Comments on: Rattlesnakes: When hiking, always watch your step

By: Ruthe Purdie

Ruthe Purdie — Sun, 08 Apr 2012 05:00:19 +0000

Bolt cutters,,,that was a good one, well done.

By: kaaren Smith

kaaren Smith — Fri, 07 Oct 2011 17:09:27 +0000

I encountered a rattlesnake, which I often do, while walking my horse in Portola Valley, near and on boarding facility which is on Stanford property. Also, they are in Arastraderp Park. What a bite does to horses is terrible and I have seen it first hand. Luckily I spotted and heard the rustle about 2 feet ahead of me as I am always aware. I just stopped and waited and gently through some twigs to send it on it’s way before we proceeded on the trail. It coiled and rattled and then slithered off. I have also encountered them while riding and always watch and never go off trail. Please be careful with your dogs in Arasterdero park. One day while trotting fast on the wide road in the park one was stretched clear across, a big one, and I had to make a quick decision and went widely around it as we didn’t have time to stop for it was around a curve. Whew. We were fine. Be aware!

By: Gary Bogue

Gary Bogue — Tue, 04 Oct 2011 12:03:21 +0000

Dave: Fortunately, most rattlesnake species feel the same way about us humans as we do about them — they’d rather not have to deal with us. They usually won’t try to bite us unless we push the issue by stepping on them, or frighten them with a sudden encounter. Even then, the stats I’ve read suggest rattlesnakes will “bluff bite” a small percentage of the time by (10-15 percent?) by bumping you with their noses rather than opening their mouths and trying to nail you with their fangs. Whatever happens, as you say, these kinds of surprise encounters are ALWAYS a sobering experience. When you’re in the field, ALWAYS watch your step. /Gary

By: Dave

Dave — Tue, 04 Oct 2011 03:47:41 +0000

Climbing through brushy areas is particularly risky. I had a similar experience in the Chiricauhas. I was fortunate that the rattlesnake (banded rock rattlesnake) I met almost face to face decided to continue his climbing vine imitation rather than striking. Or maybe he just wasn’t in a good position to strike. A very sobering experience.