Antelope & Rattlesnakes.......
- Thread starter kilowatt
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B
Bowtecher
Guest
I have twice, once while archery hunting killed him with a judo point. And then again last year my dad and I were driving across a pasture and I saw a snake crawling across the prarie grass. I stopped to look at him (from the safety of the truck) and he turned and came right at the truck. Must of felt the vibration or felt the heat from the engine, Weird! Before I could get my pistol out he was down a prarie dog hole. After that we were a little more carefull when we would step out of the truck.
Yep, they are out there, high and low both. Never had one not let me know I was getting too close though, (hope I haven't just been lucky!) usually plenty of warning. The ones I see that aren't coiled and rattling are going in the opposite direction than I am. Suits me just fine.
I'm always listening & looking close, don't want to mess with one if I don't have to.
Alex
I'm always listening & looking close, don't want to mess with one if I don't have to.
Alex
RabidRattleSnake1
Active Member
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- 644
Here in New Mexico it really isn't a bow hunt for goat with out hearing a rattle at least once during the hunt. I have only gotten really scared one time. During that episode we walked up on one and it started to rattle, but we could not see it in the grass. I had a little yellow trickle run down my leg with that one!
HunterHarry
Long Time Member
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- 5,003
Hey Brian,
I see way more rattlers here in the hills of Nor Cal than I do anywhere else.
I used to have a mayonaise jar filled with rattles of snakes I killed around the house.
Only if they are in my yard do I kill them now.
When my son was three years old he was playing with his Tonka Trucks in his sandbox , he came running into the house crying and pointing at his shin.
It took a few minutes to register, I ran out to where he was playing and found a big fat four to five footer buzzing in the box.
I ran back to Thomas and sure enough, two bitesized pinpricks in his lower leg.
I killed the snake threw it in the back of the pickup and raced down the mountain to the hospital.
It was a Sunday and all the boaters were coming home from the lake, traffic into the valley was bad, I was freaking out....
I got him into the ER & they stuck an IV into him and observed the bite area for four hours.
It was determined that the snake gave him a dry bite luckily it was a mature snake and was able to control it's venom.
And they asked me if I was sure it was a rattlesnake....
That was one scary deal, now that he is 16, he just brags to the chicks about stuff like that....
HH
I see way more rattlers here in the hills of Nor Cal than I do anywhere else.
I used to have a mayonaise jar filled with rattles of snakes I killed around the house.
Only if they are in my yard do I kill them now.
When my son was three years old he was playing with his Tonka Trucks in his sandbox , he came running into the house crying and pointing at his shin.
It took a few minutes to register, I ran out to where he was playing and found a big fat four to five footer buzzing in the box.
I ran back to Thomas and sure enough, two bitesized pinpricks in his lower leg.
I killed the snake threw it in the back of the pickup and raced down the mountain to the hospital.
It was a Sunday and all the boaters were coming home from the lake, traffic into the valley was bad, I was freaking out....
I got him into the ER & they stuck an IV into him and observed the bite area for four hours.
It was determined that the snake gave him a dry bite luckily it was a mature snake and was able to control it's venom.
And they asked me if I was sure it was a rattlesnake....
That was one scary deal, now that he is 16, he just brags to the chicks about stuff like that....
HH
R
Rem308
Guest
I hunt antelope in late October and one reason is I hate snakes.Hope for cold weather and no snakes.
One time in Colorado deer hunting in October I saw 7 of them in one day.Nothing big ,but they still scare the crap out of me.
One time in Colorado deer hunting in October I saw 7 of them in one day.Nothing big ,but they still scare the crap out of me.
Scrillznac
Active Member
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- 380
I'm kinda a newbie to both antelope hunting and the state of Wyoming for that matter but should draw a tag this year. Should I expect to encounter any snakes over there? We'll be in the southwestern part of the state.
R
Rem308
Guest
It is unlikely you will find one unless you are looking for one but there is always the chance ,BE CAREFUL !
silverstatehunter
Active Member
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- 339
Twice....both in Nevada unit 15. 2 different years. One Year I was belly crawling the last 10 yards to get shot on a nice Lope and came face to face with MR. BUZZ. literally jumped out of my shorts and screamed like a little girl. The antelope jumoed about as high as I did and took off running. The snake slithered into the tall grass.
i took my wife scouting with me in oregon and we ran into 2 rattle snakes in about 1 mile of walking. she was between crying and livid pissed so we started to head back to the truck. i told her, ill watch for snakes, you just step where i step. We went about 100 yards and she started screaming every name in the book.... i looked back and i had just stepped over one in stride and never even saw it. it was sunning itself and never did rattle until i threw a rock at it later. she hasnt gone with me since!
Travis
www.RidgelineOutdoors.com
Blacks-Creek Packs Dealer
Travis
www.RidgelineOutdoors.com
Blacks-Creek Packs Dealer
HNTBIGBULLS
Active Member
- Messages
- 654
I hunted rifle season in NV in units
032,034,035, in 1995 and I saw tons
of rattlers, one scared me real bad,
I had found a shed antler earlier in
the morning, and was making a stock
on a goat to get a better look, so set
the antler down to set up the spotting
scope, I had to move to get a better look
when I came back to get the shed, I bent
over to pick it up, and saw something move
right by it and that was when I heard it
start rattling.
Needless to say I left the antler there and
ran like hell!
032,034,035, in 1995 and I saw tons
of rattlers, one scared me real bad,
I had found a shed antler earlier in
the morning, and was making a stock
on a goat to get a better look, so set
the antler down to set up the spotting
scope, I had to move to get a better look
when I came back to get the shed, I bent
over to pick it up, and saw something move
right by it and that was when I heard it
start rattling.
Needless to say I left the antler there and
ran like hell!
nvnative79
Active Member
- Messages
- 479
I was in 034 a month ago and saw four. Now the wife drew a tag in there this year. I told her we'll need to watch out. HNTBIGBULLS where did you hunt at?
buckspotter7
Active Member
- Messages
- 745
Saw this one bowhunting deer in NV last August. Sneaking through some brush and came face to face with him about 3 feet off the ground in the brush.
HNTBIGBULLS
Active Member
- Messages
- 654
I covered pretty much all of the units,
I ended up killing my goat up between
Cherry creek, and Tepee creek, there
were alot of goats all over, it was a
tuff year because of all the rain they were
all spread out, other than all of them in
the hay fields in the private.
I ended up killing my goat up between
Cherry creek, and Tepee creek, there
were alot of goats all over, it was a
tuff year because of all the rain they were
all spread out, other than all of them in
the hay fields in the private.
Scrillznac
Active Member
- Messages
- 380
Great pic. That would sure be a scary face to face encounter!
Blank
Long Time Member
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- 6,802
Used to bowhunt in Wy around Pathfinder and Seminoe Reservoirs all the time. They don't call them the Rattlesnake Hills for nothing. We have found them in our blinds a lot, or in the sagebrush around water. They do like to get up in the brush about knee high a lot. The ranchers we hunted with used to keep track and compete against each other. Usually got about 40 a year!
035 Nevada is where i seen the biggets one i have ever ran across.
67 in Wyoming last year, i went up for a few days of bowhunting and had encounters every day.
the worst was a few years ago rock chuck hunting in southern Idaho. i left the truck just at daylight and hiked up a rocky hill to some rimrock out croppings.(been there many times) spent a few hours shooting chucks, and on the way down the hill, OMG, i took the same route i did up, but they were awake now! i must have been close to a den, i shot 7 that day, and that was just the ones in my path, they were buzzing EVERYWHERE! i was very glad to get back to the truck.to make it worse, i was wearing shorts and tenny runners!i knew this area well, and knew it held alot of rattesnakes, but i have never had an encounter like that.
67 in Wyoming last year, i went up for a few days of bowhunting and had encounters every day.
the worst was a few years ago rock chuck hunting in southern Idaho. i left the truck just at daylight and hiked up a rocky hill to some rimrock out croppings.(been there many times) spent a few hours shooting chucks, and on the way down the hill, OMG, i took the same route i did up, but they were awake now! i must have been close to a den, i shot 7 that day, and that was just the ones in my path, they were buzzing EVERYWHERE! i was very glad to get back to the truck.to make it worse, i was wearing shorts and tenny runners!i knew this area well, and knew it held alot of rattesnakes, but i have never had an encounter like that.
I hope to be hunting antelope near Pathfinder this year - guess I'd better be prepared for some snakes.
Have any of you tried using bird shot 22 shells on them? I have a 22 revolver that I could carry along. I suppose that no one will be upset if I shoot a few rattle snakes?
Have any of you tried using bird shot 22 shells on them? I have a 22 revolver that I could carry along. I suppose that no one will be upset if I shoot a few rattle snakes?
LAST EDITED ON Jul-26-09 AT 11:12PM (MST)[p]Hey Brain, what are you doing to prepare to take out a rattler if needed? I too was wondering about the birdshot 22shells, however all I have is a ruger MK II which is semi-auto, so I don't know if these will work for my gun.
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B
Brandon82
Guest
BWitt and I ran into a smaller one 2 years ago in NV unit 034 while chukar hunting. he didnt even let us know he was there. We came up over a plateau and there he was. not too big but still frightening. We smoked another one while dove hunting in the 180's that would have gone 4ft. One of our dogs had pinned him in the bush and with the fear of him biting one of our dogs we unloaded a few shotguns on the bush. We dont generally kill them if we dont have to. If you live in Nevada and dont see at least one snake every year then you just dont get out enough because they are everywhere. Found 2 already this year slithering across the road while driving into a scouting area.
