Rattlesnake huntin'

[Yelper Guy]

I've been told the same thing, that they taste similar to chicken but the meat is a bit chewier.  I've never eaten any so I'm not sure if I was getting BS'd or if that is really true.  For those that have honestly eaten rattlesnake, is this true?

Things that taste like Chicken: Rattlesnake, Rabbits, Gator, Frogs, and Chicken.
I'm sure there's more

[splitshot]

   I caught one and pulled the fangs out with a pair of pliers. took it home and put it on the front lawn and when my lab picked it up I shocked him in the butt with a cow shocker.  he never went close to a snake again.   the new fangs drop into place sometime except he died.   mike w

[Jarhead Chase]

I've been shocked in the butt by one of those things. Not fun.

[KenPCPilot]

  Yes only in Washington.

Punchcard, S rattler,E rattler, N rattler,The very rare W rattler. Do you plan on harvesting any Gartner snakes? Please refer to page 715 of your W.A. State reptile regulations!

WDFW.Gov/webehertohelp/causekingcountytoldmeso.//.demogov

[pjb3]

So when are we gonna have our own rattlesnake round-up. I'm in for the weekend of April 15 or the weekeknd after

[Jarhead Chase]

April 15th is the opening day for spring turkey.

I'm up for the weekend after.

[winslow]

I'd love to do this! Either weekend of April 18/19 or the one after.

Check that, any weekend starting with the 18th.

[pjb3]

April 15th is the opening day for spring turkey.

I'm up for the weekend after.

Thats Y I wanted that weekend mainly, a 6 hour drive for turkey and snake
Only doing it once

[winslow]

Thats Y I wanted that weekend mainly, a 6 hour drive for turkey and snake
Only doing it once

Exactly! You can strike out on one and still come home successful.

I'm going to roll some walleye fishing into that weekend, too.

[Jarhead Chase]

Where are you guys wanting to go for both? If there's turkey hunting opportunity where you want to rattlesnake hunt, I am all in. 

[winslow]

Where are you guys wanting to go for both? If there's turkey hunting opportunity where you want to rattlesnake hunt, I am all in. 

I don't know much about the area, to be honest, besides what reading I've done here on Hunt WA and other places online.

I'm going to look at a place to possibly rent or buy between Eloika Lake and Deer Park, so I was going to do some research on spots not only around there but on the way there.

Open to ideas...

[Jarhead Chase]

Saw this when I went to Eloika for some fishing. It looked like there was a lot of private land, and not much for the public access. Not sure about the rattlesnake population either. I plan on trying out the Inland Paper Company land on Mt. Spokane for turkey, but that requires a $10 day use permit, or a $40 annual permit per person. You are more than welcome to try and knock down some birds up there with me if you want, and you get your own permit. I have mine already. I have not seen any snakes up there through bear season and cutting wood all last summer.

[Jarhead Chase]

I should mention that this is my first time actually going after turkeys, so a lot of this is learning for me.

[Jonathan_S]

Almost rolled a pickup once because I was having a good old time swerving all over the canyon road, running over rattlers 

Love this response..    leave them alone, they are good - they kill mice!  Yeah bro everything kills mice, including other mice.

People say leave rattlers alone because they eat mice.  Then they say that bullsnakes are good to have around because they eat rattlers    If it's my property, I'm killing every snake I can legally kill and getting a cat to take care of the mice.

[winslow]

I should mention that this is my first time actually going after turkeys, so a lot of this is learning for me.

Well, that makes two of us. Three if you include my wife. She's a great shot, though. Turkeys can't be harder to hit than clays.

We're going to get into the area Friday afternoon it looks like. I'm going to see about access permits tonight and will let you know.

I'm pretty sure earlier in this thread there was mention of a few different hotspots for rattlers. I'll look into those and see what's nearby to the turkey spot, if any are.

Winslow