Strange interaction with a rattlesnake this evening.

[MarathonMike]

I was walking with my wife and we were headed home when I saw about a 3 foot rattler coming our direction on the side of the road. It kept moving past us and never turned toward me or rattled when I made noises near it. It then started crossing the street and I tried to redirect it and it again showed no fear of me and actually came toward me, but not aggressively. I've been around dozens of rattlesnakes and I've never seen one act like this. They either go into defense mode rattling and getting into strike position or they lay still trying to hide. I don't think it was sick it was moving fine. Very strange.

 

[Admiral Rockwell Tory]

I was walking with my wife and we were headed home when I saw about a 3 foot rattler coming our direction on the side of the road. It kept moving past us and never turned toward me or rattled when I made noises near it. It then started crossing the street and I tried to redirect it and it again showed no fear of me and actually came toward me, but not aggressively. I've been around dozens of rattlesnakes and I've never seen one act like this. They either go into defense mode rattling and getting into strike position or they lay still trying to hide. I don't think it was sick it was moving fine. Very strange.

Stay away from nope ropes!

 

[Deplorable Yankee]

Rattlesnakes are not that dangerous and delicious..
Just don't step on one and you'll be okay

 

[MarathonMike]

Stay away from nope ropes!

I think rattlesnakes are cool. I used to kill them when I found them, but I respect how tough they are. They are survivors and they won't bite you unless you step on one or are antagonizing it.

 

[Deplorable Yankee]

I think rattlesnakes are cool. I used to kill them when I found them, but I respect how tough they are. They are survivors and they won't bite you unless you step on one or are antagonizing it.

Well if ya got live stock or horses ... I get why people just kill them

 

[The Duke]

I was walking with my wife and we were headed home when I saw about a 3 foot rattler coming our direction on the side of the road. It kept moving past us and never turned toward me or rattled when I made noises near it. It then started crossing the street and I tried to redirect it and it again showed no fear of me and actually came toward me, but not aggressively. I've been around dozens of rattlesnakes and I've never seen one act like this. They either go into defense mode rattling and getting into strike position or they lay still trying to hide. I don't think it was sick it was moving fine. Very strange.

If it was me, unless I felt like you did, there would be a shovel involved in this story.
Dude, I've gone out to just wash my jeans n stuff, and there's a fukn Diamondback right there.
Not sunning on the concrete, exactly. Coiled and ready to strike. Right in between me and the washing machine.
Welp, he met teh shovel, as 8 before him did.
Ya pang the head til it smushes, then chop it off. And bat it away and dig a small hole and bury it in it.
I ain't eatin' no rattlesnake, so ya do something with the body, too.
If I was to eat rattlesnake, would probably still have some in my freezer.
Ugh! Can't see it.

 

[Concerned American]

Rattlesnakes are not that dangerous and delicious..
Just don't step on one and you'll be okay

I've had some run ins with them over the years and you are correct. They'll avoid you if possible and if coiled, they'll give plenty of warning unless you take them by surprise.

 

[MarathonMike]

If it was me, unless I felt like you did, there would be a shovel involved in this story.
Dude, I've gone out to just wash my jeans n stuff, and there's a fukn Diamondback right there.
Welp, he met teh shovel, as 8 before him did.
Ya pang the head til it smushes, then chop it off. And bat it away and dig a small hole and bury it in it.
I ain't eatin' no rattlesnake, so ya do something with the body, too.
If I was to eat rattlesnake, would probably still have some in my freezer.

I did a bunch of them like that, shovel or a big rock. I just changed my view of them over the years.

 

[Deplorable Yankee]

If it was me, unless I felt like you did, there would be a shovel involved in this story.
Dude, I've gone out to just wash my jeans n stuff, and there's a fukn Diamondback right there.
Welp, he met teh shovel, as 8 before him did.
Ya pang the head til it smushes, then chop it off. And bat it away and dig a small hole and bury it in it.
I ain't eatin' no rattlesnake, so ya do something with the body, too.
If I was to eat rattlesnake, would probably still have some in my freezer.
Ugh! Can't see it.

They're not bad I've eaten them a few times.... learning to gut em how best to cook it...
Waiting patiently for the collapse

Duke don't you guys eat that s*** in Florida and Louisiana... Probably more Louisiana .....them good old boys in Louisiana will eat anything

 

[The Duke]

I did a bunch of them like that, shovel or a big rock. I just changed my view of them over the years.

I fail to see a beneficial side to rattlesnakes.
Or moccasins, for that matter. Scaring some people out of FL would be the only thing I could think of.

 

[The Duke]

They're not bad I've eaten them a few times.... learning to gut em how best to cook it...
Waiting patiently for the collapse

Duke don't you guys eat that s*** in Florida and Louisiana... Probably more Louisiana .....them good old boys in Louisiana will eat anything

I'll eat some stuff now, but I gotta draw the line at rattlesnake.
In the 1st place, they smell like death.
Seriously, they naturally smell like death, carrion, rotting flesh. I'm not kidding.

 

[EdwinAMartin]

Well if ya got live stock or horses ... I get why people just kill them

And chickens, rabbits, etc. They love raiding chicken coops for eggs, and not just the rattlers but nearly all of them.

Rattlers get so thick in many places here the locals hold roundups to thin them out, by the hundreds.

Sweetwater Rattlesnake Roundup: Discover Texas’ Wildest and Most Unique Event | Texas Happens

Slithering serpents attract thousands to Texas' most unusual festival where handlers milk venom and visitors sample rattlesnake meat.

texashappens.com

Sweetwater Rattlesnake Roundup: Discover Texas’ Wildest and Most Unique Event | Texas Happens

Slithering serpents attract thousands to Texas' most unusual festival where handlers milk venom and visitors sample rattlesnake meat.

texashappens.com

 

[MarathonMike]

I fail to see a beneficial side to rattlesnakes.
Or moccasins, for that matter. Scaring some people out of FL would be the only thing I could think of.

They eat rats, so there's that.

 

[MarathonMike]

They're not bad I've eaten them a few times.... learning to gut em how best to cook it...
Waiting patiently for the collapse

Duke don't you guys eat that s*** in Florida and Louisiana... Probably more Louisiana .....them good old boys in Louisiana will eat anything

I've eaten rattlesnake, it tasted like gamey chicken. Not for me, when I was killing them I would just toss their bodies in the wash and the coyotes would find them pretty quick.

 

[MarathonMike]

And chickens, rabbits, etc. They love raiding chicken coops for eggs, and not just the rattlers but nearly all of them.

Rattlers get so thick in many places here the locals hold roundups to thin them out, by the hundreds.

Sweetwater Rattlesnake Roundup: Discover Texas’ Wildest and Most Unique Event | Texas Happens

Slithering serpents attract thousands to Texas' most unusual festival where handlers milk venom and visitors sample rattlesnake meat.

texashappens.com

Sweetwater Rattlesnake Roundup: Discover Texas’ Wildest and Most Unique Event | Texas Happens

Slithering serpents attract thousands to Texas' most unusual festival where handlers milk venom and visitors sample rattlesnake meat.

texashappens.com

Sure, I get it if you have a farm and you are protecting your investments. I don't fault anyone for killing them, they are lethal of course.

 

[EdwinAMartin]

Sure, I get it if you have a farm and you are protecting your investments. I don't fault anyone for killing them, they are lethal of course.

It is mainly the killing off of natural predators that cause these sorts of imbalances in nature. This would probably be the cat types and birds of prey in the South and Southwest.

 

[Anomalism]

I have Publix. I'm not going to eat a rattlesnake. Possums and raccoons are off the menu too.

 

[Concerned American]

I have Publix. I'm not going to eat a rattlesnake. Possums and raccoons are off the menu too.

LOL, Elk, deer, moose, grouse, mmmmm mmmmm good!

 

[1srelluc]

There is this big flat rock up behind my dad's home place where you could always find rattlesnakes sunning themselves, a half dozen or so at a time. We never bothered them till they found their way down to granddads strawberry patch.

They would get in there hunting the mice feeding on the strawberries but we would just take a stick and flip them off into the woods next to the patch.

That said we killed every copperhead we would find.....LOL....Granddad considered them "sneaky". We would toss them into the hog pen where they would be made short work of.

 

[odanny]

When I was in the army 35 years ago, they had a big rattler in a large aquarium, this was one of those courses for NCO development, so it was real strict and by the book, and I can't remember now why that rattler was there for us to see, I think it was to remind everyone there that there are rattlers present in the scrub of Colorado so be careful when in the field.

Someone used a pole to pin its head down and its body slapping against the aquarium I saw, and heard, how strong those snakes are. I was sitting next to it. That is one strong snake. I still remember that part.