|
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 10,653
Campfire Outfitter
|
OP
Campfire Outfitter
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 10,653 |
Timber rattler stopped work briefly. The hired man and I were at the neighbors filling silo and he spotted the snake while shuttling a chopper box. He called me and I brought the rest of the work crew to take a look. They used to be plentiful, but don't see many anymore. The state has them protected now. It was not near any buildings or causing any trouble, so we left it alone.
You're Welcome At My Fire Anytime
|
|
|
|
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 7,437
Campfire Tracker
|
Campfire Tracker
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 7,437 |
μολὼν λαβέ
|
|
|
|
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 16,670
Campfire Ranger
|
Campfire Ranger
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 16,670 |
Yikes. I didn't know WI had them. I guess that would mean southern MN has them too?
The deer hunter does not notice the mountains
"I fear all we have done is to awaken a sleeping giant and fill him with a terrible resolve" - Isoroku Yamamoto
There sure are a lot of America haters that want to live here...
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 32,130
Campfire 'Bwana
|
Campfire 'Bwana
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 32,130 |
That ought to keep rats, squirrels and chipmunks out of the grain.
If you put Taco Bell sauce in your ramen noodles it tastes just like poverty
|
|
|
|
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 26,389
Campfire Ranger
|
Campfire Ranger
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 26,389 |
Yikes. I didn't know WI had them. I guess that would mean southern MN has them too? Yes Minnesota has them in the southeast part of the state.
|
|
|
|
Joined: Nov 2015
Posts: 19,205
Campfire Ranger
|
Campfire Ranger
Joined: Nov 2015
Posts: 19,205 |
Protected or not, I'd have killed that sucker.
|
|
|
|
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 7,348
Campfire Tracker
|
Campfire Tracker
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 7,348 |
Good that you let it live.
"When the going gets weird, the weird turn pro." Hunter S. Thompson
|
|
|
|
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 15,521
Campfire Ranger
|
Campfire Ranger
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 15,521 |
That ought to keep rats, squirrels and chipmunks out of the grain. It will keep a number of them out, but snakes like this don't eat frequently enough to singly control a pressing rodent population. It will take a few other snakes, an owl or two, and some other smaller predators to control a bunch of hungry invaders..
NRA Member - Life, Benefactor, Patron
|
|
|
|
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 2,986
Campfire Regular
|
Campfire Regular
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 2,986 |
Cool looking snake. Glad that there are still some around in Wisconsin.
|
|
|
|
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 10,653
Campfire Outfitter
|
OP
Campfire Outfitter
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 10,653 |
Yikes. I didn't know WI had them. I guess that would mean southern MN has them too? Oh sure, southwest Wisconsin on and near the Wisconsin and Mississippi rivers is perfect habitat for them. For decades there was a bounty paid on them. $1.00/adult, $.25/baby. The bounty was discontinued in 1975. I have encountered them several times and only killed one, and that was an accident. I was coming down a hill road and on a curve ran one over. Took it over to an old trapper/fisherman and he skinned it and tanned it. On his suggestion, I keep it in good shape with WD-40. There are "swamp rattlers", Massasauga nearby in the river bottoms, but I never encountered one,
You're Welcome At My Fire Anytime
|
|
|
|
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 844
Campfire Regular
|
Campfire Regular
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 844 |
I agree, that is a good size one! Looks to have been eating well!
|
|
|
|
Joined: Sep 2011
Posts: 45,111
Campfire 'Bwana
|
Campfire 'Bwana
Joined: Sep 2011
Posts: 45,111 |
That ought to keep rats, squirrels and chipmunks out of the grain. Once again, I agree with this Kingston fella and his pink avatar. Not a total solution, but like that assassin bug that eats flies....................most anything that eats rats and mice is my friend Geno
The desert is a true treasure for him who seeks refuge from men and the evil of men. In it is contentment In it is death and all you seek (Quoted from "The Bleeding of the Stone" Ibrahim Al-Koni)
member of the cabal of dysfunctional squirrels?
|
|
|
|
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 8,214
Campfire Outfitter
|
Campfire Outfitter
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 8,214 |
Not my picture...
|
|
|
|
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 8,214
Campfire Outfitter
|
Campfire Outfitter
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 8,214 |
Yikes. I didn't know WI had them. I guess that would mean southern MN has them too? Oh sure, southwest Wisconsin on and near the Wisconsin and Mississippi rivers is perfect habitat for them. For decades there was a bounty paid on them. $1.00/adult, $.25/baby. The bounty was discontinued in 1975. I have encountered them several times and only killed one, and that was an accident. I was coming down a hill road and on a curve ran one over. Took it over to an old trapper/fisherman and he skinned it and tanned it. On his suggestion, I keep it in good shape with WD-40. There are "swamp rattlers", Massasauga nearby in the river bottoms, but I never encountered one, Good looking snake skin, but that doesn't look like any timber rattler I have ever seen.
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jan 2016
Posts: 95,657
Campfire Oracle
|
Campfire Oracle
Joined: Jan 2016
Posts: 95,657 |
Protected or not, I'd have killed that sucker. I wish I knew how many Leo's would recognize that skin on a hat band. The feds like to dump them out by the box loads around communities in deep SE Texas. One fellow lost 12 meat goats and killed several before finding out WTH was going on. Several people bitten and good dogs dead too around Clute and that area from what I've been told.
Ecc 10:2 The heart of the wise inclines to the right, but that of a fool to the left.
A Nation which leaves God behind is soon left behind.
"The Lord never asked anyone to be a tax collector, lowyer, or Redskins fan".
I Dindo Nuffin
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jan 2016
Posts: 95,657
Campfire Oracle
|
Campfire Oracle
Joined: Jan 2016
Posts: 95,657 |
Yikes. I didn't know WI had them. I guess that would mean southern MN has them too? Oh sure, southwest Wisconsin on and near the Wisconsin and Mississippi rivers is perfect habitat for them. For decades there was a bounty paid on them. $1.00/adult, $.25/baby. The bounty was discontinued in 1975. I have encountered them several times and only killed one, and that was an accident. I was coming down a hill road and on a curve ran one over. Took it over to an old trapper/fisherman and he skinned it and tanned it. On his suggestion, I keep it in good shape with WD-40. There are "swamp rattlers", Massasauga nearby in the river bottoms, but I never encountered one, IMHO, that is the skin of a Diamond Back rattler, either Eastern or Westen. Timbers have very different markings, as can be seen in the first post and in the post with a timber eating a squirrel.
Last edited by jaguartx; 09/18/19.
Ecc 10:2 The heart of the wise inclines to the right, but that of a fool to the left.
A Nation which leaves God behind is soon left behind.
"The Lord never asked anyone to be a tax collector, lowyer, or Redskins fan".
I Dindo Nuffin
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jan 2016
Posts: 95,657
Campfire Oracle
|
Campfire Oracle
Joined: Jan 2016
Posts: 95,657 |
Last edited by jaguartx; 09/18/19.
Ecc 10:2 The heart of the wise inclines to the right, but that of a fool to the left.
A Nation which leaves God behind is soon left behind.
"The Lord never asked anyone to be a tax collector, lowyer, or Redskins fan".
I Dindo Nuffin
|
|
|
|
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 1,566
Campfire Regular
|
Campfire Regular
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 1,566 |
Yes that is a Western Diamondback or possibly a Prairie Rattler of some sort, not a Timber Rattler skin by the snow shoes.
Protected in PA doesn't mean you can't possess or kill; it means they are regulated would be a better term. Buy a fishing license, then buy a Venomous Snake Permit, then catch/kill a male Timber Rattler at least 42 inches long. I think they are a "Species of Concern" or "Declining" is the state-wide designation with "Threatened" in parts. They are plentiful here.
PA Bear Hunter, NRA Benefactor Member
|
|
|
|
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 16,670
Campfire Ranger
|
Campfire Ranger
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 16,670 |
Yes that is a Western Diamondback or possibly a Prairie Rattler of some sort, not a Timber Rattler skin by the snow shoes.
What kind of snow shoes do Timber Rattler's use?
The deer hunter does not notice the mountains
"I fear all we have done is to awaken a sleeping giant and fill him with a terrible resolve" - Isoroku Yamamoto
There sure are a lot of America haters that want to live here...
|
|
|
|
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 10,653
Campfire Outfitter
|
OP
Campfire Outfitter
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 10,653 |
Yikes. I didn't know WI had them. I guess that would mean southern MN has them too? Oh sure, southwest Wisconsin on and near the Wisconsin and Mississippi rivers is perfect habitat for them. For decades there was a bounty paid on them. $1.00/adult, $.25/baby. The bounty was discontinued in 1975. I have encountered them several times and only killed one, and that was an accident. I was coming down a hill road and on a curve ran one over. Took it over to an old trapper/fisherman and he skinned it and tanned it. On his suggestion, I keep it in good shape with WD-40. There are "swamp rattlers", Massasauga nearby in the river bottoms, but I never encountered one, IMHO, that is the skin of a Diamond Back rattler, either Eastern or Westen. Timbers have very different markings, as can be seen in the first post and in the post with a timber eating a squirrel. This is all very interesting, if it is true what you are saying, I gave a snake to the old trapper and about six months later he gives me a diamondback. I can't question him about now, he died back in 1996 or 97.
You're Welcome At My Fire Anytime
|
|
|
|
558 members (16gage, 1Longbow, 1234, 007FJ, 160user, 10gaugemag, 52 invisible),
2,441
guests, and
1,209
robots. |
Key:
Admin,
Global Mod,
Mod
|
|
Forums81
Topics1,191,425
Posts18,470,717
Members73,931
|
Most Online11,491 Jul 7th, 2023
|
|
|
|