Timber Run Ins - 2016

[Swattie87]

Saw my first of the year this week. Good sized black phase in Potter Co. He was in some tall grass just off the trail and I couldn't get as good of a picture as I wanted without disturbing him. Always amazes me how docile they are, unless provoked. Anyone else have any run ins this year?

 

[Dave_W]

Always a fun topic - at least for those of us who like snakes and reptiles.

Anyway, no timber sightings for me this year and I'd be surprised if I have one. Usually, there's a timber encounter every year at the annual jam but I did not hear of any this year.

 

[724flyfishing]

I have not had a run in yet but snake season doesn't start until tomorrow (6/11) so I haven't really been looking. They are IMO one of the most impressive animals in our state. I go out looking for them a good bit during season. Not really so much to harvest one but to hike around, take pictures, and explore new places. They're a lot like native brookies in that they usually only live in pristine, remote enviroments.

 

[foxfire]

724, perfect analogy!!

 

[vanorvis]

I almost stepped on one just up stream from Cherry Run on Penns Creek on May 25. I have a pretty good photo on flickr if anyone is interested.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/vanorvis/
It seemed to be pretty lethargic, it never moved while we were there. It was laying right beside the path when I went to step over a log. I never put my foot down before I saw it and jumped back. Very cool to see, it was the first one I have ever seen in the wild other than at the roundup.

 

[phiendWMD]

I haven't seen a rattlesnake this year. I did see 2 copperheads though. Is that close enough?

 

[lineman]

Last Saturday in Cameron county. A young one.

 

[Hook_Jaw]

Lots of sightings down by cherry run every year always step up on top of the logs then step down off never over of the log. Saw a black timber saturday about 4 foot.

 

[Bhupkovich]

Always see them along penns

 

[Bhupkovich]

Along penns

 

[724flyfishing]

We ended up finding 29 around Sinnamahoning this past weekend. We were looking for them tho. Only one was found out in the open crossing the Quehanna Highway. The largest was a 48" male and a surprising 46" female. Also got to fish a awesome stonefly hatch on a small mountain stream. They were big, gray stoneflies. I put a size 12 stimulator on and it was almost every cast. All in all a awesome weekend. I'll try to get some pics uploaded to my photobucket later today.

 

[SlingerFlyRods]

having a cabin in sinnemahoning were turning into my parents retirement home this doesnt suprise me. there are far more rattlers around our camp than i'd like but it is what it is.

they are cool to look at

 

[PAgeologist]

The area around Stevenson Dam seems to hold quite a few. I always make sure that I check out the road across the dam breast before my wife/kids go across and I don't let them venture off the road either. I wonder how many they are seeing during the construction they are doing on the dam this summer.

 

[franklin]

Hook_Jaw wrote:
Lots of sightings down by cherry run every year always step up on top of the logs then step down off never over of the log. Saw a black timber saturday about 4 foot.

It's interesting that I fish Penns a lot, especially the lower end near Cherry Run. Also hike and hunt that section. Never have seen one there in over 40 years. Do you se them right along the creek or further up the hill?

Now go up into BESF above Hartleton and I occasionally see them. Once in a while on my woodlot.

 

[724flyfishing]

Here are some snake pics from this past weekend, as well as a couple fish pics for anyone interested.

Sinnemahoning pics

 

[salmonoid]

Were you collecting/inventorying these for scientific purposes or just a hobby? The snakes, not the fish, that is, although I guess a non-angler could ask the same thing of me, when I extract fish from their native environment.

I have not seen any rattlers yet this year, but I've only fished two drainages where they are present. Possibly a third, but this was my first year venturing into it, and it was too early in the season for them to emerge from their dens if they are present in that drainage.

 

[724flyfishing]

salmonoid wrote:
Were you collecting/inventorying these for scientific purposes or just a hobby? The snakes, not the fish, that is, although I guess a non-angler could ask the same thing of me, when I extract fish from their native environment.

I have not seen any rattlers yet this year, but I've only fished two drainages where they are present. Possibly a third, but this was my first year venturing into it, and it was too early in the season for them to emerge from their dens if they are present in that drainage.

If they're bigger, we measure them, sex them, take a couple pics, put them right back. Harmless to the snakes and I honestly don't think it disturbs them a whole lot. A lot of times we'll walk and find some on our way to a point, put them back and they immediately go into hiding, then on our way back the same snake will be right back sunning itself where we found it the first time through. A lot of them we don't mess with at all if we know they're smaller.

It's a hobby, not much different than C&R fly fishing in theory. I enjoy it for many of the same reasons I enjoy fly fishing for wild trout... The remote beautiful areas they live in, the exercise, photography, they're pretty to look at, and are fascinating, at least to me.

 

[Troy]

724flyfishing wrote:

they're pretty to look at, and are fascinating, at least to me.

and scary. Almost stepped on one and have been a little skittish ever since. Doesn't change how I fish. I'm just a little more cautious in Rattlesnake territory. Not a bad thing I guess. They just look mean.

 

[Dave_W]

724flyfishing wrote:
they're pretty to look at, and are fascinating, at least to me.

Me too.
Wish I could see more of them. It's a rare treat.

I live in SCPA and spend most of my mountain time in Michaux SF or Catoctin where timbers are less common than upstate. Neverthelss, they're pretty common in these areas in particular spots around den sites. . . but I can go years without seeing one.

Even when I go looking for 'em, they are very elusive - sometimes I think I'm chasing reptile ghosts. I've still never seen one in Adams County and I've been fishing and hiking here for the better part of forty years. It's part of the timber rattlesnake mystique.

 

[troutbert]

Rattlers are fascinating when they buzz you when walking along a gravel forest road after dark.

This happened to me a couple years ago on a mountain south of Blackwell, in Pine Creek country.

I haven't seen any this year, but have seen a few in the last several years, and have heard a lot of reports. I'm pretty sure populations are up compared to the 1970s, 80s, and 90s.

The Big Woods Country of NC PA has lots of rattlers. I've also seen two in Blair County.

I think there are very few in Rothrock State Forest, south of State College.

I've never seen one or heard of one along Spring Creek.

So, their populations seem to vary a lot in different regions.

Are there many in the Allegheny National Forest area of NW PA?