Rattlesnakes out in the NE for Spring Turkey Hunt?

[yelp]

A map of distribution of the western diamondback rattlesnake..and if your wondering about other snakes here is a link...

http://www1.dnr.wa.gov/nhp/refdesk/herp/herpmain.html


Watch out for the killer tree frogs..they like turkey roosts!

[daddysprad]

I had saved this old article from 2003 and it really explains the relationship between rattlesnakes and wild turkeys.  Why the WDFW adopted the idea, I don't really know.   

RATTLESNAKES RELEASED IN AN EFFORT TO "CONTROL" TURKEY POPULATION
By Tom Mitchell, LEADER TIMES

Friday, May 23, 2003
 
The Pennsylvania Game Commission is releasing rattlesnakes in an effort to "control" the wild turkey population. To boot, about a decade or so ago, the Commission also released "genetically altered" coyotes to control the burgeoning deer herd.

[Gutpile]

Snakes are few and far between. I live here and most of you don't. I'm in the woods more than all of you put together and have never seen any rattlers. Ticks aren't bad either. Just check yourself when done hunting.

 

[Gutpile]

Snakes are few and far between. I live here and most of you don't. I'm in the woods more than all of you put together and have never seen any rattlers. Ticks aren't bad either. Just check yourself when done hunting.

We all know thats not true because you're on Hunt-Wa 24/7.  

[CAMPMEAT]

Snakes are few and far between. I live here and most of you don't. I'm in the woods more than all of you put together and have never seen any rattlers. Ticks aren't bad either. Just check yourself when done hunting.

We all know thats not true because you on Hunt-Wa 24/7. 

I know but my other 24/7 job is hunting..I actually have a 48 hour day unlike most guys that have to work and keep track of me.

[Gutpile]

 

[CAMPMEAT]

I knew you'd be jealous........I think I'll go look at guns today, maybe get me a new fishin' pole, yawn !!!

[CallMaker]

I have never seen any in my spring hunts, ever!!

[TeacherMan]

In the past 5 years I have ran into about 10 snakes in the Curlew area the first week of May. One had 13 buttons.  One of the encounters was a crack up. I had just brought my grandma from Kent down to the store and was on my way back to the house and was telling her about how the day before I had seen a nice snake on this stretch of road. Litterally looked down the road at that point and said "just like that one there" she said no that's a stick in the road. About that time it started moving. She turned white. My house was about 1/4 mile down the road and she didn't even want to get out of the truck 

[HornHoarder]

One time I've encountered a rattlesnake while turkey hunting in stevens co.  It was the latter part of May nice sunny day. The snake announced his presence when I was 8-10 feet away. That sound just stops you cold. I would doubt you would see one in April though.

[Phantom Gobbler]

This one was near Twisp in mid May:

[TeacherMan]

Snakes are few and far between. I live here and most of you don't. I'm in the woods more than all of you put together and have never seen any rattlers. Ticks aren't bad either. Just check yourself when done hunting.

From the Job Corp bridge to the bottom of Catherine creek and then from the same bridge and headed out Toroda to up past the cemetery you will see snakes the first week or two of May if it gets warm enough, trust me on that one 

[TeacherMan]

Snakes are few and far between. I live here and most of you don't. I'm in the woods more than all of you put together and have never seen any rattlers. Ticks aren't bad either. Just check yourself when done hunting.

From the Job Corp bridge to the bottom of Catherine creek and then from the same bridge and headed out Toroda to up past the cemetery you will see snakes the first week or two of May if it gets warm enough, trust me on that one 

TeacherMan, Are you from that area? My brother in laws family owns one of the original cabins on Nicholson Creek. I spend a lot of time in the area.

I Just moved away, but for the last five years I taught at the Curlew School. Great area, I know Nicholson creek well. Living in AK this year, I have a feeling I will be back in that corner of the state next year. I miss it to much.