Keep this in mind while mushroom hunting!

[Panama]

I do not know the story behind this picture, it was sent to me in an email from a friend with the heading,
"Keep this in mind while mushroom hunting"

I know now, just to be safe, I'll be carrying a 12ga loaded with 3" OO Buck when I go mushroom hunting later this week!

YIKES! That is a big'un!

 

[Indy_Guy_77]

That can't have been from Indiana...

Does Indiana have rattlesnakes? Yes, most certainly.

Does Indiana have a species of rattlesnake that'll get THAT big? I don't think so!

-J-

 

[ATM]

That would probably taste awesome with a huge side of mushrooms!

 

[Flintlock]

Don't tread on him...

 

[Panama]

Nah, I don't think that is a Hoosier snake, I would guess Texas, ya know everything is bigger in Texas! But there have been some pretty big rattlers found in Brown County, just not THAT big, I hope.

I always carry when I go mushroom hunting and after seeing that monster, I may carry something BIG just in case.

And yes a side of mushrooms and you could feed a small town with behemoth!

 

[qwkdrwmgw]

Thats probably what the snake was thinking when it saw the guy, wouldn't he taste wonderful with these shrooms. That is one BA rattler

 

[trophyhunter]

I sure hope we don't have anything like that crawling around! The heart attack would get me before the snake had fair chance.

 

[cosermann]

Our Massasauga rattlesnake is on the small side for rattle snakes. Only about 2 feet. There are also some Timber rattlers out there in the south central counties. Timbers can grow up to 72". Not sure if they get that big here or not, but they are Indiana's largest snake.

 

[CountryBoy19]

Question regarding juvenile snakes.

A couple years ago I encountered a juvenile snake that was mostly dark, but had a faint pattern. I can't remember exactly what it was but it led me to believe that it wasn't just a garter snake. So I poked a stick near it and it coiled up, reared back, and its tail began shaking like a rattler. But there were no rattles. At what point do they get their first rattles? Was this likely a rattler?

 

[henktermaat]

The biggest rattler I saw was during a hike down in the Morgan Monroe area. It was about half that size.

 

[RogerB]

DAMN!!!!

Good eats and a helluva nice sling there in the making.

here snaky snaky snaky.....

 

[Joe Williams]

Crap. I just peed myself!

I hate snakes

 

[Joe Williams]

Question regarding juvenile snakes.

A couple years ago I encountered a juvenile snake that was mostly dark, but had a faint pattern. I can't remember exactly what it was but it led me to believe that it wasn't just a garter snake. So I poked a stick near it and it coiled up, reared back, and its tail began shaking like a rattler. But there were no rattles. At what point do they get their first rattles? Was this likely a rattler?

There are lots of non-poinsonous snakes that will try to rattle their tale in leaves to create the impression they are not to be messed with. I would then shoot them. If I weren't busy peeing myself.

 

[IndyGunworks]

I know now, just to be safe, I'll be carrying a 12ga loaded with 3" OO Buck when I go mushroom hunting later this week!

not trying to knock you... by would would you carry 00 buck? why not just your typical shot.... i would think that if its a bit farther of a shot that the 6 shot or so would give you a better chance of a reflex hit.... not trying to start a debate on shotguns here but my gut tells me that 00 wasnt designed for protection against the NO legged type.

ready to take a butt kicking on this one

 

[henktermaat]

Might be a good chance to use some of that cool "snake shot" .22 ammo

 

[hornadylnl]

Rattle snake skin makes nice 1911 grips

 

[Panama]

not trying to knock you... by would would you carry 00 buck? why not just your typical shot.... i would think that if its a bit farther of a shot that the 6 shot or so would give you a better chance of a reflex hit.... not trying to start a debate on shotguns here but my gut tells me that 00 wasnt designed for protection against the NO legged type.

ready to take a butt kicking on this one

Just a little sarcasm I really don't carry a shotgun while I am out shrooming.
But I can flat stinkin' guarantee if I saw that MONSTER, I would sure as HELL empty my XDm of all it's 20 rounds and hope at least a few of them hit their mark as I ran for my truck!

I ain't skeerd, I'm just real cautious when it comes to BIG poisionous snakes!

 

[AGarbers]

It is a Western diamondback.

I hunted hundreds of rattlesnakes while I lived in Arizona. I believe the black and white "coontail" is limited to Western Diamondbacks and their subspecies, which are found from the Great Plains west.
From my experience that snake lived a very easy life, judging by its long rattlers. In rough terrain they got broken off.
It is a huge snake, bigger than any I have killed, but keep in mind that snakes stretch after they die and their muscles relax, making them longer than they were in life.
As far as juvenile rattlesnakes go, I believe they are born with one button, and gain a segment every time they shed. Their skins are very vibrant and make the very best hat bands. I often used two small same species rattlesnakes to make one hatband. It was the older snakes that seemed to get dark and faded.
Many other non-venomous snakes exhibit the same posture when threatened and vibrate their tails.
One of the most positive ways to tell if a snake is a pit viper (rattlesnakes, copperheads, etc…) is to check their pupils. (From a safe distance.) If it is elliptical, like a cat, it’s a pit viper. If the pupil is round, it is not venomous…in this state that is. Coral snakes violate this rule, but are only in the SE and SW US.
Pit vipers also have pronounced hooded eyebrows, making them look “mad”. They also have a heavy body that rapidly tapers to a narrow neck that flair to a wide triangular head. See the photo and you see what I mean.

 

[rhino400]

That looks like a diamondback to me. Saw I few last year in Texas. Timber Rattlesnakes don't get that big I don't think. The last Timber Rattler I saw was in the road in front of my house. I would estimate it was around 65" long. I ran it over three times and it still slithered away. Seems like 3" OO Buck sounds about right in my opinion. It looked more like this.

 

[IndyGunworks]

Just a little sarcasm I really don't carry a shotgun while I am out shrooming.
But I can flat stinkin' guarantee if I saw that MONSTER, I would sure as HELL empty my XDm of all it's 20 rounds and hope at least a few of them hit their mark as I ran for my truck!

I ain't skeerd, I'm just real cautious when it comes to BIG poisionous snakes!

LOL... ok, just wanted to clear that up and see if you knew something i just couldnt quite figure out.