Whew!

[berettabone]

I was taking the trash out to the garage and not paying attention to my surroundings. As I'm fumbling with the keys, I look down and there is a 5 Ft. 4" diameter Eastern Hognose snake. Sure, got the ole ticker goin. I didn't want it hanging around so I got a stick, but before I could get him, he started their famous act. They roll around like they're being attacked, then act like they're dead on their backs. I finally got him to go into the woods after all of the rolling around. When I first saw it, I jumped back like a pole vaulter. Damn thing sat up like a cobra. My pants needed changing anyway.................

[Bawanna]

Never heard of a Eastern Hognose snake. Apparently not venomous? I used to love fishing for Blue Gill in my grandpa's pond in Missouri until I run across a snake in the water. He told me it was a water moccasin. Didn't care to much for fishing for Blue Gill after that. I just plumb hate snakes.

[jeepster09]

Whew is right! I think the only good snakes are dead snakes!
My only encounter with a large snake was a few years back when I travelled the southern half of Minnesota for work. It was shortly after the south eastern part of our state near Rushford MN. had a damn break and all the snake dens got washed out. I was driving down highway 16 when I came upon an old couple out of their car standing in road looking at this big timber rattler crossing the road. They were like 3 foot from it just staring at it. The snake was not looking to be in a good mood. I advised them that they may want to get back in their car and stay clear. That year snakes were all over in that area looking for new homes. It is not far from the river bluffs.

[yqtszhj]

I didn’t know you had rattlesnakes that far north.

[kenemoore]

I generally let the non-venomous ones live, but kill the poison ones. Copper heads are the hardest to spot when hiking through the woods.
I currently have a black rat snake living in my crawl space under the house. Keeps the critters out.
Scared the crap out of the bug guy, when he came by for the annual termite inspection.

[jeepster09]

To my understanding the only area in Minnesota that has Rattlers is along the river bluffs area in the south eastern corner towards Winona and Lacrosse Wisc.

[getsome]

Sorry but to me ALL snakes are Diamond Headed Copper Mouth Viper Moccasin Water Rattlers and need to die Immediately if not sooner…….

[AJBert]

I don't mind snakes in the least. Even had a Burmese python and some kind of boa constrictor many moons back. Non-venomous I let be. Venomous I let be if I am in their home, my home I try to shoo them away, and I that doesn't work then they really don't like the outcome.

Closest I've ever come to being way too close was back in high school, even more moons back, when out hunting rabbits with my brother and a couple of friends in the fall. Wasn't worried about snakes as it had been cool enough long enough that they should have been hibernating by then. Anyways, walking along looking for them waskally wabbits when out of nowhere my brother shoot a foot in front of my foot. I turned on him in a spilt second and yelled a few choice words, and thinking about raising my shotgun in his general direction. He said look in front of your foot. There lay a headless rattler with the body twitching a bit.

For some reason I don't believe I ever thanked him. He wasn't the best shot with a shotgun.

[Barth]

Was hunting rabbits and squirrels in the Mojave desert with a friend.
I had my trusty Ruger 10/22 carbine and he had a double barreled 12 gauge.
I noticed what looked like a circular spiral in front of me and stopped.
Looking around we were both circled by a bunch of them?
Turned out to be a bunch of baby Mojave Green rattlers :eek:
They are born with fangs, venom and ready to go.
According to Wiki "The Mojave rattlesnake is the world's most venomous rattlesnake".
We looked at each other without speaking.
And proceeded to blow a path to safety with our guns...
The little monsters never rattled. I think they only rattle after they bite to celebrate.
https://dovemed-prod-k8s.s3.amazonaws.com/media/images/Mojave_rattlesnake_24744954659.width-750.jpg

[berettabone]

Only 2 poisonous snakes in Wisconsin. The Timber Rattler and the Massasauga. At that moment, I wasn't about to hang out and find out which one it was. The Eastern Hognose sits up just like a cobra with a hood and markings on the top of their head. I don't care for snakes or spiders. Everything else I can deal with................I was fishing the Wisconsin river at night. I dropped my minnow bait and was feeling around for it but couldn't see it. Got a flashlight and there was a Massasauga with my bait in his mouth. Probably a good thing that his mouth was full. Another pants changing was in order.

[340pd]

Whew is right! I think the only good snakes are dead snakes!
My only encounter with a large snake was a few years back when I travelled the southern half of Minnesota for work. It was shortly after the south eastern part of our state near Rushford MN. had a damn break and all the snake dens got washed out. I was driving down highway 16 when I came upon an old couple out of their car standing in road looking at this big timber rattler crossing the road. They were like 3 foot from it just staring at it. The snake was not looking to be in a good mood. I advised them that they may want to get back in their car and stay clear. That year snakes were all over in that area looking for new homes. It is not far from the river bluffs.

Magelssen Bluff

[kenemoore]

Another snake story.
When I was in high school, we used to go out at night and cruise the river banks in an aluminum john boat, gigging bull frogs. Water Moccasins, often sleep in the tree branches hanging over the river. One Friday night, a buddy and I dropped our dates off, went by his house and picked up his dad's boat. He also grabbed his dad's .22 pistol, for snakes. So, as we are easing along the bank, looking from frogs, a moccasin dropped in the boat, from an overhanging branch. In the past when this happened I usually just beat it to death with a boat paddle. Well my buddy panicked, and unloaded the .22 into the bottom of the boat, trying to kill the snake. I ended up using the paddle like always. His dad was not pleased about all the holes in his boat.

[jeepster09]

Magelssen Bluff




Here is the area....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T-qLmpsjcqI