Sorry people, it wasn't my intent to upset anybody. The video is annoying, but I was in a hurry and had my common sense filter off. The video does show that snake gaiters can work and a bit about how the snakes strike. I usually go my way and the snake the other like most of you.

Oldranger, I've been up the canyon as well as on top and they are totally different experiences. Most of the park is a series of broad plateaus separated by relatively low ridges, like steps, as you go south and west. And yes, there are trails, but these were unmarked.

My concern is with the rattlesnakes in the desert east of here. Its high desert Juniper forest and volcanic country with rocks and gritty soil - perfect for sunning on a hot day after crawling out from under your rock. You can't let most dogs run loose there because they will sure enough find a snake. My pitbull might be ok because she has no real interest in running loose, she'd rather be next to me - she heals well and I walk her off leash around home.

I guess dogs can be snake aversion trained, but a short leash is probably the best next to leaving the dog at home.

I can also assure ya'll from personal experience that a 2 foot rattlesnake can strike further than its length (totally airborn) and it can strike almost waist high, from the ground. Do not corner one of em... big ones are worse and if'n you get one with a temper, it could be nasty - I was struck at 4 times by one with an attitude before I killed it. Yuck
Jim

Yuck? Hey guy, they make good eating....

J.

I had rattlesnake sausage once. Very, very tasty.

I've come across too many rattle snakes to count, Mohave green, western diamondbacks, sidewinders..... Never been struck at but have been scared s$&@less by sitting on a log that started rattling. The sespe river above Ojia has some of the biggest westerns. In the desert we have a lot of sidewinders, they arn't aggressive and avoid people. I've come to really like rattlers they are quite amazing.

The Mojave green used to scare the heck out of me. Since it contains a nuerotoxin, they are much more dangerous, venom wise, as the more common Western Diamondback. Also, you can't always identify them, some of them are obvious, they have greenish hue to them, not all of them do. We were always taught to consider the Mojave rattlesnakes much more venomous than the more common Western Diamondback. There was something, I can't quite remember, about a type A, and a Type B venom, with Mojave rattlers, type A being the more dangerous, having the more dangerous nuerotoxins.

I prefer spotting Rattlers in general, in the desert, because often times they can be easily seen, once you train yourself what to look for. Here, where I live, we have a couple of species, actually the same, except for their coloring, the Timber rattlesnake.

I like to go off trail quite a bit, and the grass and brush can really get high, up to shoulder length. Since here, most bites occur at somewhere close to above the ankle, I always wear high boots, in these situations. Usually, but not always, you'll get a warning buzz. Rattlesnake bites happen here, but not really as often as you'd think, given the heavy population of them in some area's.

I personally only know of one person ever bitten by one, but have read news accounts now and then, where someone gets a bite. Usually, it's some body with lard for brains, poking at it with a stick or something. Sometimes, there are these fundementalist types of churches where they take a one liner from the Bible, out of context, from an entire book in the Bible, and beleive that they'll only get bit if they aren't living right with God. They generally grab a handful of Rattlers and Copperheads and dance around with them. Kentucky has really cracked down on that, as far as they can, due to the Constitution and the Freedom of Religion, but these folks can no longer have children under the age of 18 with them while practicing this ritual. They've also cracked down on the number of snakes that these people can privately own. I think God gave me a healthy respect for the dangers involved with messing with rattlers, and a bit of fear to boot.

Meandering off point a little, in case you're interested, we have lots and lots of Copperheads. Bites from them are rarely fatal, even in remote areas, where it might take quite a while to get help, due to the fact that their venom is pretty weak compared to the other venomous snakes in the U.S.

Back to snake bites, the only other person in Cali that I knew of, didn't know him, was an Army grunt from Fort Hunter Ligget, who, reportedly was poking at one with the muzzle of his weapon. Western Diamondbacks, in general, can uncoil and strike up to the full length of their body, and can even uncoil so hard and fast to actually come off the ground, but I'm sure that you desert dweller's probably already knew that, whereas the Timber Rattlers here, generally can't strike more than half the length of their bodies. So the Army grunt was asking for it, big time.

My most basic instincts involving an encounter with any rattler, no matter what species, is to try to give it as much room bettween him and I, as humanly possible.

I agree, that they are pretty tasty, but I personally didn't go out of my way to capture one for dinner. We had a young kid from either Nevada or New Mexico, I forget, who would go into the hills, just north of our base, and catch them by the bucket full's, and come back and have a big grill out, outside of the barracks, for anyone to try.

I gave him an earful once, for doing this. Had he tipped one of the buckets, well we had enough of them on the base already, all we needed was another 20 or 30, meandering around the barracks.

Bottom line, I just prefer to let them be.
In a survival situation, would I seek and kill one, yes. But it takes a while to starve, so I think I could find something a little less risky to capture and eat, than a Mojave, or any other type Rattler.

As far as backpackers go, well a great many of our trails are in state parks, and generally go in a well marked and traveled loop from maybe 1.5 to 6 or 7 mile loops. They are occasioally spotted next to the trails, but I talk to the wardens quite often, and they have really never been a problem, except to scare the living daylights out of someone. Some of these "loops" have pictures of rattlers on signs, just to remind hikers to be careful.

J.