big ones, like excess of ten feet long or more, we were granted permission to kill them if they got close to our foxholes, or inside. Luckily, one of our Drill Sergeants had brought a skillet and a camp stove.

Hiking is if course, a different scenario, and I would do as others have suggested, wait for it to move, or go around, looking carefully for additional snakes just off the trail.

u.w.
06-27-2016, 02:12
I'll typically take a few photographs, and some video of it.
If it's venomous, I give it room, go around it and continue on my way. If it's non-venomous, I usually just step over it and continue on my way.

I've seen far more snakes, venomous and non-venomous, on the side of the trail than I have laying across it......

u.w.

illabelle
06-27-2016, 09:38
I suppose I could carry it to the next shelter. That oughta be interesting.

Hikingjim
06-27-2016, 12:53
I get out my rope and tarzan it right over the whole area.

JC13
06-27-2016, 13:55
Kill it, skin it, grille it, eat it.+1 if it is a rattlesnake.

egilbe
06-27-2016, 14:16
+1 if it is a rattlesnake.

Leave rattlesnakes alone. They eat mice. Mice spread Lyme Disease. Karma will give you Lyme disease on your hike.

Lnj
06-27-2016, 15:58
Break time!!! Take some great photos. Keep an eye on it while you eat your lunch or breakfast or dinner. The hubby and I encouraged a black hognose(?) off the trail with a little nudge on our PMT. It wasn't venomous, but just because it won't kill me if it bites me, doesn't make me any more eager to get bitten. Snakes will bite, venomous or not so... I'd just as soon not walk over it if I can help it. I bet even the "harmless" ones have teeth and I bet it doesn't tickle if they bite you.

glenlawson
06-27-2016, 19:13
is that the real OkefenokeeJoe? if so, believe what he says!

glenlawson
06-27-2016, 19:22
remember, all snakes eat mice and they are your worst enemy on the trail. followed closely by skunks.

MtDoraDave
06-27-2016, 21:39
First snake encounter on the AT was a timber rattler on the jump out a few miles north of NOC. Left it alone, and warned other hikers we passed.
Second one, different hike, was a few miles south of the NOC, also a timber rattler. This one was half concealed right on the edge of the trail. I almost stepped on it! It must have very recently eaten, because it was very docile for a warm June afternoon. We encouraged it away, so nobody else was in the danger that I avoided.
The non venomous snakes, while still startling, are just ignored and bypassed.

MuddyWaters
06-27-2016, 22:55
Second one, different hike, was a few miles south of the NOC, also a timber rattler. This one was half concealed right on the edge of the trail. I almost stepped on it! It must have very recently eaten, because it was very docile for a warm June afternoon. We encouraged it away, so nobody else was in the danger that I avoided.

Most timber rattlers are very laid back. They often dont rattle, and can even be picked up. Mostly they just slink away. . A diamondback is high strung and lets you know if too close.

Feral Bill
06-27-2016, 23:47
remember, all snakes eat mice and they are your worst enemy on the trail. followed closely by skunks. Skunks are great mousers. The family that lived under my summer place kept it mouse free for years.

Migrating Bird
06-28-2016, 06:49
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Just enjoy the experience and let them be.

egilbe
06-28-2016, 08:49
35334
Just enjoy the experience and let them be.

thats a big snake

rocketsocks
06-28-2016, 09:56
thats a big snake
Yeah it is!

hikernutcasey
06-28-2016, 10:02
35334
Just enjoy the experience and let them be.Holy smokes! Is it a timber rattler? Where was that taken?

Berserker
06-28-2016, 12:01
If non-venomous I use my trekking pole to gently nudge it to get it to move out of the way. If venomous I back track a bit, grab a long stick (5' or more), gently nudge it to get it to move out of the way and confirm it has moved several feet away from the trail. Then I move on. Haven't had a snake not move yet.

English Stu
06-28-2016, 14:09
Hugh Quinn; Retired zoo Curator of Herpetology says just leave it, don't harass it or engage it in any way

Lnj
06-28-2016, 15:08
Late fall and winter hiking is soooo much better than summer hiking. No bugs, no snakes, no bears, no problem.

CalebJ
06-28-2016, 15:10
Just walk around it and leave it alone. Not a big deal, and there's certainly no reason to interact with it to move it off the trail.

Migrating Bird
06-28-2016, 19:51
Yes they are timber rattlers, The picture in my original post was the fourth one I saw that day not far from the AT is Western MA. The one that is coiled and rattling was spooked by a deer I had just jumped and it ran down the trail ahead of me. Three of the snakes had cloudy blue eyes and dusty skin, evidence that they were getting ready to shed. When I showed these pictures to a Herpatologist at UMass, she said that it is unusual to see a TR with so many rattles as they are very brittle and break off. The snake in my original post, tuned and headed up the trail toward me. I had my dog (on a leash) between my legs to hold her back. When the snake sensed us, it turned off the trail and then past by just off the trail about 3 feet away, affording me the chance to get close up shots of its head, body and tail. No aggression, it just moved very slowly. I felt very fortunate to see these as they are endangered here in MA.

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MtDoraDave
06-28-2016, 23:13
Just walk around it and leave it alone. Not a big deal, and there's certainly no reason to interact with it to move it off the trail.

The likelihood of a bite from this rattlesnake, if it got stepped on by the next hiker to come along, seemed a fair enough reason to shoo it off the trail.
No sure if you were insinuating that I put myself in danger by doing so, therefor I should have left it alone?
I'm not a professional snake handler, but I'm also no stranger to snakes... much caution was used.

Old_Man
06-29-2016, 11:39
Living in Florida has desensitized me to snakes. I've found myself cruising along at a good pace and looked down to see I just walked over a pygmy rattler more times than I can count and I can only imagine how many I've walked over and haven't noticed.

I was hiking through the old growth swamp at Rice Creek conservation area and I came across this massive fella just chilling next to the trail:

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Later that same day, I was resting at the shelter and met the caretaker:

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And here is a beautiful and large coral snake that two of my friends jogged past without noticing. I was lucky enough to spot him before he disappeared into the pine duff:

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My general advice to newbs who are scared of the outdoors because of animals is that they are more scared of you than you are of them--give respect and distance and all that jazz. Unless it's a cotton mouth--all bets are off with those belligerant bastards.

Berserker
06-29-2016, 12:04
The likelihood of a bite from this rattlesnake, if it got stepped on by the next hiker to come along, seemed a fair enough reason to shoo it off the trail.
No sure if you were insinuating that I put myself in danger by doing so, therefor I should have left it alone?
I'm not a professional snake handler, but I'm also no stranger to snakes... much caution was used.
Ha ha, yeah there's a lot of advice to just walk right on by or step over these guys. I like snakes and love seeing them. 99% of my encounters with snakes have been pleasant where they just stay put or slither off. So I'm in agreement to leave them be, except when they are laying across the trail or in very close proximity to the trail. Is a snake close to the trail gonna chase me down and bite me...nah...but they are still wild animals and who knows what one might decide to do if it gets a wild hair...er ummm scale up it's rear. So for that reason I shoo the ones on or right next to the trail off. As I previously posted a gentle nudge usually gets them to casually slither away.

Fireplug
07-02-2016, 13:08
https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=1639180176400704&id=100009262138657

my rattler encounter on the AT last week

Tipi Walter
07-02-2016, 14:17
Kill it, skin it, grille it, eat it.


+1 if it is a rattlesnake.


Leave rattlesnakes alone. They eat mice. Mice spread Lyme Disease. Karma will give you Lyme disease on your hike.

Yeah, leave them alone, especially rattlesnakes as they are legally protected in the TN/NC mountains where I go backpacking. I put snake killers up there with clearcut loggers and howling camp drunks who build giant bonfires.

I just got back from a 19 day backpacking trip into the Citico wilderness and saw two fine timber rattlers on two separate trails. One was named Jimmy and I sat with him for an hour and we talked. He told me he's proud of his rattle and told me he thinks he's King of the Citico and I told him he certainly is king.

I will post this trip report here as soon as I download the pics.

Rattlesnakes are like grizzlies and black bears and are the symbols of wilderness. They keep you humble and observant and respectful. NEVER kill any snake when in their territory. Karma will get you snake bit on your next trip.

If you're overly paranoid and want to hike thru the hottest summer months, invest in a pair of these snake gaiters---Turtleskins. Not cheap but only 6oz each.

https://www.turtleskin.com/webstore/content/images/thumbs/0000019_snake-gaiters_550.jpeg

JC13
07-02-2016, 23:27
Saw a guy wearing gaiters just like those today. Also found a foot and a half long copperhead, left him be as he was in what was left of the stream catching some breakfast. Forgot to take a pic, went back to snap one and he was gone.

CamelMan
07-03-2016, 08:29
NEVER kill any snake when in their territory. Karma will get you snake bit on your next trip.

If you're overly paranoid and want to hike thru the hottest summer months, invest in a pair of these snake gaiters---Turtleskins. Not cheap but only 6oz each.

LOL, yeah that would be pretty paranoid. I think I'll stick with my socks. I too like snakes, I used to catch them when I was a kid, but of course they weren't rattlers, just the common ribbon snake / garter snake that's everywhere up in Wisconsin.