Adult Timber Rattler Spotted in Morgan Monroe State Forrest

[GodFearinGunTotin]

Really?

Drones that shoot back!

 

[bobbittle]

I don't worry about the Rattlers until the "Dog Days of summer" hit and the snakes are shedding. They'll strike anything that moves then. Other than that they don't usually bother a person until you step on or next to one or disturb them in one way or another.

Weather or time of the year has nothing to do with shedding.

 

[halfmileharry]

Weather or time of the year has nothing to do with shedding.

I didn't know that. That's what I was always told growing up. Thanks, I'll have to look that up.

 

[indybrad]

From this spring.

 

[Hawkeye]

I can't vouch for it as true, but I saw a Facebook post about the medical cost of a rattlesnake bite. The total was $153,000! Now, to me, that seems high, but it was California. My yardstick is several surgeries my wife has had both planned and emergency trauma surgeries over the last decade. None were life threatening, but still. This was ~ double the cost of the trauma repair to her shattered elbow.

Still, I guess it means that I will take all reasonably possible steps to avoid venomous snakes! Even with my good health insurance, the monetary cost would really bite, too!

 

[bobbittle]

I can't vouch for it as true, but I saw a Facebook post about the medical cost of a rattlesnake bite. The total was $153,000! Now, to me, that seems high, but it was California. My yardstick is several surgeries my wife has had both planned and emergency trauma surgeries over the last decade. None were life threatening, but still. This was ~ double the cost of the trauma repair to her shattered elbow.

Still, I guess it means that I will take all reasonably possible steps to avoid venomous snakes! Even with my good health insurance, the monetary cost would really bite, too! 

The problem with rattlesnake bites is the anti-venom. Hospitals pay around $2,700 per vial. Each treatment uses 2-6+ vials. They CHARGE up to $20,000 per vial. $153,000 is easily obtainable. More isn't unheard of.

Good luck getting your insurance company to cover it.

 

[JettaKnight]

The problem with rattlesnake bites is the anti-venom. Hospitals pay around $2,700 per vial. Each treatment uses 2-6+ vials. They CHARGE up to $20,000 per vial. $153,000 is easily obtainable. More isn't unheard of.

Good luck getting your insurance company to cover it.

The arbitrary medical costs strike again. I suppose when you need it, you don't have time to shop around.

 

[GodFearinGunTotin]

My friend's wife has found a place crawling with these things...

[video]http://vid1326.photobucket.com/albums/u654/GodFearinGunTotin/Timberrattlerothemove_zpsdqytox5i.mp4[/video]

 

[indybrad]

They breed in July so they're probably pretty active right now.

 

[tcecil88]

We have a farm in Perry County, just east of Brachville. This spring we discovered a den of copperheads on the backside of the property. We have killed Copperheads before with the bushhog (oops), but have yet to see any Timbers.
We cover a lot of ground turkey hunting and see a lot of snakes, but in the 28 years I have hunted Perry County, I have yet to cross paths with a poisonous snake in the woods. That said, I do wear snake boots hunting because I hate rubber boots, so if Timbers are making a comeback, then at least I am somewhat protected.

 

[bwframe]

My friend's wife has found a place crawling with these things...

[video]http://vid1326.photobucket.com/albums/u654/GodFearinGunTotin/Timberrattlerothemove_zpsdqytox5i.mp4[/video]

Wow, got a location?

 

[GodFearinGunTotin]

Wow, got a location?

No. But they live off of 54 on the way to Springville, from Bedford. I'm assuming it's around there, somewhere.

 

[mikebol]

Wow, reading this thread has me rethinking purchasing home site property in southern Indiana. My wife and I do not like snakes, her especially so. If I tell her about this she'll want to move to Michigan.

We're from Indiana but lived in GA for 10 years and regularly had a snake sunning itself on the driveway. One even got a little close to the garage door and started chasing our daughter who was about 6 at the time. No idea what it was exactly as I'm no expert, I just know it wasn't a king snake. We learned about these while living there and actually had one make a den under the far end of the driveway.

Thanks for sharing.

Mike

 

[JettaKnight]

Wow, reading this thread has me rethinking purchasing home site property in southern Indiana. My wife and I do not like snakes, her especially so. If I tell her about this she'll want to move to Michigan.

Nah, just stay away from southern Indiana. This is what it's like:

Come to think of it, the last snake I saw was in Michigan.

 

[mkress77]

There goes my eagerness to hunt in that forest...

 

[halfmileharry]

There goes my eagerness to hunt in that forest...

This is Indiana and the poisonous snake population is very small in comparison to our southern states.
Keep your eyes open and don't walk around the woods with your head shoved up your keister and you'll be fine. It's another form of situational awareness.

 

[10mmMarc]

I've owned a wooded piece of property in south central Indiana for 3 years now, I hunt there and camp there, it is all woods and small pond, I have only seen black snakes and my neighbor said in his 20 plus years of living there full time he has only seen one copperhead , no rattlesnakes. So it isn't like they are over running the woods, just let them go their way and you stay out of it, and everything will be just fine, if not you have a gun.

 

[sonovasailor]

I encountered a 45" Timber Rattler in Morgan Monroe State Forest in 1977, while squirrel hunting......... They do taste like chicken.

 

[mkress77]

I've owned a wooded piece of property in south central Indiana for 3 years now, I hunt there and camp there, it is all woods and small pond, I have only seen black snakes and my neighbor said in his 20 plus years of living there full time he has only seen one copperhead , no rattlesnakes. So it isn't like they are over running the woods, just let them go their way and you stay out of it, and everything will be just fine, if not you have a gun.

I suppose they would be easy to hit with bird shot!

 

[bobbittle]

I suppose they would be easy to hit with bird shot!

Killing a timber in Indiana is illegal. And stupid. Leave them alone, they'll leave you alone.