My general consensus is that if it lives in the trees or the water they are probably going to bite you.... A lot ... The northern water snakes seem to have a real chip on thier shoulders and to top off your bite generally they musk the bejesus out of you..
Rattling Rifle Range
- Thread starter track
- Start date
My general consensus is that if it lives in the trees or the water they are probably going to bite you.... A lot ... The northern water snakes seem to have a real chip on thier shoulders and to top off your bite generally they musk the bejesus out of you..
Many moons ago me and the old pa were coming back from Tranquille Lake fishing.
Now those of you that remember the Tranquille School, just before it one would cross
the railway tracks and proceed past the pig farm and across the creek. The road wandered
up a bit and there was a big switch back in the road. Top of this climb was a nice look out
overlooking Kamloops Valley. We sat there and had a bite to eat. The old man told me to
watch out for rattlers. Not way up here dad. Yup. And goodness to gracious if one didn't
slither by. Dad bonked him on the head with a stick. I skinned him out and got him tanned.
He gave that skin away to a young chap down the street.
Yes, they are around.
Now those of you that remember the Tranquille School, just before it one would cross
the railway tracks and proceed past the pig farm and across the creek. The road wandered
up a bit and there was a big switch back in the road. Top of this climb was a nice look out
overlooking Kamloops Valley. We sat there and had a bite to eat. The old man told me to
watch out for rattlers. Not way up here dad. Yup. And goodness to gracious if one didn't
slither by. Dad bonked him on the head with a stick. I skinned him out and got him tanned.
He gave that skin away to a young chap down the street.
Yes, they are around.
fingers284
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Alberta Cowboy Ranges
When I think Medicine Hat, I think Rattlesnake.Two go together in my mind.
Grizz
Me too, Ive seen two rattlers over 6ft long, one was in Texas, the other was in a gravel pit a mile east of Med Hat on the right side of the trans -canada. There is a gravel pit close to Tilly Ab that the rattlers litterally fall off the loader bucket in each scoop. I worked there one day and then told the spread boss "i'll see you at the next job".
Ain't that the truth. I've been bitten by more water snakes than I care to think of. They are far more aggressive than massassaugas. I've been bitten by virtually every one I've handled.
Are you starting to see a pattern? Maybe don't play with snakes ( terrified of them myself; I'd not kill one, I'll swerve to miss them...but still creep me out)
Are you starting to see a pattern? Maybe don't play with snakes ( terrified of them myself; I'd not kill one, I'll swerve to miss them...but still creep me out)
We're lucky here in most areas of Alberta.
On my travels I've been scared of scorpions, snakes, massive spiders and other bugs, etc. What do we have hear? Bears, maybe a couger..
Maybe not so much for the last of those two, but I'm way less scared of a bear than a snake or scorpion. Couger.. well, you just don't know they are there.
On the travels, the locals always said they would be scared of bear and told me not to worry about snakes and scorpions... hrm..
Kinda goes to show you are scared of what you aren't used to. I've been around A LOT of bear, and spend a ton of time in the back country, both in my youth and today. IMO, bear aren't much to be feared unless they have a reason.
As for snakes and scorpions? I always look under my tent before packing up, and if I have to go piss at night I put on my motorcycle boots which are near knee high and would take a scorpion or snake bite in stride.
We had an expert talk to us at the naturalist club here in Merritt. There are areas here, where they congregate, that they don't make public, because they want to protect them. Apparently they are non aggressive and will not always inject venom as they realize you are not prey. The hype on wild animals and the dangers is good for tv and city folks. The first year we were in Merritt we had a resident black widow spider we watched all summer, and they too are not aggressive, and the bite would not be worse than a bee, and only life threatening if you were allergic.
Chuckbuster
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
Oh, and don't forget the ripping and tearing motion that often results in a jagged bite wound...and the teeth that become embedded as a result. On the funny side, a few people have, upon seeing a particularly large water snake, made the comment that even I wouldn't try to pick that one up.
Chuckbuster
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
Snakes of the reptilian kind are actually beneficial...the other kind...not so much.
