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Rattler Help
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by Gabino on November 24, 2007
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For some time now, I have been searching for western diamondback and southern pacific rattlers and haven't found any. I search in high grass areas with lots of bushes. This is starting to get on my last nerve seeing as I only find beer bottles and other kinds of trash. Most people around me have spotted at least some kind of rattlesnake. Can someone tell me what I'm doing wrong or can anyone give me any helpful hints?
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RE: Rattler Help
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by Cro on November 24, 2007
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John, you are hunting for rattlesnakes in the last of November and early December.
Wait until spring, then go back to the same areas.
Hope this helps.
Best Regards JohnZ
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RE: Rattler Help
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by stormnut on November 25, 2007
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I agree with John, it's going to be harder to find them now this time of year. Here's a suggestion. Get you a few pieces of tin and set them out in the places you're looking. Leave the tin there, and then in Feb, go and take a look under them, but wait about 3 weeks before you look under them again. Snakes like the heat the tin puts off and chances are you'll find something underneath them towards the spring.
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RE: Rattler Help
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by Gabino on November 25, 2007
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I do appreciate the help, but I know to never search during this time of the year. I usually search during spring to early fall. I try searching between 9:00AM to 12:00PM.
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RE: Rattler Help
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by Cro on November 25, 2007
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John, many snakes live in micro-habitats. You could be searching a big area, and never find the small area where the snakes are.
Rattlesnakes tent to favor South facing slopes. Try taking a compass and identify the areas that face South or slightly South East or slightly South West, then concentrate your search there.
Remember that the snakes might congregate there in the fall and early spring, near a den in a suitable rocky area or cave, but once it warms in the spring, they dispurse to feeding areas (especially the males). Those feeding / summering areas are often near streams or near lowland areas. In the fall, they will return to the denning areas. Many rattlesnakes travel 2 to 3 miles to reach the summering areas.
The neighbors you talked about who have found snakes can probably provide more information. Get a good map of your area, then plot the exact areas where your neighbors found the snakes, and the time of the year. Eventually, a pattern will emerge that you can use there, and on similar areas near where you live.
Without being there, it is difficult for me to tell you where to find the rattlesnakes, but if I were there, I could easily point out areas for you to search, based on geographic features, and compass direction, vegetation, and other features.
Remember, snakes need shelter, food, and water. Find those areas, or the areas that snakes use to get to those areas. Then you will find the snakes.
Hope this helps.
Best Regards JohnZ
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RE: Rattler Help
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by Cro on November 25, 2007
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John, another thing you might consider. You mention hunting for snakes from 9 am to 12.
In years past, I have found many Prarie Rattlesnakes in New Mexico early in the summer mornings, from 6 am to 9 am. They had emerged at first light, and even though it was still very cold, they would be coiled on, or under, rock ledges, waiting for the warming of the rising sun. Most often they were on the south facing side of small hills in rocky areas. The interesting thing was that you could walk for miles in that country, and never see a rattlesnake, but if you found that one prime hillside with the exact conditions they liked, you could find 30 0f them in a morning.
Hope this helps.
Best Regards JohnZ
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RE: Rattler Help
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by Jahon on November 26, 2007
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I had the same problem as you did for quite a while. For southern pacifics try Mill Creek, which is located in Mentone. They have high populations of southern pacifics there and that place is an excellent habitat for them. What part of Southern California do you live in?
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RE: Rattler Help
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by Gabino on November 26, 2007
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I live near Los Angeles and I usually search at Griffth Park, the largest park in the U.S. Griffth Park is 52 miles wide and it is where the Hollywood sign is located. There are many rattlesnake signs there and that park is where most of my friends found a rattler. One of my friends lives close to the park and stumbled across a rattler right on his own doorstep!
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by Jahon on November 27, 2007
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The best time to find them during the Summer is night. I think that is the main reason why you are not finding them. During summer it can be way too hot for them to be out during day. I think that is the best advice I can give you is to search at night, that's where I have had most of my luck finding rattlesnakes.
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RE: Rattler Help
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by soberwolf on December 15, 2007
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I have noticed that some locations the snakes are a lot less active. Especially when food and water are scarce. Most snakes seem to move around more when feeding. In areas where the is more abundant food sources they seem to feed more frequently. I could be wrong but that is my observation
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