View Full Version : snake bit
JustADude
03-31-2012, 23:46
Just saw my first rattler of the 2012 season. It was about 3' 6" and pissed as hell to see me on the trail. I backed up about 5 yrds or so, and gave it time to calm down and then move off the trail.
After seeing it on a trail down here in the south land, what are the general feelings about the probability/possibility of getting snake bit, especially by something posionous, e.g. rattler, on the AT?
I'm especially interested in the possibility from the Neel Gap to Fontana section.
Thanks much.
P.S. Any spotting info is also useful to get an idea of where they being spotted.
Wise Old Owl
03-31-2012, 23:54
Just enjoy the moment - take pictures - its called seeing nature....while outside....what fear?
rocketsocks
04-01-2012, 00:07
In the winter there under the rocks,in the summer there on top of the rocks.Some hike for years and have never seen one....including me...and I look for them,congrats.
JustADude
04-01-2012, 00:16
No fear here. More of a curiosity and poll type question. I realize they are seen less often further north on the AT, but down here in the south land they are as common as squirrels, so just curious (with all the bear discussion) if any folks are also seeing a lot more early rattler/diamondback activity. I was also interested if this has ever interfered or been a factor on an AT hike or if there have been any bites. I haven't seen much discussion of it, so just curious.
Just be sure to have something on your feet at night when you get up to use the privy, so you don't step on one. Otherwise you should be fine unless you provoke one.
gum
WingedMonkey
04-01-2012, 10:11
No one has been bitten by a venomous snake while hiking the Appalachian Trail.
johnnybgood
04-01-2012, 10:31
Ticks are more of a worry than snakes, hence the annual report of someone having to leave the trail because of Lyme disease.
songunn25
04-01-2012, 10:36
Ticks are more of a worry than snakes, hence the annual report of someone having to leave the trail because of Lyme disease.
And rattlers eat the mice that carry the ticks that would otherwise eventually land on you. Rattlers and all snakes are your friends. As long as you don't piss them off unnecessarily...
Kerosene
04-01-2012, 10:55
No one has been bitten by a venomous snake while hiking the Appalachian Trail.Uhh, what do you base this on? I'm pretty sure that people have been bitten, although perhaps not many thru-hikers. I have not heard of anyone dying from a snakebite while hiking the AT, however.
Kerosene
04-01-2012, 10:59
In mid-May of last year on the downhill from Wesser Shelter to NOC two guys ahead of us encountered a small rattler on a narrow section of trail. It had been holed up in the rock wall on one side, and wouldn't move until they pushed it aside with a long branch. They left a note for those of us behind them. My daughter was very anxious about passing the "snake den", while a young guy that caught up to us did everything he could to try to see it, including getting down on his knees with a flashlight to peer into the designated hole in the rock. I told him that I wasn't going to carry him to town if he got bit.
Mrs Baggins
04-01-2012, 15:05
In the Quarry Gap area of the AT in PA there are signs that say that the timber rattlers are protected. I was up there with a group of about 25 women and told them "That sign means that if you get snake bit I have to kill you and save the snake."
Wise Old Owl
04-01-2012, 15:27
Well then to better answer your question, your eyes must fall about ten feet ahead and check the sides of the trail - spotting comes from lots of practice.
The snakes are taking advantage of sunning on rock or maintaining body temp under rocks and actively eating mice at night... mice & chipmunk use the trail to move back and forth and that brings the snakes to the edge. It is not uncommon in PA to have the black racers right across the trail like sticks. Rattlers prefer rock outcrops. Having a Jack Russel out in front is a treat.... Something I have seen first hand.
Cookerhiker
04-01-2012, 15:55
...I realize they are seen less often further north on the AT, but down here in the south land they are as common as squirrels,....
Uh, I have news for you - they're quite prominent "further north." Granted, you won't see them in Maine or New Hampshire but PA, NJ, NY - sure you will. My buddy who thruhiked in '04 saw one big rattler - in Massachusetts on Mt. Everett.
hikerboy57
04-01-2012, 16:41
the biggest risk of a bite is stepping on one. theyll usually let you know theyre around, and here in NY ive come within a foot without any reaction, and Im sure ive probably come close many othr times without knowing it.when youre on open rocks and ridges, be creful where you place your hands, and as WOO suggested weatch 10 feet in front of you as well as the areas adjacent to the trail as they like to hang out waiting for mice.
At least rattlers sometimes give you a warning. Copperheads couldn't if they wanted to. Chenango, Mariano, and I saw one last fall in Pa. It was small and very sluggish because of the cold. Blended in almost perfectly with the fallen leaves.
There was a guy hiking just ahead of me that I ran into as I crossed into New Jersey. Not so odd comparatively. A few days ahead on the Trail he wrestled a rattler to impress a girl -- after about 30 minutes of wrestling the snake bit the heck out of him. He made it into the local newspaper when they had to come out and take him to the hospital. Moral: Don't use snakes to impress a girl. Use money (this learned from taking a group pic of all the women in my neck of the Trail at Fontana Dam -- they didn't say cheese to smile for the pic -- they said "Men With Money").
Datto
Just saw this big copperhead on the Mountains to Sea trial today in the Wilsons Creek area. He was so sluggish he would not move off the trail so I took my hiking pole and gently moved him down the hill before taking the picture. :eek:
15614
Rain Man
04-01-2012, 20:13
No one has been bitten by a venomous snake while hiking the Appalachian Trail.Uhh, what do you base this on?
Gotta be based on a better source than this one--
... down here in the south land they are as common as squirrels....
Rain:sunMan
.
vamelungeon
04-01-2012, 21:04
After 50+ years as a hunter, angler, hiker, camper, police officer, rescue squad member, and veteran the only people I've ever met who were bitten by a poisonous snake were people who were screwing with the snake in some fashion- either handling or trying to kill it. My father was bitten by a non-poisonous snake when he was a teen while swimming a horse across the Clinch River here in Va herding cattle. It really doesn't happen that often.
There are no diamondback rattlers in the mountains, just timber rattlers. But a rattler is a rattler.
rocketsocks
04-02-2012, 07:11
Thar's a snake in my boot.~Whoody,(Toy Story)I love that movie
You'll find rattlers in PA!
Last summer I was hiking in SGL 211 up a rocky slope. After stepping down off one boulder and heading on to the next I noticed what looked like a dried up dead reptile before me. Before I knew it, the little guy woke up and started rattling. I stood there for a moment in complete disbelief, thinking about how I was about to step on him.
I was hiking yesterday at Oak Mtn State Park located just outside of Birmingham, AL. I stopped for a water break, put my pack down and heard the rattle! A large Timber Rattler was 3 to 4 feet from me. Also I will enclaose a picture of a large Copper Head I saw on the AT in VA.1563315634
The Solemates
04-02-2012, 10:07
pushed my jon boat out into the lake this past weekend to go fishin and almost stepped on a 3+ foot cottonmouth. he wasnt a happy camper. i had to throw sticks at him until he finally slithered into the water.
Just make sure to watch where you step and put your hands, especially when climbing up or down in warm sunny rocky areas. The nice thing about rattlers is they rattle. Copperheads just bite you if they are trying to defend themselves against your aggressive hand or foot. I've heard that the ratio of snakebite deaths in USA to death by lightning strike is about 1:50, so you can relax.
JustADude
04-03-2012, 13:13
ten feet ahead worked for me this morning - came across a little Copper Head. He wouldn't have done too much damage, but it was still good to be able to see him that far ahead.
I'm also doing local hiking earlier in the morning while it is still in the 60's. Hopefully they will be a lot less active then.
ifish4wildtrout
04-03-2012, 17:02
There are rattlers in the Fontana area, I almost stepped on this one up there last year.
http://i114.photobucket.com/albums/n256/fourcats714/055.jpg
jersey joe
04-03-2012, 17:26
So, watching your step and foot placement is the best way to avoid getting bitten? Makes me think twice about throwing on the headphones and going for a run through the mountains!
stranger
04-03-2012, 18:58
Just saw my first rattler of the 2012 season. It was about 3' 6" and pissed as hell to see me on the trail. I backed up about 5 yrds or so, and gave it time to calm down and then move off the trail.
After seeing it on a trail down here in the south land, what are the general feelings about the probability/possibility of getting snake bit, especially by something posionous, e.g. rattler, on the AT?
I'm especially interested in the possibility from the Neel Gap to Fontana section.
Thanks much.
P.S. Any spotting info is also useful to get an idea of where they being spotted.
Snakes are not an issue generally speaking, on any trail, anywhere in the world. I've hiked thousands of miles along the AT and have seen about 12 snakes, have never come close to being bitten.
I hike in Australia, home to the most deadly snakes in the world, snakes that WILL kill you if bitten and no medical treatment is found within 24-36 hours, again...not an issue. And they out out there, Brown Snakes, Tiger Snakes, Death Adders, etc....The reason why snakes are not an issue is not because they can't hurt or kill you, it's because only two types of snakes actually bite:
- Scared Snakes
- Angry Snakes
Finally...a snake does not know it's a snake. They are not very smart, this explains alot of their behaviour. If a snake's head is off under the leaves with his body still in the trail...the snake thinks it's hidden, which is why they sometimes don't move. A snake is more afraid of you then you are of them, but they are dumb...and do dumb things. Leave snakes alone, move around them.
A rattler on the AT is not a rare thing, you do see them, but a Rattlesnake is hardly a big deal, even a wet bite from a full sized adult isn't life threatening unless you are already ill, very young, or very old. Even then, you could be at a road crossing in less than 2 hours in most scenarios. Plus, 80% of bites are dry, meaning no venom is injected.
Worst case scenario...you step on a snake, the snake is surprised, then bites...in nearly every scenario this bite will be dry, no venom. You go to the hospital and even then they will WAIT and do nothing, to see what happens first, IF you show signs then they will give an anti-venom.
Lyme Disease...that's worth worry about, atleast you can see and hear a snake, a tick is another story.
Cookerhiker
04-03-2012, 19:42
I've heard about dry bites but had no idea that such a sizable majority of bites from rattlers, etc. were dry. Are you certain about the 80% figure? I've also heard that young snakes are more likely to inject venom.
snakebite unlikely in extreme - I've stepped right on top of timber rattlers -- seen a lot of them - - esp in NC and PA in the summer - - be respectful, give them space. Even a bite which is rare would likely be a "dry-bite." Most venom bites are on people's hands (guess why - duh?) - - really, there are so many more concerns on the trail - - ticks, for example.
johnnybgood
04-03-2012, 20:24
After 50+ years as a hunter, angler, hiker, camper, police officer, rescue squad member, and veteran the only people I've ever met who were bitten by a poisonous snake were people who were screwing with the snake in some fashion- either handling or trying to kill it.
Conversely, if one surprises a venomous snake by stepping too closely to it ...it will strike. This is exactly what happened to my wife when we were walking in a local park about 7 years ago. The incident can be chalked up to stupid luck with I'm sure astronomical odds of ever happening again.
A poisonous snake when threatened will bite and inject venom about 33% of the time.
It is a seldom that someone gets bitten by a snake without first provoking it, but it can happen.
vamelungeon
04-03-2012, 20:47
Conversely, if one surprises a venomous snake by stepping too closely to it ...it will strike. This is exactly what happened to my wife when we were walking in a local park about 7 years ago. The incident can be chalked up to stupid luck with I'm sure astronomical odds of ever happening again.
A poisonous snake when threatened will bite and inject venom about 33% of the time.
It is a seldom that someone gets bitten by a snake without first provoking it, but it can happen.
It sure can! Wow, I hope she didn't have any lingering effects from the bite.
So far the only living thing that has injured me while hiking have been yellow jackets. I got nailed last year, they had built a nest right into the bank on the side of a trail.
Slack-jawed Trog
04-03-2012, 21:24
The nice thing about rattlers is they rattle.
Timber Rattlers: not always. Of the four I've seen over the years, exactly NONE of the buzz-tails rattled me. Two of which I nearly put a foot on (< 8" away), and another one that I "encouraged" off the trail with my trekking pole. BTW, that snake buzzed the kid (in a Scout group, whom I was behind) who walked up to it as it lay across the middle of the trail.
YMMV, and invariably will...
I am a member of the Wilderness Medical Society and at their meetings and in their literature they quote 25 to 40 percent of snake bites from venomous snakes are dry in the states. So roughly 2/3 will inject venom. The wilderness recommendation, if bitten, is to observe the bite for 15 to 30 minutes and if swelling, discolration, pain etc occurs then call for help or go to local ER for treatment. If no symptoms occur continue your hike and treat the wound like a puncture wound.Obvious, if in doubt, seek medical help.
stranger
04-04-2012, 20:43
I've heard about dry bites but had no idea that such a sizable majority of bites from rattlers, etc. were dry. Are you certain about the 80% figure? I've also heard that young snakes are more likely to inject venom.
Sorry...I was speaking generally, not specific to the USA or Rattlesnakes in general. Those statistics come from good sources in Australia (whom I cannot site off the top of my head sorry), where dare I say poisonous snake are far, far more common, and sighted, then along the east coast of the United States.
Along the Bibbulmun Track in Western Australia, it's not uncommon to see 3 Tiger Snakes a day in some places, one of the most deadly, and territorial snakes in the world. Still, no one gets bit. In a country with the King Brown, a snake that has been documented time and time again 'advancing' on people, snakes bites are really not an issue. Why? Because people leave them alone.
I believe the 80% dry figure is fairly robust, it could be lower in places, but it seems to be in line with other advice on this thread. If the snake is provoked or angry...the situation changes. However, a snake does not have the ability to injet venom at will, it must prime itself and this takes time, not much but there is a delay. You piss a snake off, the bite will be wet, no question.
Therefore stepping on a snake, any snake, and surprising it will almost guarantee (almost, not always) a dry bite. However I wouldn't bet on it, all bites should be treated as wet until told otherwise.
stranger
04-04-2012, 20:49
Timber Rattlers: not always. Of the four I've seen over the years, exactly NONE of the buzz-tails rattled me. Two of which I nearly put a foot on (< 8" away), and another one that I "encouraged" off the trail with my trekking pole. BTW, that snake buzzed the kid (in a Scout group, whom I was behind) who walked up to it as it lay across the middle of the trail.
YMMV, and invariably will...
My experience as well...I have never seen a Timber Rattler 'rattle', about 5 sightings so far. Tossed tiny stones at one to move him off the trail = nothing, he wasn't concerned or moving haha.
I have seen a harmless black snake smack it's tail against leaves to impersonate a rattler, was cool to see that, had only ever heard about it.
hikerboy57
04-04-2012, 20:57
My experience as well...I have never seen a Timber Rattler 'rattle', about 5 sightings so far. Tossed tiny stones at one to move him off the trail = nothing, he wasn't concerned or moving haha.
I have seen a harmless black snake smack it's tail against leaves to impersonate a rattler, was cool to see that, had only ever heard about it. ive stepped right by quite a few that were both silent and motionless, but this past fall in harriman i had been resting on a series of ledges and when i got up, I heard the rattle right away, looked behind me over the ledge, maybe 10 ft away was a fair size timber, coiled and ready. I just withdrew and hiked away from it. a little while later I came across another right in the middle of the trail, completely motionless and silent. pics are in my gallery.
MuddyWaters
04-05-2012, 20:09
In Winton Porters book , a hiker he was talking to in the doorway of Mountain Crossings was bitten by a copperhead while they were talking, so it seems at least one person on the AT has gotten snakebit.
Timber rattlers DONT rattle necessarily. They are a very, very , laid back snake. I have been told that you can pick them up (if you are an idiot) and they wont even rattle. Thats why they are dangerous, you step on them without ever knowing they are there, they let you get too close without warning.
Be aware where you step, and where you put hands and fingers and you have nothing to worry about. You arent on the food list of any snake in this country, except maybe a big python in S. Florida. And you can bank that they want even less to do with you, than you want with them.
MuddyWaters
04-05-2012, 20:11
Oh yeah, if you do get bit, you wont get antivenin if you dont bring the snake with you. It is $$$$$$$ and you wont be getting it without a positive ID on the snake, they wont take your word for it.
trucker2015
04-06-2012, 00:12
No one has been bitten by a venomous snake while hiking the Appalachian Trail.
Your a little off on that. I know of one who was bitten by a Timber Rattler.
It wasn't too bad. walked off the trail to go around one in the path stepped over a rock and got hit by the one hiding.
I know now look before you step and if you do get bit you should live but it will hurt hell and you will have a really big scare.
I like the snakes better them then the rats
trucker2015
04-06-2012, 00:21
worked for me this morning - came across a little Copper Head. He wouldn't have done too much damage, but it was still good to be able to see him that far ahead.
I'm also doing local hiking earlier in the morning while it is still in the 60's. Hopefully they will be a lot less active then.
Cooper heads are nocturnal so the best time to see them is early morning of late evening.
trucker2015
04-06-2012, 00:26
I was hiking yesterday at Oak Mtn State Park located just outside of Birmingham, AL. I stopped for a water break, put my pack down and heard the rattle! A large Timber Rattler was 3 to 4 feet from me. Also I will enclaose a picture of a large Copper Head I saw on the AT in VA.1563315634
Pretty thing I love the vivid colors when you get a little north.
WingedMonkey
04-06-2012, 04:56
Your a little off on that. I know of one who was bitten by a Timber Rattler.
It wasn't too bad. walked off the trail to go around one in the path stepped over a rock and got hit by the one hiding.
I know now look before you step and if you do get bit you should live but it will hurt hell and you will have a really big scare.
I like the snakes better them then the rats
So in other words they were not bitten while hiking the Appalachian Trail. Where did this happen? Is there a report?
Only seen someone bit once. Not on the trail. In Eastern NC while in the Army. Trooper was tracing a communication wire with his hand in the dark in high grass and a copperhead got him. Arm swelled up quickly and severly, he started having wierd visions too. We had him at a hospital quickly and he was back in the bush two days later. Never heard of it happening on the AT.
Rain Man
04-06-2012, 10:53
Conversely, if one surprises a venomous snake by stepping too closely to it ...it will strike.
That simply is not true. It MAY strike. "It WILL strike" is baloney. Snakes are not aggressive by nature. Venom is a VERY precious resource that takes time and other resources to create. Instinctively, snakes do not waste it on animals they can not swallow (eat). So, even when they do RARELY strike, those are often dry strikes with no venom.
I know a local college professor who studies rattle snakes. He takes classes into the big, bad woods to take surveys of the greatly declining populations. To combat such fear and ignorance, he will step next to a timber rattler, touching it with his boot, and it STILL DOES NOT strike.
Being cautious and wise is the right thing to do (like wearing seatbelts). Claiming a venomous snake WILL strike if you step too close is like saying you WILL be in a wreck if you happen to pass a teenage driver. Totally over-blown.
Rain Man
.
hikerboy57
04-06-2012, 10:55
just keep an eye out for ticks, as itll be an active season and lyme disease is much more prevalent than snake bites.and... if you're watching for ticks, a rattler will be pretty hard to miss.
Rain Man
04-06-2012, 11:05
So far the only living thing that has injured me while hiking have been yellow jackets. I got nailed last year, they had built a nest right into the bank on the side of a trail.
NOW you're talking about an actual danger of almost "unprovoked" attack by critters that WILL inject venom. OUCH! And these do seem to put nests right on or by the trail and lay in wait. The truthful adage is the smaller the critter, the greater the danger. Don't fret about "snakes and bears," but rather insects!
How We Confuse Real Risks with Exaggerated Ones (http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,1564144,00.html?xid=feed-yahoo-full-nation-related)
Rain:sunMan
.
MuddyWaters
04-06-2012, 15:44
the old saying is the 1st person wakes the snake up, the 2nd person makes it mad, the 3rd person gets bit.
MuddyWaters
04-06-2012, 15:53
When my son was 10 he had a run in with this one on our hunting lease. It is legal to kill them where we are, but I still chewed him out for doing so for no reason. Since it was dead, had to do something with it though..
15679
shelterbuilder
04-06-2012, 16:32
One of my OLD wilderness medical books quoted the 80% dry bite figure, and Rainman is right about the probable reason - venom is a precious resource for the snake! It's a hunting "tool", and the snake isn't about to waste it on something that it can't eat (they may be dumb aninmals, but they aren't THAT dumb). The ability to control the injection of the venom is age-related: younger snakes lack the muscular control to withhold the venom, hence the higher likelyhood of a "wet bite" from a younger snake. For most creatures, just getting bit at all is usually enough incentive to leave the snake in peace....
vamelungeon
04-06-2012, 16:42
I think we need a sticky thread about all the things that aren't out to hurt us in the woods. I grew up in a rural area in the mountains, right next to a river and next to a National Forest, and they were my playgrounds. My parents let me wander at will once I reached 10 or so, and didn't worry too much. I can't say that any living thing in the woods has tried to hurt me other than insects and feral dogs. Otherwise I can't think of anything off the top of my head. I feel much safer in the woods than in an urban setting. I do carry a firearm but for protection against the dangerous predator homo sapiens and not bears or snakes. Snakes kill rodents and I HATE rodents.
hikerboy57
04-06-2012, 18:19
you have nothing to fear but fear itself.
BAG "o" TRICKS
04-06-2012, 18:56
Not true, a hiker named Allegheny was bitten about 6 or 7 years ago on Bear Mountain in CT. I heard for a fact from one of his hiking partners that he was screwing with any snakes he came across the entire way up the trail attempting to get a picture of a snake striking. Guess he got the picture.., the hard way. Lesson.., leave them alone and they'll leave you alone. A warm sunny morning after a cool night and you'll usually find them on southern exposed rock outcrops warming themselves. Don't be paranoid about them, just aware, and enjoy your hike. Personally I'd worry more about the ticks and Lyme.
shelterbuilder
04-06-2012, 21:09
Over the years, I've heard many "truths" about rattlers (and copperheads, too), but hard evidence is sometimes tough to find. Being pit vipers (that is, having a "heat-sensing organ" located in the small hole or "pit" on the head), they can acurately tell where you are and how large you are without having to see you. This enables the snake to locate and capture prey even at night, or when the skin-shedding process renders them temporarily blinded (they shed the protective membrane over the eye as well as their skin). Now, I've heard it said that copperheads are much more aggressive than most rattlers (truth?), but I've had many more encounters with rattlers than with copperheads, and these snakes have not seemed overly-aggressive - they seem to want to be left alone. I've never met up with one that was shedding, but I would assume that, when blinded by the clouding-over of the eye membrane prior to shedding it, the snake COULD be more defensive than usual, since it can't really see you. Thoughts, anyone???
Whenever I'm in the woods, I tend to watch where I place my feet, hands, and my big, fat BUTT - so that I don't accidently provoke anyone of the "fanged persuasion"! :eek: So far, so good!
Sidewinder
04-07-2012, 16:19
yay...a snake thread
Slack-jawed Trog
04-07-2012, 22:13
I've never met up with one that was shedding, but I would assume that, when blinded by the clouding-over of the eye membrane prior to shedding it, the snake COULD be more defensive than usual, since it can't really see you. Thoughts, anyone???
Shelterbuilder,
I have seen one, it was the second buzz-tail I almost stepped on and its irises were cloudy: http://www.flickr.com/photos/31567368@N06/3641508031/in/photostream I was barefoot and when I saw the rattler, it was not much more than a greenback-length away from my toes. I instinctively stepped back quickly.
Just a week earlier in the same area, I almost stepped on a different buzz-tail (the irises were clearly visible) but I froze and stepped back slowly. This was when I decided to also carry a camera on my wild blueberry scouting forays.
Pedaling Fool
04-08-2012, 08:54
I actually stepped on a rattlesnake that I believe was shedding. His color looked something like a dull black with splotches of dull-white ash look, kind of the same color as 1/2 burnt charcoal. I was walking through (note, not around) knee-high grass looking for firewood. He was fat, but never saw his head, so don't know the length; the only way I knew it was a rattlesnake is from the rattler.
I didn't put my full weight on him, he didn't even rattle, but I knew I stepped on something that was completely different from normal, so I immediately backed off and looked down and watched him slowly amble off and that's when I saw the rattle.
Wise Old Owl
04-08-2012, 10:29
Well when you do "Step" on or near I can tell you what it is like..... As I crossed a corn field it was like getting hit with a small rubber ball that hits you like a hardball in a baseball game on the front of the leg. It was a dry bite. I never felt the teeth. I bandaged it up and later I had to get a chunk of skin removed and stitched. no worries - not like Australia- Right stranger..... Goodday!
johnnybgood
04-08-2012, 12:15
Well when you do "Step" on or near I can tell you what it is like..... As I crossed a corn field it was like getting hit with a small rubber ball that hits you like a hardball in a baseball game on the front of the leg.
My wife described that it felt like a twig snapping forward against her ankle.
8 vials of anti venom later the swelling, which was all the to her knee , finally began to subside. She was minutes away from having a fasciotomy, a surgical procedure to open the fascia to relieve the compartmental syndrome that was compromising the blood flow to her lower leg.
Nasty, stupid snakes. I hate those evil things
MyName1sMud
04-13-2012, 15:04
Ticks are more of a worry than snakes, hence the annual report of someone having to leave the trail because of Lyme disease.
I'm very surprised I haven't ran into that evil stuff yet.
As an avid outdoorsman in Mississippi... I get ticks all over me ALL the time.
hikerboy57
04-13-2012, 15:19
Nasty, stupid snakes. I hate those evil things
whats to hate? theyre just being snakes.they kill vermin.they very rarely attack, and they make really neat boots.
Rain Man
04-16-2012, 11:47
Nasty, stupid snakes. I hate those evil things
What a pitiful attitude. Snakes have no way to even be evil (unlike humans). They are part of a healthy eco-system and have their own God-given right to exist. They are neither "nasty" nor "stupid," though some humans are both.
Here's a beauty I came across Saturday on the Cumberland Trail here in Tennessee. She was a tranquil, majestic creature in her own home, nature. Didn't even shake those 8 or 9 rattles at me.
Now, critters that DID bite or try to bite me this weekend on the trail?! Ticks and mosquitoes.
Rain:sunMan
.
Rain Man
04-16-2012, 11:51
Doesn't look like a copperhead to me.
Just saw this big copperhead on the Mountains to Sea trial today in the Wilsons Creek area. He was so sluggish he would not move off the trail so I took my hiking pole and gently moved him down the hill before taking the picture. :eek:
15614
Uh, My buddy who thruhiked in '04 saw one big rattler - in Massachusetts on Mt. Everett.
We have them in Mass. They hold up most of the time on ledges. I used to see them quite often while spring rock climbing near the AT but I have never seen any on the AT through Mass. Doesn't mean they are not there...just I haven't seen them there. They are a beautiful and amazing creature.
Pringles
04-16-2012, 21:13
Doesn't look like a copperhead to me.
The picture looks like the picture of the Northern Water Snake in my reptile book.
Wise Old Owl
04-16-2012, 21:20
Forget the pics... I just got back from the pinnicle and in spite of all the hikers... I spotted a adult ring neck about 14 inches I tried to pick him up but he was too fast. The second snake was just as large but I have never seen it before and was under a rock before I got there.... its 84 degrees out and they are active in PA.
Bradbury
04-17-2012, 23:17
At Maupin Field Shelter in VA on April 14 I met a SOBO restarting his hike at that spot. The hiker, Southpaw, was bitten by a copperhead in April of 2011 when he walked out of Maupin Shelter in the late evening toward the stream behind the shelter. He stated he was not using a flashlight to light his way down the short path and felt the bite on his leg which caused him to turn on a small light he was carrying. Southpaw stated he was carried out by a local rescue squad called by other hikers at the shelter. He recuperated and returned a year later to continue the hike with just a little pain lingering at the bite site. He is continuing south today and should be somewhere near Bedford/Roanoke VA.
Moral of the story: Your brain is thousands of times larger and more complex than a snake's. Use yours proportionately. Don't put your hands or feet in places you cannot see. Use your light if you must go out at night. It is generally not good to be alone unless you have fangs.
rocketsocks
04-18-2012, 02:21
What a pitiful attitude. Snakes have no way to even be evil (unlike humans). They are part of a healthy eco-system and have their own God-given right to exist. They are neither "nasty" nor "stupid," though some humans are both.
Here's a beauty I came across Saturday on the Cumberland Trail here in Tennessee. She was a tranquil, majestic creature in her own home, nature. Didn't even shake those 8 or 9 rattles at me.
Now, critters that DID bite or try to bite me this weekend on the trail?! Ticks and mosquitoes.
Rain:sunMan
.Rain Man,that is thee most Awesome close up shot that I have ever seen,Beautiful pictures.Curious,is that your foot in frame......you certainly practice what you preach,thanks for posting that these and that!
Rain Man
04-18-2012, 10:14
Rain Man,that is the most Awesome close up shot that I have ever seen,Beautiful pictures.Curious,is that your foot in frame......you certainly practice what you preach,thanks for posting that these and that!
Yep, my foot ... and I was wearing shorts, not pants. LOL But just so you know, this gal was very mellow, at first she stayed perfectly still. Then she flicked her tongue just a bit. Never shook her rattles at all. I was not a threat to her, and though close, didn't get too close or try to agitate her at all. Got my pics, wished her well, and moved on to an overlook about 100' away for a break. When we got back to the trail junction, she was gone. The way human-snake encounters should be. Mutual respect.
Rain:sunMan
.