Things you see when out on the trails, pay attention!

[AZjeff]

Out on the trails a couple of miles from the house and rode right past this little fella. Under 3 feet and coiled up and shook his tail like a rattlesnake but looked different. After taking a pic and he went into the bushes I looked it up and found out it was a Black-tailed Rattlesnake. The mask across the nose and eyes is typical and the black tail is poking out on the left. It looks like some rattles are missing. First one I've seen since living in Az, there are 13 species of rattlesnake in Az and I've seen 5 of them. Bike is a 2022 Specialized Stumpjumper carbon Comp and I've been using Rock n Roll Extreme chain lube.

 

[KGMtech]

Were you that close! or was this zoomed in?

 

[CKN]

This is "The West". Those things are a fact of life.

 

[AZjeff]

Were you that close! or was this zoomed in?

5-6 feet. Cropped it in a little.

This is "The West". Those things are a fact of life.

I've only seen 2 this year, the other was a small Prairie or Diamondback Rattlesnake. Do you see them much in Utah?

 

[CKN]

5-6 feet. Cropped it in a little.

I've only seen 2 this year, the other was a small Prairie or Diamondback Rattlesnake. Do you see them much in Utah?

When ever the wife and I go out to hike I'm always several yards ahead on snake patrol. Haven't seen many this year. Quick story-moved to a new suburb outside L.A. when we were in So. Cal. They built a new school up against open space. They anticipated snakes as an issue. They educated the kids. The first year the elementary school opened -they pulled/relocated 10 poisonous snakes that crawled in to the playground-some during lunch and recess, the kids would report them. No kids were ever bitten.

 

[wavinwayne]

Many years ago, I accidentally ran over one on a mountain bike trail in North Alabama. Timber Rattler if recall correctly. I felt bad for it but by the time I got to it there was no way to stop in time. Not sure if the snake survived. It scared the crap out of me.

Other wildlife I have encountered/spooked on the bike trails here: Bobcat, Turkey, Deer, Coyote, Goats, Random Dogs.

 

[mrsilv04]

One of the parks that I like to hike in Southern Indiana, Brown County State Park, has both Timber Rattlesnakes and Eastern Copperheads.

On a trail, I came across a Timber Rattlesnake that was plenty big enough to get my attention.

 

[jadmt]

came across this bad boy a few years back. I wanted to poke him with a stick but couldn't find one lol....

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[oilboy123]

That is a big boy there.......

 

[AZjeff]

Yeah there's no missing that one.

 

[supton]

Things that I will never see nor worry about... one small upshot to snowy weather that lasts 18 months of the year.

I realize you get used to it, but I'd rather not.

 

[I<3oil]

When ever the wife and I go out to hike I'm always several yards ahead on snake patrol. Haven't seen many this year. Quick story-moved to a new suburb outside L.A. when we were in So. Cal. They built a new school up against open space. They anticipated snakes as an issue. They educated the kids. The first year the elementary school opened -they pulled/relocated 10 poisonous snakes that crawled in to the playground-some during lunch and recess, the kids would report them. No kids were ever bitten.

Does Cali have a lot of poisonous snakes?

 

[I<3oil]

came across this bad boy a few years back. I wanted to poke him with a stick but couldn't find one lol....

.View attachment 303001

He'sa chonky boi

 

[Zee09]

The only time I see a snake is when I step on them...luckily where I live few are poisonous.

 

[Nessism1]

Mountain biking on a popular trail in So Calif, when we come up on a bunch of riders stopped. Came to learn that a huge rattlesnake was just off the trail. People were trying to scare it back away from the trail, but it wasn't budging. Getting sick of waiting, I picked up a large rock and tossed it towards the snake, hoping to scare it. Well, what do you know, the dang rock landed dead on top of the thing, crushing it. I felt bad, and still do, decades later. Didn't want to kill it, but better him than one of the many hikers/bikers that use that trail.

 

[jadmt]

living in Montana you come across all kinds of things biking and hiking...two years ago on an early morning hike. then later that day my neighbor posted this from his kids door bell camera. the deer was about 1/2 mile from where the mountain lion photo was taken.
.

 

[jadmt]

but again in Montana anything is fair game.....Took these while I was working on the College campus...

 

[Kira]

The snake in post #8 is so big, it has a "flat side" larger, as a percentage of its total circumference, than any I've ever seen.
Never seen one in the flesh.

I hate to think what happened to that poor bear. (bang)

 

[Nessism1]

In the early 1970's, my family moved to Anchorage. My father was a native, and struggling with his career, and he found a job there, thus the move. We were only there a year, but during that time we had lots of encounters with bears and moose. The moose were more benign than a bear, but they were massive, and could do serious harm even while not intending to do so.

 

[jadmt]

The snake in post #8 is so big, it has a "flat side" larger, as a percentage of its total circumference, than any I've ever seen.
Never seen one in the flesh.

I hate to think what happened to that poor bear. (bang)

We chased the bear off campus...it lived to raid another garbage can...as far as the snake that was around Dixon Montana and they are actually pretty common there. That little area is pretty arid. we have these too they look like rattle snakes but are a pacific gopher snake they actually shake their tail like a rattle snake but have no rattles can scare the crap out of you tho. My buddy came across this a few weeks ago hiking. he sent me a video with the tail shaking..he said it was pretty agitated....