Timber Rattlesnake - listed endangered?

[The Haymaker]

They are on the endangered list on my land

This.....

 

[Hawghauler]

There are many people who are employed to maintain the endagered species list. In this economy I would hate to see them lose their jobs. Many of these employees are under priviledged. Some species must remain endangered for the benefit of the employees and their children. Taurus has a good tool for keeping these folks employed all the while making endangered specie maintenance simple. The .410 pistol. Do it for the children.

 

[clemsonfor]

Nate,

I'm with you on non-poisonous snakes. I either walk by them and let them hang out on the property if it's just me that sees 'em or if my wife sees them I'm obligated to re-locate them. Typically a bucket and a short ride down the street to a wildlife area. Astonishingly, we seem to see more copperheads than any other snakes although less frequent sightings lately (maybe due to or response efforts). But probably 10-12 over the last year. Then the three rattlers. Non-posonous are the grass snakes, a few rat snakes, and a couple of different kinds of king snakes. And we only have 4 acres!! Very wooded in the back 3 acres though.

I noticed I've been using the term "endangered" for the timber rattler. Actually the TP&W used the term threatened. Don't know if there is a difference but the legal issue is as stated in my first post.

Reily

"Endangered" species are listed federally and as to that they are covered under legislation, specifically the endangered species act of 1973. Kill one get caught and prosecuted you face FEDERAL time. Its even illegal to own parts or endangered species which if rattlers were "endangered" this would include ratttles mounts and skins. Being that some commercially hunt and raise these snakes i doubt they are endangered. The eastern diamond back rattler is far rarer than the timber though.

"threatened" specis, "species of concern" or what ever other term you see or hear is a species that may or could become endangered in the future based on population trends and looking at historic numbers. This could be from any number of reasons, habitat loss, over predidation, overhunting, disease, out competed by non natives or even every guy with a shovel and a gun that will go out of their way to kill every poisonous snake he sees.

Dont get me wrong i'm no tree hugger (actually a forester, who over sees over a million dollars woth of trees cut each year), or peta person. I love animals though, but i do hunt and kill several deer a year and squirrels. I WILL kill a snake (poisonous) near my house or in my garden. But i will not kill a rattle snake at the back of my property just because its there. Just the same as when im at work and run across a snake in the woods i will not go out of my way to kill the darn thing like some do. They do not try to kill you, your bigger and studies show that 25% of snakes are dry bites. Meaning no venom is injected, a snake really dosent want to wast its venom on you who he really cant kill except the right circumstances, if he poisons you that less for potential meals later.

According to Wikipedia "In the United States more than 40% of snakebite victims intentionally put themselves in harm's way by attempting to capture wild snakes or by carelessly handling their dangerous pets?0% of that number had a blood alcohol level of 0.1 percent or more." or leagally drunk.

Yea we have more copperheads around here to, i think most southern states are that way. I think this is due to the years of kill rattlers, afterall they will warn you so you can see them after you hear them, copperheads are silent, dont know if you walked 6 ft from one or not. As far as moving non-poisonous i just grab them and pick them up to move them, as long as they are not sunning or in fast mode then you cant ouch um with a 6ft stick if you wanted to there moving so fast.

Im not trying to spout some hippi mumbo jumbo, just pointing out the facts. I also am kind of into wildlife biology, having enough undergraduate and graduate credits to equate to a minor in it.

By all means if you feel safer killing all of them on your property or around your house by all means do it. I just dont think you will do any good unless all your neighbors do the same. Try and kill all your squirrels see how that goes, kill one another moves in to claim the territory. One missed snake and a bite is all it takes for a hospital ride or dog to the vet. Tech your children about snakes and where to look for them and what not to do, like stepping over a log not looking and walking in tall grass without pants and with out boots. Dog, goodluck teaching that.

-NAte

 

[oldnslo]

Northern Version of snakes:

In the north central MN they have imported Timber Wolves since they where on the endangered list. These where brought in in very rural areas with very few residents. Over the space of a few years they where killing livestock and pets. I can assure you that not all of them dies from natural causes.

When I farmed in central MN I have seen packs of 30+ in the winter with-in less than a half mile of my home. They are not scared of humans. They typically won't attack but they also don't run away very fast either. Does not make you feel real safe and it does make you keep your young stock penned up in taller fences.

I have family that live next to Camp Ripley and they say the problem is getting worse.

Roy

 

[woodchuckc]

If my wife had her way, every snake regardless of species would be dispatched with whatever "tool" happened to be handy at the time. I'm more of a live and let live type of guy - certainly with nonpoisonous snakes. However, when I see a copperhead or rattler in the garden, dog pen or flower bed (which happens at least a half dozen times a year) I take the necessary action (a Stihl weedeater or metal T fencepost can certainly ruin their day!). When I am hunting or scouting around on the back 40, they get a pass since I am in their territory.

 

[Hosskix]

It would just seem that some sort of repellant around the yard would be the only thing that may actually help. But again, I have little experience and there may be no such repellant.

Some of the old-timers around here swear by sulfur, just pour a line around your perimeter.
Might have to do it a couple of times a year if it washes off too much; it also helps with ticks, fleas and other unwanted insect.

Course, then you're left with what's INSIDE the perimeter, spray for the ticks and fleas and SSS for the others.

 

[catfishdaddyengineering]

Billy the Exterminator used some type of garlic potion to spray around the perimeter.