Some of the wilderness areas I plan on hiking this summer now have rattle snakes on the trail...as opposed to when I was there this spring they did not.
I have never seen or even been near rattle snakes and quite frankly I don't want to either. What methodologies should I incorporate to my SUL hiking style to ensure a safe trip and be alive for the next trip?
Should I switch out my "tenny runners" for boots?
Should I wear thick gaitors?
Will they climb into my sleeping bag at night to stay warm? (I tarp it and sleep out in the open during the hot summer months)
What about climbing into other items like my shoes or pack, and how do I get them out?
What do I do in the event of a trail encounter?
These are some of the questions I have and would like answered. What have everyone elses experiance been when dealing with such creatures of the trail, and what did you do about it?
Thanks so much for the advance advise.

Not to worry, Mugs, I've lived with 'em all my life and they aren't a problem.
Some things to know:
1. They are usually in their den's in the hot daytime. You'd be lucky to find a rattler in the daytime.
2. They hunt at night and aren't interested in you. Rattlers are 'pit vipers' and use infrared as a hunting aid. You are too big a target.
3. They won't chase you...like a torqued off cottonmouth.
4. They fear you and will retreat if you allow them to.

I take care of a park here and haven't seen one....22 years in this house. Copperheads, yes, rattlers, no.
I've had two encounters where I surprised a rattler, or it surprised me. One was when hiking Big Bend and the snake was under a rock and gave me a warning when I walked by. The other was car camping and a BIG 5ft Timber Rattler decided to hang out in camp at night (my friends dog provided the warning). I pinned the snake and relocated it. Timber rattlers aren't that aggressive and moving her was no big deal. As boyscouts, we had fun catching East Texas Pygmy rattlers but that's another story.

I don't take any precautions against them, hike in trail runners/sandals and shorts in summer. I consider copperheads a bigger threat, at night. I've never heard of a viper crawling into someones sleeping bag, except in the movies, or scary campfire stories. If one does, just give it a way out. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> Sleep in a hammock if you are worried about it. I hike with one trekking pole and have used it several times to heard a snake (any snake) out of the way.

I guess if I were doing lots of bushwacking, night hiking, hiking across thick grasslands, through mesquite groves, or actually hunting rattlesnakes, l might wear boots and/or snake gators (which I don't own). Like anything, be aware of your surroundings and don't panic. Rattlesnakes won't jump up and grab you by the throat like those Holy Grail rabbits can. Those are what I'm afraid of!! <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif" alt="" />


Check out the Sweetwater Rattlesnake Roundup! (the FAQ is a good place to start)
http://www.rattlesnakeroundup.net/main/modules/content/index.php?id=22

Mugs,
I'll endorse what Dyer had to say regarding rattlers. I live in an area where there are: 1) a lot of rattlesnakes and 2) at least six different species of rattlesnake including the Mojave. I probably spend the better part of a month each year exploring different parts of Arizona, New Mexico and West Texas at all times of the year. I also live in a rural area where snakes are pretty common. I seldom see a rattler and when I do, there has almost never been any risk to me from the encounter. The last rattler I saw was on my recent trip in the Grand Canyon; I saw one of the Grand Canyon "pink" rattlesnakes curled up in the shade of a trailside bush. I just detoured around the beast and considered myself fortunate to have seen it. Rattlesnakes are not aggressive.

If you check it out, you will find that the likelihood of dying of a rattlesnake bite in the U.S. is about the same, or less, than being killed by lightning. Many more people die from allergic reactions to bee stings. The greatest proportion of rattlesnake bites are inflicted on males between 20 and 30 years of age and, most often, alcohol consumption played a role in the individual having been bitten.

In my experience, a person who tries to stay aware of their surroundings is not likely to be bitten by a rattlesnake. And if by some mischance, you are bitten, the probability of survival is awfully good.

If you hike with a dog, however, I recommend that you put the dog through a snake aversion training course.

How to handle a rattlesnake? After getting a few tattoos, lubing up with plenty of beer, and saying "Hey y'all! Watch this!"

Otherwise, don't handle rattlesnakes. That's how you get in trouble.

Apparently, people who understand these things well say that different species of rattlesnakes present different levels of aggressiveness to humans, although none of them will attack a human for any purpose other than perceived self-defense. These same people say the rattlers in the PNW are among the least aggressive and shyest.

The real difficulty is seeing them before you get close enough that they react defensively. I really don't know how to solve this proactively. You'll either see them or you won't.

Lucky for us, if you blunder into their space, they tend to give you a warning by rattling, so you can remove yourself from their space. Take that warning and move back!

Once you are back far enough, wait a minute for them to leave on their own. If they don't seem very intent on leaving, coax them to go by making noise, tossing small debris toward them, just showing that you aren't leaving and expect them to do so first. They'll get the message.

Here's a mildly reassuring fact: a rattler's bite doesn't always inject venom. Very often it doesn't.

I hope this helps a little.

LOL! I was going to say the same thing:

"...how to handle them?"

DON'T!

The vast majority of snakebites, according to my WFR training, are on young, intoxicated, males, and then next people who intentionally messed with the snake, intoxicated or not. Third category is people who weren't looking where they were putting their hands in rattlesnake country (e.g., reaching into a blind spot above you while climbing).

I've seen quite a few here in California, and it's never been a problem to simply walk around them. Don't disturb them and they won't disturb you.

As for things crawling into sleeping bags and the like to warm up - highly unlikely. Just keep your eyes and ears open, shake out your shoes before putting them on (tiny chance of scorpions, spiders, etc. crawling in them), and you'll be fine.

I will preface this with the statement that this is what I have done, not necessarily what you "should" do.

First, in agreement with others, rattlers are not aggressive - just defensive. They are hard to see so you often can be an unwitting "agressor" to them. I tap my hiking poles ahead of me. They can feel the vibrations and generally move out of the trail.

Those that do not move, I throw small rocks at them. The problem with detouring around them is that you leave the trail where they are visible and enter the brush where another can be hidden from your view. I prefer to get them to move out of the trail.

My only attack by a rattlesnake was on the golf course in Gillette Wyoming! I walked too near. The guy behind me hit the poor rattler with his driver. Its the cowboy attitude - shoot them or kill them. I felt bad about that.

My only injury from a rattlesnake was scrapes and bruises - I jumped and got off balance and fell off the trail!

My freakiest experience was rock climbing on limestone cliffs and reaching up and pulling my head up to be eye-to-eye with a rattler. I retreated quickly.

Do not believe all the myths that rattlers cannot live above 5,000 feet. I ran into a big rattler at 7,000 feet in Yosemite on a sunny sandy trail.

Make noise and stay alert is all I do. I do not dress differently or anything.

Don't handle 'em??!!! And yew up thar in Tinnissee.... Yew prolly ain't a member o' one-a them rattler-snake dancin churches, er ye? Ditn't thank so. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif" alt="" />

http://www.cnn.com/2008/CRIME/07/13/snake.bust.ap/index.html

(i'm from Kentucky originally...as are you...and my mom did her nurses training in deep right Ky back in the 40's. She can tell you all about church snake bites and the 'taking up of serpents' ! ) <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />
Guess we need to add "preachers, deacons, and elders" to that list of likely snake bite victims. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

I've never heard of this myth about rattlers not being above 5,000 feet. Some of the rattlesnake species in this part of the world are less likely to be found at elevations that low.

When I either see or hear a rattler while hiking, I believe I instinctively freeze. I have done this as long as I can recall back to my childhood and noticed my children did this also from an extremely young age. For the last few decades, I now automatically give out a bloody scream, too.

Freezing gives you time to assess the location and decide prior to your next course of action.

The scream alerts my fellow hikers and pets, if any are accompanying me, getting the folks and dogs into the appropriate frame of mind to react if necessary. It also seems to crank my mood up in case my desired course of action is to leap instead of standing like a statue until the snake moves on or I slowly creep away using baby steps.

I always try to resist that overpowering urge to get closer and just mess with them a wee itty tiny little bit (like tossing small stones to urge them on their way or prodding with long sticks).

It could be true that rattlesnakes only act out of defense toward people (I am never certain of their intent), but some are a heck of a lot more agressive and assertive at it than others.

I try follow the golden rule to never put my hands or feet anywhere I can't see.

I personally justify extra backpacking weight to carry a tent in warmer seasons, because I have no desire to wake in a sleeping bag eye to eye with a pit viper. I am sure it is low risk, but in my experience even the cleanest camp spots tend to have increased rodent density (crumbs etc) and rodents mean rattlers.

The 5,000 foot limit is not exactly a myth but neither is it accurate. It's a function of cold winter weather. Don't know what the cut-off is, but think it's like if it ever hits thirty-below zero or something, then snakes don't like it.

We just walk around them. I do a lot of cross country and see several each year. Some are hunting and don't wan't to have anything to do with you. Other will rise and buzz up a storm. Some will just be sleeping. I have stepped over two in my time, one little one in the middle of a trail and one of the faded midgets in Peekaboo slot in the Escalante area. Make that three. We were in the De-Na-Zin in NW New Mexico a couple of years ago and while lowering ourselves down one steep canyon another small one started buzzing up a frenzy after my companion passed over so I kept my feet up on either wall till I got over it and then dropped down.

There are some black ones that live up in the Catalina mountains. I have seen at least two over the years and they are above 5000'.

They like to hunt in the bottoms of canyons and can be in thick grass and brush. Last year we came across one in deep grass in near the San Pedro river. It buzzed up loud and rose some. We walked around it. After that my companions made me walk point. No problem, I told them that it is always the second in line that gets it. The first one alerts the snake and wakes it up. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif" alt="" />

They do hunt up on rocky ridges too though and I watched one for about half and hours once, going from crack to crack, looking in each one. It paid me no mind.

Know when they are active, or likely to be active and watch where you step. You will be fine. It is the inebriated that get bit when they are messing with them. Just leave them alone. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

...very carefully. First you want to gently pin the snake's head down with something, and then firmly grasp it right behind the jaws so it can't turn and bite you. Now yell "Crikey" <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />

Ok, on a more serious note:

"What methodologies should I incorporate to my SUL hiking style to ensure a safe trip and be alive for the next trip?"
I wouldn't change anything.

"Should I switch out my "tenny runners" for boots?"
No.

"Should I wear thick gaitors?"
No.

"Will they climb into my sleeping bag at night to stay warm? (I tarp it and sleep out in the open during the hot summer months)"
Doubtful.

"What about climbing into other items like my shoes or pack, and how do I get them out?"
Doubtful. If one gets into something then I would suggest moving the item with a walking stick or long stick you find in the woods to a spot where you can gently prod the critter to exit.

"What do I do in the event of a trail encounter?"
Just make a wide berth around the snake. If you can't due to terrain, then take a walking stick or long stick from the woods and gently prod the snake to get it to move. The more gentle you are the less likely you are to tick it off. Once it gets ticked it will likely coil up and start rattling. Usually this is the precursor to a strike if provoked further. Just make sure your sitck is as long as the snake and it will not be able to bite you as the strike distance is less than it's body length.

"What have everyone elses experiance been when dealing with such creatures of the trail, and what did you do about it?"
I have run into several over the years. Usually they are stretched out across the trail sunning themselves. Gentle prodding will typically get them to move. I have passed by one before that was next to the trail, and it started rattling after I passed. A little disconcerting, but notice that it did not just randomly strike.

Now come on Bearpaw, you know a real southern redneck doesn't need beer to do something stupid like that...he just needs his buddies to be egging him on <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />

I have had rattlesnake fried and barbequed. My favorite is grilled with scrimp cocktail sauce. Actually I usually pass on them but if I'm out for a while.......taste like chicken <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

Someone forgot to tell all those prarie rattlersnakes in North Dakota it was too cold for them up there.

I've had a few very scary encounters with rattlesnakes on the trail, one of which involved coming about an inch from putting my full weight onto the tail of a rattler as it sunned itself across the trail. I would've thought it would have rattled as I approached, but only did so after I freaked out (how I didn't see it laying there I have no idea - but it was the end of a long day and it looked a hell of a lot like all the downed branches around - and to this day I freak out when I see a branch laying across the trail). The only thing that prevented me from putting my full weight down were my hiking poles. In fact, of the few encounters I've had I can say my hiking poles made me safer in each case in that they allowed me to quickly shift my weight to distance myself quickly. As wandering_daisy mentioned as well, you can rattle your poles ahead of you to make vibrations they can hear. This all being said, rattlers scare the heck out of me - even though I know based upon the statistics bmisf mentioned and the frequency I actually see snakes that the chances of getting bit are slim.

ps. I've heard the elevation cutoff that wandering_daisy mentioned, but what I heard was more like 8,000ft rather than 5k.

Where I live there are only Timber rattlers and pygmy rattlers. You are lucky if you are able to see one, and if anything grab your camera.

Copperheads are more of a concern for me. I always look over and check blow downs that are across the trail, rocks, etc. I have ran into a few Copperheads basking on the trail, and when we meet we always seem to have an agreement. I will walk around you (the snake), and you Mr. Copperhead will stay there and continue to chill out and I will be past you in under a second.

I work for a college campus and stop by and chat with a professor who specializes with snakes. He has taught me to appreciate them and they are actually interesting creatures. The other day he handed me a milk snake. Those snakes (non-venomous) are cool snakes. They vibrate their tail against a hard surface to mimic a rattle snake.

Anyway snakes and I have a deal we leave each other alone.

I think it's simply about paying attention to your surroundings and common sense.

Tom

That is an interesting response the snake makes in self defense. We ran across a bull snake in a canyon bottom in southern Utah. I got in close to take a picture and it flared its head into a triangular shape like a pit viper has. At first I thought I had made a mistake and it was a rattler with no rattles. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif" alt="" /> In fact is was just a bull snake mimicking a rattler as I found out in later research.

Bull snakes, rat snakes, and other constrictors jiggle their tails in the leaves sounding like rattle snakes when cornered. I've seen a hognose snake puff out to the point I had a hard time telling it from a copperhead. It then rolled over and played dead when I went to pick it up! (after I identified it <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />)
Here in my park we have "land mine snakes". Actually green racers that sun themselves on the trail and explode in a furry just before you step on 'em. Pretty unnerving....

All the old timers out here always told me to look at the ground a few feet in front of me and to move slowly and deliberately if you're walking through thick brush. A slower pace gives the snakes more time to hear/feel you coming and get out of the way, and they usually don't want to waste their venom biting something they can't eat. And Arizona mentioned something about the second person in line being the one that always gets bitten...I've always heard that too.

In North Central Tx we have pygmy rattlers as well. Although they are very small, their venom is the most poisonous of all of the rattlers and is highly neurotoxic. It will shut your heart and breathing down in just a few hours if you get bitten. They pack quite a punch

Wow, it's "answer two year old posts" WEEK!

I wish all new members spent the same amount of time in the archives as the silly hillbilly.

I have run into them at 8000ft in the Sierras during the summer. If you want to avoid getting bit, don't bushwack off trail. Stay on trail. Basically, you don't want to surprise them.

I think they actually taste good. They are a little oily/gamey, but the bones are pretty good sized and are easy to pick through. I think they are best seasoned and cooked slow over coals.

It's kind of neat, actually - bumping some interesting threads to the top again. But I do wonder if the original posters are still around to continue the conversation.