BajaNomad - How good are your eyes?

How good are your eyes?

DavidE - 8-2-2013 at 11:54 AM

This isn't a joke...

Western Diamondback rattlesnake in the shade

Time to be careful out there.

bajadogs - 8-2-2013 at 12:04 PM

My eyes are pretty good and I'm always looking out for these guys. I've seen quite a few lately here in North County San Diego.

[Edited on 8-2-2013 by bajadogs]

Snake-1.jpg - 50kB

DavidE - 8-2-2013 at 02:33 PM

These guys are a REAL danger to everyone as compared to scorpion stings for a very few. I stepped on a rattler in the Sierra and it rewarded me with a swift bite...

Right within an inch of the top of the high top boots I was wearing. Almost to the knee, as a snakebite preventer. I did not kill the snake and a had no problems with constipation that day...

Barry A. - 8-2-2013 at 02:47 PM

I have been hit by rattlers 3 times, all on the "job", all in San Diego County backcountry. All 3 hit my high boots, and I never saw any of them conciously, but I did jump really high during one attack, and did not even know why I jumped until a few seconds later. As I remember now, all three of them were in high grass, but a very long time ago (30 yrs plus).

Yes, they are really dangerous, I agree, and they give me the creeps!

When a teenager, we would hunt them on the Palos Verdes penninsula near LA------they were everywhere back then (mid '50's). We were NUTS back then.

Barry

DavidE - 8-2-2013 at 03:00 PM

The thing down here is the "getting from where you are to somewhere where something can be done about it". Hours and hours and hours sometime. I need to brush up on the latest medical recommendations for this. A cascabel reportedly was killed in an arroyo 50 meters from my front door a couple of years ago. I have to keep this in mind when working around those flower beds. Water, possibly rodents - what more could a rattler ask for?

BajaBlanca - 8-2-2013 at 07:47 PM

incredible how they camouflage so well ....

Marc - 8-3-2013 at 05:50 AM

What is the recommended treatment nowadays for rattler bite when out in the bush?? I have a snake bite kit but I hear it's worthless.

BooJumMan - 8-3-2013 at 08:07 AM

Interesting, in the first photo I spotted the snake easily, the second photo, I had to look for a while! Crazy.

Living in SD my whole life (I'm only 30) I've only seen 1 while hiking, in WHATS LEFT of the "Back Country" (as its been sadly decimated recently). However my dad has the same story as Barry says... They used to go hunt them when they were kids in the 50's around here in SD.... they were apparently everywhere.

Always in April!

David K - 8-3-2013 at 09:13 AM

2003:
Mision Santa Maria...

Montevideo...

South of Las Flores...

2004, Arroyo Parral southwest of San Felipe:

look at the base of the boulder

2005, Arroyo Las Palmas, south of Tecate:

The Squarecircle and Baja Angel looking at the rattler.

Later that April, in Guadalupe Canyon, a red diamondback was by our tub... missed getting a photo of it.

Barry A. - 8-3-2013 at 10:21 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by BooJumMan
Interesting, in the first photo I spotted the snake easily, the second photo, I had to look for a while! Crazy.

Living in SD my whole life (I'm only 30) I've only seen 1 while hiking, in WHATS LEFT of the "Back Country" (as its been sadly decimated recently). However my dad has the same story as Barry says... They used to go hunt them when they were kids in the 50's around here in SD.... they were apparently everywhere.

----the 3 that "hit me" were all in McCain Valley (eastern San Diego County), tho different parts of McCain Valley, and all hiding in the tall grass that I was walking thru. I have seen dozens of them over the years prior to 1986 tho, thruout San Diego County hill country-----we used to live in Descanso in the mid-'40's (Hulbert Grove) for several years and they were seemingly all over the place as I remember.

Barry

DavidE - 8-3-2013 at 01:42 PM

I had a solar project way back in the hills from Tecate. A special forces staff sergeant and I was riding in his Jeep and he spotted a huge one. Had a bamboo pole with a hook on it for snagging stuff in the bottom of a shallow hand-dug well on the property.

Five-feet ten inches in length. It's body was as big around as my wrist. Eleven buttons of its rattle.

"Hmm this is the biggest one I've seen around here in awhile" he said

How the indocumentos manage to clear monsters like this is beyond me. That snake was SCARY big!

bajadogs - 8-3-2013 at 03:27 PM

I enjoy trail running and have jumped over 3 of them. Only one struck at me and luckily missed.

What to do? Take off any jewelry. Stay calm (right huh?). Identify the type of rattler so the anti-venom matches (take a pic if you can). Apparently the experts are at Pomerado Hospital in Poway. If hiking around the hills of San Diego and you are miles down a trail call 911 if you can and request back country assistance.

My daughter runs for high school cross country and recently jumped over a large rattler right here in Carlsbad. Keep your eyes peeled because if you are in the middle of nowhere in Baja and get struck the odds would not be in your favor.

edit for clarity :spingrin:

[Edited on 8-3-2013 by bajadogs]

Marc - 8-3-2013 at 04:27 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by bajadogs
I enjoy trail running and have jumped over 3 of them. Only one struck at me and luckily missed.

What to do? Take off any jewelry. Stay calm (right huh?). Identify the type of rattler so the anti-venom matches (take a pic if you can). Apparently the experts are at Pomerado Hospital in Poway. If hiking around the hills of San Diego and you are miles down a trail call 911 if you can and request back country assistance.

My daughter runs for high school cross country and recently jumped over a large rattler right here in Carlsbad. Keep your eyes peeled because if you are in the middle of nowhere in Baja and get struck the odds would not be in your favor.

edit for clarity :spingrin:

[Edited on 8-3-2013 by bajadogs]

Running in Strawberry Canyon in the hills above UC Berkley they would curl up in the center of the trail like they owned it. I guess the did.

Barry A. - 8-3-2013 at 04:42 PM

All my life I have heard of the "Porterville rattlers". I have never been to Porterville (in the western Sierra foothills) and never saw one--------supposed to be the size that DavidE describes, only dark gray rather than copper-colored like the common 'western diamondback'.

Hopefully, I will die having never seen one.

Thanks for the brief description as to what to do, Bdogs. Different folks react different ways, I understand, but they are no joke!!! and people DO DIE every year from bites, and it is NOT pleasant even if you survive. Their poison putrifies the flesh, and is hard to flush out of the tissue, and just keeps doing damage for hours and hours in some cases.

Barry

DavidE - 8-3-2013 at 05:02 PM

Porterville and Tecate are a long way apart, but this was WAS gray with light splotches. Leon handled it like a pro. He squeezed behind it's neck and when it opened its mouth the fangs looked like schooner sail sewing awls.

I remain intimidated...

Barry A. - 8-3-2013 at 05:17 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by DavidE
Porterville and Tecate are a long way apart, but this was WAS gray with light splotches. Leon handled it like a pro. He squeezed behind it's neck and when it opened its mouth the fangs looked like schooner sail sewing awls.

I remain intimidated...

Interesting!!! I have only seen the copper-colored Western Diamondback's in extreme SoCal and Baja. Maybe the one you encountered was a transplant!?!?!?!? (just what SD County needed) :no:

I will have to do some research as I may be wayyyy off base, here.

Barry

Barry A. - 8-3-2013 at 05:21 PM

A link to rattlesnakes in SoCal. barry

http://www.dfg.ca.gov/news/issues/snake.html

Snakes

M - 8-3-2013 at 09:44 PM

I remember well,my first snake kill. I was camping, God knows where and I was bored out of my mind. It was one of those days where you had nowhere to be, no reason to move, just, catch dinner.
I awoke from a nap, rolled out of my 'Grunt' van, and was immediately halted by a snap of rattles. Hell, SOMEBODY was wide awake. I was about 30 miles from anywhere and being bitten was NOT on my agenda, however, the only thing in my ice-chest was 2 packets of Taco Bell sauce and a couple gallons of melted, dirty, hielo'.
Well, I circled the van and found the critter behind my left front tire. He wasn't budging, and I wasn't really anxious to press the issue. Then.
I went back into Grunt and pulled out my hot pink, 6lb. bait making pole. Flippy and firm enough, I could toss it out easily from it's cover.
And...I did.

He tried to wiggle away, but my machete separated his head from his slither, neatly.

I was a little grossed out from the smell and the clingy skin when I cleaned it, but roasted and wrapped around a steak sword with taco bell sauce, it wasn't bad. A bit boney but, so are most things I've found in Baja.
Well, there's my 2 snips worth regarding slithering things,
Hugs,
M

EnsenadaDr - 8-3-2013 at 09:50 PM

If you think Baja has problems with snakes, watch this.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FIJvIVqZyH8

Barry A. - 8-3-2013 at 10:17 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by M
I remember well,my first snake kill. I was camping, God knows where and I was bored out of my mind. It was one of those days where you had nowhere to be, no reason to move, just, catch dinner.
I awoke from a nap, rolled out of my 'Grunt' van, and was immediately halted by a snap of rattles. Hell, SOMEBODY was wide awake. I was about 30 miles from anywhere and being bitten was NOT on my agenda, however, the only thing in my ice-chest was 2 packets of Taco Bell sauce and a couple gallons of melted, dirty, hielo'.
Well, I circled the van and found the critter behind my left front tire. He wasn't budging, and I wasn't really anxious to press the issue. Then.
I went back into Grunt and pulled out my hot pink, 6lb. bait making pole. Flippy and firm enough, I could toss it out easily from it's cover.
And...I did.

He tried to wiggle away, but my machete separated his head from his slither, neatly.

I was a little grossed out from the smell and the clingy skin when I cleaned it, but roasted and wrapped around a steak sword with taco bell sauce, it wasn't bad. A bit boney but, so are most things I've found in Baja.
Well, there's my 2 snips worth regarding slithering things,
Hugs,
M

Yep---------tastes like chicken, huh M? :light:

Barry