S&W model 18

[Lucky]

If it was me I would still be shooting the damn things. At least trying.

 

[OkieJoe72]

Totally get it and agree. Probably wouldn’t kill a grown cow but a calf might die. If they had rattles, even the cattle could avoid them.

I’ve had two dogs bitten in the leg over the years. They both survived and lived long lives, but those wounds were nasty.

 

[JEVapa]

So, I’m reviving this thread. I killed another one and the same general area that did not have any rattles. I’m wondering if it’s a genetic thing or an evolutionary thing?
View attachment 409267

Is there scarring of any kind at the tip of the tail? It looks like they've been cut/bitten off in the past

 

[OkieJoe72]

I did a quick internet search and there are several articles about the rattlesnake evolving. Here’s an article about why we are possibly having more rattlesnakes without rattles. All of this is new to me.

Article from KOTA ABC
When you come across a rattlesnake, you expect to hear their rattle, but that might not be the case all the time anymore and the reason might surprise you.

Nowadays, when someone comes across a rattlesnake, they might not hear anything.

Snake Expert Terry Phillips said he's finding more rattlesnakes in the Black Hills unable to rattle.

'What I'm finding is a certain population of these rattlesnakes have an atrophied tail muscle that makes so they are unable to effectively rattle. That makes so not only do they choose not to rattle, but they can't physically, effectively rattle," said Phillips.

But, the ones that rattle are the ones we kill, leaving more and more snakes that can't rattle to breed.

"And so the ones that have an ineffective rattling system are the ones that are growing to maturity and passing on that incomplete dominant trait to their offspring," said Phillips. "So over time, you're going to have a larger and larger population of snakes in the hills that are unable to ineffectively to rattle."

So, if you've ever wanted a reason to NOT kill that next rattlesnake, Philips said that's a good reason. With or without intimidating rattles, snakes are always something to be on the lookout for.

"You know, we can get along just fine with all of them. All it takes is a little bit of common sense, and if you do encounter that rattlesnake, whether he is rattling or not, leave him alone," said Phillips.

 

[Snattlerake]

I stepped out of my car one night on a traffic stop waaaaay out in the county. I didn't know I had stepped on it until I felt three smacks against my boot. I looked down and saw Mr. Snattlerake readying for a fourth try. I carefully unstepped on him, got back into my patrol car and waved goodbye to the other car. I was trembling trying to hold onto the steering wheel. If I had been bitten, I didn't know it. At the least, I just wanted to be back in town before anything bad started to happen.

Back in town I examined myself in the hospital parking lot and saw venom on my pants leg with several minute holes in my boot, not big enough to go completely through thank the Lord.

Which I did!

 

[Snattlerake]

I did a quick internet search and there are several articles about the rattlesnake evolving. Here’s an article about why we are possibly having more rattlesnakes without rattles. All of this is new to me.

Article from KOTA ABC
When you come across a rattlesnake, you expect to hear their rattle, but that might not be the case all the time anymore and the reason might surprise you.

Nowadays, when someone comes across a rattlesnake, they might not hear anything.

Snake Expert Terry Phillips said he's finding more rattlesnakes in the Black Hills unable to rattle.

'What I'm finding is a certain population of these rattlesnakes have an atrophied tail muscle that makes so they are unable to effectively rattle. That makes so not only do they choose not to rattle, but they can't physically, effectively rattle," said Phillips.

But, the ones that rattle are the ones we kill, leaving more and more snakes that can't rattle to breed.

"And so the ones that have an ineffective rattling system are the ones that are growing to maturity and passing on that incomplete dominant trait to their offspring," said Phillips. "So over time, you're going to have a larger and larger population of snakes in the hills that are unable to ineffectively to rattle."

So, if you've ever wanted a reason to NOT kill that next rattlesnake, Philips said that's a good reason. With or without intimidating rattles, snakes are always something to be on the lookout for.

"You know, we can get along just fine with all of them. All it takes is a little bit of common sense, and if you do encounter that rattlesnake, whether he is rattling or not, leave him alone," said Phillips.

YES! NO KILL SNATTLERAKE! GOOD SNEK!

 

[OKRuss]

Pygmy rattlers have been bad this year on our property in Okfuskee County.

 

[dlbleak]

Is there scarring of any kind at the tip of the tail? It looks like they've been cut/bitten off in the past

The big one looked like it may have had some scarring. The smaller one(6 years later) was smooth.

 

[Snattlerake]

 

[Lucky]

I’ve been told that with wild hogs becoming more plentiful that even with rattles they are not using them because hogs locate an eating them. Don’t know if it is true just what I been told.