They are so tame........To be wild horses...........they must get alot of people passing through!!!Caper.........

 

Wow, remarkable! You should have those pics posted in some ATV mags.

R'

 

Those pics are amazing! That would be cool to run across.

I will add this. I would not have even seen the rattler if he would'nt have struck at me. It's very dry and all the pastures are brown out here so he would have blended in perfectly. I imagine more people run past them than know about it.

 

Im not a snake expert but it seems pretty odd to me that the rattlesnake would strike when you rode by. Something must have ticked it off. Maybe it had PMS. [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-happy.gif[/img] I know they get cranky when they shed because they're so sensitive. Most of the time I'm in favor of leaving them alone because they eat so many vermin like mice, but if it's around the house it's got to go.

 

I have seen more snakes this summer than ever before. I am not a fan by any means buy never kill them UNLESS they are near the house. I shot a 5' long black snake this year that was hanging off the side of my house. I have rough cut lumber for skirting and its beveled at the top. This thing was laying on the edge of the bevel and T1 11. I felt bad for killing it b/c I know this thing had to eat a lot of mice and insects but it was too close for comfort.

Another time my wife and I were riding back from the river. The gas well guys were repairing a part of the road that was falling over the hillside and had a orange plastic fence up. Well I get off to take down the fence as I am walking around the metal stake with the fence in my hands I notice something at my feet. Heres about a 2' black snake coiling up and strikes right towards my leg. He was about a 1' shy but still got the heart pumping. I took off running like a little school girl and so did the snake. I look back and my wife is laughing her *** off.

And yet another time I was running the dirt mountain roads near our cabin in Northern PA. I saw what looked like a large branch on the road so I swerve around it. As I passed by it looked like a huge snake. I stop get out and walk back. Here is about a 5' Timber Rattler. It was a fat one probably 3" around. Another fella came along and wanted some pics. He took a stick and gently probed it so it would coil up. It took a lot to make it rattle but it eventually did and it was awesome to hear. Much louder than I would have thought. Well we took our pics and it instantly uncoiled and was on its way. Soon as it started off the road it disappeared. Makes you think, this was a big snake and knowing it was there but it still blended in so well. Even being a snake hater this thing was beautiful in its own way but you really have to be alert and careful cause that paralyzing death could come with one wrong step.

Oh and I centered over a poor little box turtle this year too. I helped him off the trail and on his way he went.

 

If I can get my scanner working I'll scan the photo of the rattler for you guys. It was awesome!

 

I too have seen alot of snakes this year,more than previous years. Never had any be aggressive,but never cornered them either. Mostly Copperheads, Cottonmouths and Rat Snakes. The Coppperheads tend to stay still and let you get real close, then bad news. Sneaky. The rattlers around here usually warn you pretty quick to stay away. I only kill them if they are venomous and near the house. I moved a Rat Snake away from the house 3 times before it got the hint and stayed away. I was afraid he would scare the crap out of my 5 year old,lol.

BTW-Sweet pics of the horses, reminds me of and Area near Camp Pendleton,CA.

 

I was riding down the gravel road to my brother in laws house, was running 40-45 mph and a brid tried to cross in front of me, NAILED me right in the sternum, that hurt like hell and damn near knocked me off the back of my quad lol.

But nothing is worse than riding thru one of those &^%&&*%& Garden spider webs, you know the big black and yellow scary as all hell spiders...... I HATE SPIDERS.....

 

<div class="FTQUOTE"><begin quote>Originally posted by: jumbofrank

Im not a snake expert but it seems pretty odd to me that the rattlesnake would strike when you rode by. Something must have ticked it off. Maybe it had PMS. [img][/img] I know they get cranky when they shed because they're so sensitive. Most of the time I'm in favor of leaving them alone because they eat so many vermin like mice, but if it's around the house it's got to go.</end quote></div>

Well to clarify, I wasn't tormenting him at all. Just driving by. Maybe my wifes machine scared him and I was the the next thing coming by. Thats why I started this thread. He was unprovoked(from us anyway, but we were the only ones out there too) when he struck.

 

<div class="FTQUOTE"><begin quote>Originally posted by: 94harley


Well to clarify, I wasn't tormenting him at all. Just driving by. Maybe my wifes machine scared him and I was the the next thing coming by. Thats why I started this thread. He was unprovoked(from us anyway, but we were the only ones out there too) when he struck.</end quote></div>

I guess that is why the old timers say you never want to be second on a trail. The 1st person supposely alarms/scares the snake and the 2nd gets bit.