Rattlesnakes 2021

[troutbert]

Anybody see rattlers yet this year?

On Memorial Day I was fishing a brookie stream in the Kettle Creek drainage, and heard a buzzing sound on the opposite bank.

It wasn't very loud, and at first I thought it was an insect buzzing. But I looked over and it was a rattler.

It was light colored, yellow/tan. It was coiled up and looking right at me, and giving me the warning buzz.

I continued fishing on up the creek, but was more careful where I placed my feet the rest of the day.

 

[Swattie87]

None for me so far. Been a couple years since I’ve seen one.

Funny about the yellow phase rattling. Of the dozen or so I’ve seen, I’ve only seen one yellow phase. But it also was the only one that really rattled.

Is there any science to yellow phase’s being prone to rattling more?

 

[lycoflyfisher]

I heard more turkey hunters that saw snakes this year than normal, however I haven't seen one yet this year.

Swattie, I have seen yellow phases rattle. In my experience each snake has their own temperment but perhaps sex, air temp/ humidity, hunger, and how soon they will be shedding all factors into their demeanor at the time of encounter.

I have seen them in cooler weather and hot days a like not move a muscle as you walk by and I have had others that seemed to be passed at the world as soon as they saw me.

 

[troutbert]

I have not heard about or seen any correlation between color phase and rattling.

In Sproul Forest off Ridge Road (Rt. 144) we walked right by a yellow phase rattler on a gas line cut and it didn't rattle, even when my buddy poked it with a fly rod.

The loudest rattling I've heard was from a large black rattler. That rattler was very energized, writhing around, buzzing like crazy.

I've come across medium colored, brownish rattlers and some of them rattled and some of them didn't.

As Lyco said, temperature probably plays a big role. I think they tend to me inactive in the temperature extremes of cold and warm, and active in moderate temperatures.

I used to think rattlers were found mostly in rocky areas or on gravelly surfaces. And often they are found in such places.

But I have also seen several in the floodplains of streams, where it's not rocky. And of course this is relevant to us fishermen.

Most of these were either on a log or right next to a log. It seems like that might be a pattern. Probably because the logs on the forest floors attract rodents.

 

[Dave_W]

None for me this year, but I'm keeping a look out in my favorite areas in Michaux.

Always a fun topic!

 

[jifigz]

I do a lot of backpacking, but not a ton of fishing, in high population rattlesnake areas. I tend to run into them quite a bit. I've noticed that in my area of central PA we have mostly yellow timber rattlers. Up north I've mostly run into black phase timber rattlers. A few years back on a rocky outcrop on the Old Logger's Path I ran into about 30 rattlesnakes of varying sizes. Most were black phase but there were a few yellows..the biggest was about 3 feet long.

I have not seen one yet this year. I have never in my life seen a copperhead. There are a lot of ignorant folks around my way that seem to call every northern water snake a copperhead, though..

 

[Mike]

As documented by radio telemetry, most Pa timber rattlesnakes from any one “den” spend nearly all of their time above ground in spring and summer in forested territory, not in rocks. Though rare, some even spend some time in trees, even during thunderstorms! And some get kicked to death by deer.

As for the association with logs that troubert mentions, he is correct, again as scientifically documented through a telemetry study and a comparative sub-study of that behavior, both of the snakes and of small mammals. The rattlesnakes assume the “Reinert position,” (a head tilted up, coiled striking position maintained on the ground along a log with chin resting or very closely located at about the 10 o’clock position on the log). The position was so-named for the Pa researcher who studied this behavior within the greater study of timber rattlesnake ecology and behavior.

Sampling small mammal tracks using smoke paper on logs and an equal number randomly placed on the forest floor showed significantly greater tracks by a wide margin on the paper fastened to the logs vs those sheets of smoke paper distributed in the surrounding woodland. The snakes greatly enhance their ability to get a meal by hunting by logs since the logs are small mammal super-highways. Having accompanied Dr Reinert on some field days and witnessed this behavior, whenever I step over a smaller dia log in the woods in rattlesnake territory during the proper seasons I always look first or stretch my legs so I step well beyond the opposite side of the log.

 

[drakeking412]

mike that is amazing info thank you so much. is there a way to access the studies mentioned? I'd be very interested in digging around as an aspiring snake nerd.

On topic i saw the same BIG female twice in three days at Penns. She was approx 4' and had a very developed rattle, approx 9+ notches

https://imgur.com/a/GkL93EI


Been seeing HUGE rat snakes as well. This dry weather sure does bring them out.

 

[FarmerDave]

No rattlers where I live, and I haven't had the opportunity to visit anywhere they are prevalent. However, I did see a very colorful milk snake the other day, sunning itself behind my old carriage house. I checked the area again a few days later and although I didn't see him again, I detected the distinctive snake smell. I'm hoping he sticks around and gets rid of some chipmunks for me.

 

[Mike]

drakeking,
At your request I did a search and quickly found the abstract of the Reinert scientific paper that describes the foraging behavior. I had never seen the paper before; I had just witnessed the behavior in the field with Dr Reinert.

https://www.jstor.org/stable/1445342?seq=1

 

[Swattie87]

FWIW, most of the rattlers I’ve seen have been along valley floors, near streams. Some on logs or in brush piles. Some in tall grass and ferns along stream banks - this is the most dangerous IMO as you can’t always see where you’re putting your feet in that scenario. One was actually under a large flat rock that was essentially on a midstream peninsula.

That being said, I think this is largely a function of me spending more time fishing along valley floors than hiking along ridge lines. I do some of that in Summer, hiking pipelines and roads along ridges for access, but much less than I’m down on the valley floor fishing. I think it’s very locally dependent, but the denning sites are generally up high, near ridgelines, especially south facing slopes. This is where it’s common to find many snakes in close proximity to one another, and where the snake hunters tend to go and guard with secrecy.

 

[Mike]

Swattie,
Add stands of blueberry bushes, which is where telemetry placed those critters at times. I was not fond of wading around in the blueberries to find them, so I left that up to the professional.

On another telemetry study I had already had the experience of having a massasauga rattlesnake directly between my feet as I stood on a tussock of grass looking for it. Reinert said “ don’t move, he’e right between your feet.” Nice.

 

[Swattie87]

Yeah. There’s a lot of wild blueberries on the ridge tops. Especially along 144 between Snowshoe and Renovo. Haven’t seen a Rattler up there in them, but I’m not really deliberately looking for them either. I have seen them along stream bottoms in that area, so I’m sure they’re present up top too.

 

[troutbert]

Swattie87 wrote:
Yeah. There’s a lot of wild blueberries on the ridge tops. Especially along 144 between Snowshoe and Renovo. Haven’t seen a Rattler up there in them, but I’m not really deliberately looking for them either. I have seen them along stream bottoms in that area, so I’m sure they’re present up top too.

Route 144 in that area is called Ridge Road by local people.

There are rattlers in those high plateau areas. We saw 2 in one day up there. One was on a gas line cut, and one was right on Route 144.

 

[lycoflyfisher]

There's rattlesnakes in the mountains, especially along our wild trout streams. If your scared of them you should stay away from these streams from mid May until the end of September. Haha

My dog likes to come along fishing, but I leave him homeostasis of the summer. I do try and fish primarily from the stream channel heading upstream during the summer to avoid accidental encounters while distracted. In areas more prone to encounters I often wear gaiters.

 

[k-bob]

Good to be talking rattlers already, must be summer!

I haven't seen one in a few years. Now that I am using a GPS I realize I often only go 1-2 mi per day, that's probably why. A nice fishing experience and ready for lunch.

 

[wildtrout2]

Of the three I've seen in the past, two of them were in the ferns. The problem with the ferns is you usually don't see them until you're about to step on one. I believe that's about the only way you'd get bitten.

I used to be a bit paranoid of them, until I actually saw how docile they really are. Beautiful creatures that represent the wild.

 

[phiendWMD]

No rattlesnakes yet this year, but I did see a copperhead on the Lehigh below White Haven today. I should have cast to it, the trout weren't interested in what I was doing...

 

[drakeking412]

Thanks Mike!

 

[mcneishm]

I grew up in rattlesnake country and still do some fishing in areas frequented by copperheads and rattlesnakes. The first lesson my dad taught me when he started taking me out in the woods to fish or just to walk was to always, ALWAYS watch where you put your hands and feet. Over the years this advice has served me well, especially looking over a log before I step over it.