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Post by Angela on Jul 15, 2009 21:24:31 GMT -5
There must have been some serendipity involved with all this tonight - after riding the FATS trails hundreds of times I have seen quite a few snakes but mostly black ones and never a poisonous snake. Tonight when Daniel and I started down the Great Wall we were moving along at a nice clip when I saw it on the trail ahead - a young 3 1/2 foot rattler. We stopped quickly enough to get a good view but he was clearly disturbed by our presence and wouldn't stick around long enough for me to take his picture. They truly are beautiful animals
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Post by lighterknot on Jul 15, 2009 22:18:32 GMT -5
Yeah it was def a canebreak, unfortunately I stopped close enough to see it's rattles. It wasn't the least bit concerned with me though. Didn't even budge after I stopped, took it's picture, backed my bike up and then looked for a stick to try to get it off the trail. Having grown up in Florida and having a father who can't resist having to catch every snake he sees I am pretty familiar with their behavior, and I think this one may have either been injured or had recently eaten because it didn't even budge for quite some time with me in close proximity and throwing some small twigs to try to get it off the trail. I didn't want to agitate it but anyone riding that loop clockwise would have ran it over for sure. Chad
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Post by lighterknot on Jul 15, 2009 22:42:39 GMT -5
better pic: Chad
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Post by Angela on Jul 16, 2009 16:58:56 GMT -5
To me for the safety of other riders as well as the snake.........if you can encourage them to move on along it's best for everyone.
If you merely agitate it and leave without having it move along, the next rider along may get an unpleasant surprise if it gets mad and coils up along the trail. If left there and another rider doesn't see it and runs over it, not only could the rider risk injury but a very good chance the snake could end up injured as well. The numbers on all these snakes are declining and that is unfortunate they definitely help keep the rodent population under control!
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Post by Mark Y on Jul 16, 2009 17:06:13 GMT -5
I believe that is a canebrake rattlesnake. You would be correct sir!
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Post by Mark Y on Jul 16, 2009 17:09:38 GMT -5
Yeah it was def a canebreak, unfortunately I stopped close enough to see it's rattles. It wasn't the least bit concerned with me though. Didn't even budge after I stopped, took it's picture, backed my bike up and then looked for a stick to try to get it off the trail. Having grown up in Florida and having a father who can't resist having to catch every snake he sees I am pretty familiar with their behavior, and I think this one may have either been injured or had recently eaten because it didn't even budge for quite some time with me in close proximity and throwing some small twigs to try to get it off the trail. I didn't want to agitate it but anyone riding that loop clockwise would have ran it over for sure. Chad My expereince with Canebrakes is that they normally behave just as you described, hard to anger and very docile. You really have to poke at them to get them to react.
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Post by lighterknot on Jul 16, 2009 17:44:59 GMT -5
Yeah I made sure it was several feet off the trail before I finished my ride. Thinking about heading out there this evening for a quick loop before dark.
Chad
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Post by Mark Y on Jul 16, 2009 23:10:33 GMT -5
Just for the record, I wanted to reference what I was saying for those who really fear snakes: "While being envenomated by one of these animals could prove quite dangerous, timber rattlesnakes are not normally aggressive toward humans. Many people who are familiar with "timbers" describe their demeanor as docile; often they will not even rattle unless highly disturbed. Bites are rare." www.nature.org/wherewework/northamerica/states/ohio/volunteer/art7239.htmlSnakes just aren't the devil in disguise many people have been taught they are. Stay out of their way and they will stay out of yours. <added> Canebrakes or 'Timbers" are the most common rattlesnake you will find in these parts. Diamondbacks are typically farther south, though it is not unheard of to find one as far north as SC.
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Post by safetybreak on Jul 17, 2009 12:48:56 GMT -5
Just for the record, I wanted to reference what I was saying for those who really fear snakes: "While being envenomated by one of these animals could prove quite dangerous, timber rattlesnakes are not normally aggressive toward humans. Many people who are familiar with "timbers" describe their demeanor as docile; often they will not even rattle unless highly disturbed. Bites are rare." www.nature.org/wherewework/northamerica/states/ohio/volunteer/art7239.htmlSnakes just aren't the devil in disguise many people have been taught they are. Stay out of their way and they will stay out of yours. <added> Canebrakes or 'Timbers" are the most common rattlesnake you will find in these parts. Diamondbacks are typically farther south, though it is not unheard of to find one as far north as SC. i am not disagreeing, but i have seen a timber rattler strike at a bike before. it was up in the Dupont State Forest in NC (incredible trail system btw). I was with some locals riding in the #3 spot. The first bike went by, and then the second bike went by and the snake struck. it hit the tire and punctured it, and in the process of hitting the tire the snake got caught in the rear sprockets and chain. it killed the snake and scared the chica to death. scared me pretty good too, as i was the only one to see it happen. this timber was much smaller than that one, and must have been young. for some reason all of the ones i have seen have been farther in the mtns, and much smaller. i was super gun shy when i saw roots and etc for the rest of that day. that instance is the only time i have ever actually seen a snake strike in person.
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Post by money on Jul 17, 2009 20:33:19 GMT -5
As much as I have ridden FATS, I have seen more snakes at Fort Gordon riding Range Road (inner and outer loop) in 1 month than I have since FATS has been open. My guess is that they see me but I don't see them.
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Post by DK on Jul 18, 2009 15:35:14 GMT -5
I've never seen a snake at FATS. But i've only ridden there maybe 5 or six tiems. I've never seen a rattler in the wild, ever. Many Copperheads, Cottonmouths, Kingsnakes, and such, but never a rattler of any type. Anyone ever see a Eastern Hognose Snake? More commonly called a Spreading Adder around my neck of the woods. I rode up on one of these harmless snakes once and had the biggest scare of any snake I've ridden up on. The fool thing raised up nearly half it's body length off the ground and spread out like a cobra at me. Now that was intimidating! LOL! www.hsu.edu/content.aspx?id=3933
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Post by imnav8r on Jul 18, 2009 16:12:23 GMT -5
I've seen this snake before. It's interesting to watch them rollover and play dead after their attempt at bluffing you fails. The funny thing is you can turn him back on his belly and he'll just roll back over again, trying to convince you he is dead and not worth eating.
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