FIRST SNAKE!!

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RLewisH
Posts: 164
Joined: October 5th, 2010, 5:41 pm
Location: Encinitas

FIRST SNAKE!!

Post by RLewisH »

Ok I've still got the adrenaline going, so I'll cut the BS and get straight to the story..

Went to canyon with dad after school and we went to our usual spots, didn't see anything. My dad suggested going to some hilly meadows on the other side of the canyon. We walked over there and walked the thing for a good ways checking rocks. We were walking in some taller grass with some rocks. I was about 10 feet ahead of my dad, and there were a few rustles somewhere. He asked me what it was and I didn't know, but I still think it was a bird or rabbit.

I walked back to my dad and we started walking towards it. Let me draw it for you: the meadow was rolling, and we were on one the side of one of the humps, and the noise was in the direction of the top of the rise, which was about 20 feet away. We started walking towards that rise, myself about 10 feet in front of my dad.

I was walking and all of a sudden started hearing a real loud buzzing, and obviously I instantly knew what it was. I froze, because I couldn't locate it exactly (scary). I saw a rattle about 5 feet away, but it didn't look like it was moving. It was right about then I had to check my pants by the way... I thought that was a different one, which it wasn't thank God.

It was a beautiful snake, I think it was a Helleri. The snake was fat, but when my dad was moving the grass with the hook, it lifted its head up, and it was small, like not proportionate with the body. Can anyone explain this? It didn't even look like a pit viper head at all.

Anyways, I would totally do it again, and plan on it, except with gaiters :lol: the grass was about a foot tall

I'm still thanking God it gave me a warning, I could barely see the rattle after it had warned me. I have a video, I'll have to text it to my email or something, it said maximum file size when I tried texting it to my sister.
RobertH
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Joined: June 7th, 2010, 9:38 pm
Location: Los Angeles

Re: FIRST SNAKE!!

Post by RobertH »

Wow, that sounds pretty exciting for a first snake. Can't wait to see your video. :thumb:

Now, did you actually see the "rattle" or did you mean to say "rattler"? The way you describe the head of the snake doesn't sound like it was a helleri. They are kinda unmistakeable, at least to me.

You may already know this, but other snakes, most notably gophersnakes, are also known to rattle their tails in defense, although the sound is not as distinct and loud as that of a rattlesnake.

Could it have been a large gophersnake (possibly one that just had a meal, hence its "fat" look)?

Robert
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RLewisH
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Joined: October 5th, 2010, 5:41 pm
Location: Encinitas

Re: FIRST SNAKE!!

Post by RLewisH »

RobertH wrote:Wow, that sounds pretty exciting for a first snake. Can't wait to see your video. :thumb:

Now, did you actually see the "rattle" or did you mean to say "rattler"? The way you describe the head of the snake doesn't sound like it was a helleri. They are kinda unmistakeable, at least to me.

You may already know this, but other snakes, most notably gophersnakes, are also known to rattle their tails in defense, although the sound is not as distinct and loud as that of a rattlesnake.

Could it have been a large gophersnake (possibly one that just had a meal, hence its "fat" look)?

Robert
Definitely wasn't a gopher snake, it was a rattle. The rattle was the first thing I saw, and it was very loud. I sound like an idiot in the video too haha.
RobertH
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Joined: June 7th, 2010, 9:38 pm
Location: Los Angeles

Re: FIRST SNAKE!!

Post by RobertH »

Well, it sounds like your found yourself a shrink-head helleri then ;)
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LouB747
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Location: Huntington Beach, CA

Re: FIRST SNAKE!!

Post by LouB747 »

Awesome, can't wait to see the video. Congrats!!!!!
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Chris_VE.
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Re: FIRST SNAKE!!

Post by Chris_VE. »

If the video was to large to text to your sister, it will be to large to send to your email but if you have a micro sd chip than you can plug that into most computers to download it straight from the card or if you have a cord that hooks to your computer and phone. Just reading your story makes me curious what you found!
-Chris
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RLewisH
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Joined: October 5th, 2010, 5:41 pm
Location: Encinitas

Re: FIRST SNAKE!!

Post by RLewisH »

Chris_VE. wrote:If the video was to large to text to your sister, it will be to large to send to your email but if you have a micro sd chip than you can plug that into most computers to download it straight from the card or if you have a cord that hooks to your computer and phone. Just reading your story makes me curious what you found!
-Chris
My phone can be plugged into the computer with the charger it came with. It's just a USB to Outlet converter that the cord plugs into. Now to find it :thumb:
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amtz.zero
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Joined: January 31st, 2011, 8:38 am

Re: FIRST SNAKE!!

Post by amtz.zero »

Congrats, I know how that feels. I saw my first red diamond the other day but I didn't have my camera with me. I keep going back to see if I see it again but it's been too cold.
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RenoBart
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Joined: June 7th, 2010, 10:22 am

Re: FIRST SNAKE!!

Post by RenoBart »

A first rattlesnake is always a major thrill. I remember when I found my first buzzer, and it wasn't that long ago, I was stoked and beaming for the whole day. (Remember, Mike? :) ) Totally amazing creatures and so awesome to see and observe in the wild.

I've thoght about getting snake boots or gaiters myself, but really it just comes down to always being completely aware of every step, especially when you are in tall grass in areas where crotes are abundant.

I kind of use my hook or a tater rack and make "mine sweeper" motions with it in the tall grass, moving slow, and listening carefully....but gaiters or boots might be a good idea anyhow.

Bart
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amtz.zero
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Re: FIRST SNAKE!!

Post by amtz.zero »

The one I found didn't even rattle! :shock: I always thought that they would rattle to let me know that they were there. Luckily, I wasn't even close to stepping on it. I keep some albino rattlers in my home, and they almost never rattle either.
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