Watch Your Step!

[GooGoos]

Dad bout stepped on him on the way out the woods this mornin. Thats why we wear snake boots!







We had a great hunt this morning. I heard a bunch of turkeys right at daylight. Then at 930 this morning I heard something running through water in the bottom. I looked over and saw 3 does about 100yds out. They made there way 125yds behind me. One of the does went running 60yds behind me; bleeted at her and it was like she hit the emergency brake. I was shakin like a leaf, but I put the 30.06 winchester crosshairs on her and squezzed the trigger. She ran back to the other two does and they just stood there and went back to feeding. I worked the bolt and tried again. They ran like 10yds, stopped and I didn't see three deer anymore; only two. Well I watched them for almost another 15minutes. Dad came over to me about 1030. Told him what happened. He went looking for my doe and nothing :/ Well as he is looking the doe jumps up and takes off running like nothing was wrong with her. Another clean miss on the board for me :/ I dunno what curse I have with missing but I'm ready to break it! This was also the first time I took a shot longer than 70yds at a deer. I had no issue with those long drawn out shots at bootcamp; these deer are whoppin my butt this season!

[Dayelight]

Geeeez.
I guess you have to watch your step where youre at.
I dont have too much concern here in MD. The only snake I have seen so far this year is a black sanke, and Im glad to have them around.
Looks like you got a little trophy out of the deal though.
Good luck hunting.

Daye

[vhntr1]

That's a big one glad we don't have to deal with them in Ohio ,I would never get my daughter in the woods .

[DaGriz]

At least that is a good snake...... DEAD!!

I hate no shoulders!! Glad to hear nobody was bitten and the no shoulders id DEAD!

[wabi]

That's a big one glad we don't have to deal with them in Ohio ,I would never get my daughter in the woods .

We do have them here in southern Ohio, but you'd better not get caught killing one!
The Timber Rattlesnake and Eastern Massauga are both on the endangered species list here.

[Ont_Excal]

That is a long critter to be sure.
I'm glad I don't have to contend with them in my hunting area.

Massasauga home range.



Did you know?:

>The Eastern Massasauga Rattlesnake is Michigan 's only poisonous snake
>Rattlesnakes make up the genus Crotalus, the name from Greek word krotalon, meaning rattle.
>Detroit 's Belle Island was once home to so many Massasauga Rattlesnakes; it earned the name ‘ Snake Island '.
>Eastern Massasauga rattlesnakes are shy and avoid humans when they can.
>An Eastern Massasauga Rattlesnake bite is often a very painful experience and should always be taken seriously, even though it is not necessarily fatal.

http://www.easternmassasaugarattlesnake.com/

The home range as shown may not be indicative of snake populations.
There had been a bounty on rattlers until the 1970s and then became protected when their numbers collapsed.

[vhntr1]

Interesting info I did see one years ago at killdeer plans wildlife area will I was training my birddogs .

[8ptbuk]

We have alot of Rattlers here in s.w. Va. I bird hunt 3 to 5 times a week in thick crop fields of Milo,Sourgham and pearl millet . They are there after Rats and Mice . I watch as close as possibly but cant see the ground hardly at all ! So when you say Watch Were You Step . I know what you mean !

[Ont_Excal]

Thankfully most of us in hunting gear won't have to worry about being bit.
The Massasauga have relatively short fangs when compared to most other rattlers. They're noted as a swamp rattler but my only encounters were rocky areas away from water bodies.
Back in the 50s when roads were built to and through Killbear Point Provincial Park a staff member told me that more 50 rattlers per mile of road were killed.
That park is north of Parry Sound Ontario on Georgian Bay.