It’s springtime and the weather is getting warmer (90 degrees this weekend!), which means the snakes are out in our local open space.
If you’re out hiking, biking, jogging or just enjoying the outdoors, always remember to keep an eye on your surroundings, and don’t let your dogs off leash (if dogs are permitted).
Click on each photo for a much larger view of the beautiful rattlers, which were photographed in Walnut Creek’s Shell Ridge Open Space.
Thanks so much to Gary Lawhon for the videos.
To view more wildlife photos from Gary, visit his Facebook group. He also offers free local snake relocation from a person’s yard back to the open space.
They’re a little more meaty than corn snakes. Hard to tell the difference when both are marinated and grilled on a stick.
He’s well fed!
I’ve seen this episode before, don’t worry tho I won’t reveal the surprise ending.
Dang that is a biggin’ ’!!!!
One time, walking the open space, came up to a wooden foot bridge over a little gully, and a fat adult rattler was coiled up right at the entrance. Couldn’t go around (tall grass and the gully). Gently tossed dirt clods at him, which just got him coiled more tightly and rattling. Finally bounced one off of him, and he took the hint and slithered off under the bridge.
Of all the places to set up shop, dude…
Taste like chicken, yum yum
I have a friend who is a rancher and he said he always carries a walking stick in case he comes across a rattlesnake. He passes the stick over the snake so a shadow goes over the snake and the snake will uncoil thinking it’s a hawk. Don’t know if the local snake think like that.
I have only had deep fried rattler. It did taste like chicken, but you have to work too hard.
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In a survival situation, snakes are fair game to be roasted over a fire.
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Otherwise, I stay away from ’em. Too creepy.
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