Rattle Snake swimming in the water - KSL article about kid bitten while swimming

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Rattle snakes can swim and swim fast in fact! One summer we saw two (one every bit of 6'), out in the middle of John Martin Reservoir in Colorado. We circled him a few times, and we were able to determine that it was for sure a rattler. When the big one saw our boat he was determined to come after us. We decided that we didn't want to try to fight off a snake looking to board our fishing boat and made sure that we steered away from him.
 
To me, Everything at Powell is of good design, the mountains, the canyons, the formations, the Colorado River, the sunsets and yes even our most ubiquitous venomous snake. I find it very thoughtful that they were designed to have a built in warning sound maker they turn on before they strike giving an audible warning and hopefully giving you time to move on. Gotta love nature!

I know they can swim and I image they could probably bite in the water but they could not coil up and strike.
 
Marina Bum said:
To me, Everything at Powell is of good design, the mountains, the canyons, the formations, the Colorado River, the sunsets and yes even our most ubiquitous venomous snake. I find it very thoughtful that they were designed to have a built in warning sound maker they turn on before they strike giving an audible warning and hopefully giving you time to move on. Gotta love nature!
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Love your post....Marina Bum...and your conclusion: 'gotta love nature'

When I see folks with their 'drown out nature' big stereos, etc....I think....they don't get it...yet. (hopefully)

Nature @ LP: fishing.....hiking.....all the 'critters'....exploring in wonder....SILENCE.....etc....that's 're-creational' for us humans.

IMHO......

PS...Love that the rattlers were given the "audible warning sound maker"....another nature 'a ha' for us

In the past I've said to many of 'em: 'I don't want you to bite me or the kids, anymore than you want us to bite you'

More than one has slithered off muttering: I hate old man puns.....

🐍
 
Well since you guys put this in the universe I had to report back today. I had never seen a snake swimming in the water, that I can remember. Today I thought I was looking at a carp scooting along the surface. Nope! A bull snake swimming away! Mostly I just couldn’t believe that we talked about it here and then I immediately witnessed it.
 

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POk3s said:
Well since you guys put this in the universe I had to report back today. I had never seen a snake swimming in the water, that I can remember. Today I thought I was looking at a carp scooting along the surface. Nope! A bull snake swimming away! Mostly I just couldn’t believe that we talked about it here and then I immediately witnessed it.
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You have to trust Wayneswords!! ;)
 
Anyone got a pic of one of the Powell Goher or Bull snakes? Dog freaked out in camp one night and I found a 4’ something changing its mind about joining our fire. Chased him out of camp aways, enough to determine that he wasn’t a rattler. Pretty wild colors in headlamp light, would have sworn he was orange with diamonds, but low confidence on the color.
 
Bill Sampson said:
It looks like a divorce lawyer I had to deal with.
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So Bill, do you use a Cobra against a rattlesnake (divorce lawyer) ?

Is that 'Snake Kung Fu'?....per Wicopedia? (yup, it's there)

We all like that the snakes are few and far between at our lake.....

And on a serious note, I'm sure everyone here @ WW knows the little guys are the most dangerous/deadly.

I had a mentor tell me that baby rattlers can't control the amount of venom they inject, so it's 'overkill'. (no pun)

Many humans think oh, it's a baby, no big deal, but that could be a big mistake.

We taught the kidlets not to get near snakes ESPECIALLY the little guys, because of this.

Always thought that seemed accurate......Anyone else wanna comment??

:unsure:
 
In the early 80's we launched at Hite and camped on the north side of Bluenotch where the rocks looked like layers, (Campsite is probably in my profile picture.) I saw a lizard run by and I thought that would make a good bait. I chased it under one of those layered ledges with a stick trying to get it out. I stuck my head down right at the opening to see if I could see it. Came eye to eye with a smaller rattler. Never have found out if lizards make good bait.
 
Rainbowbridge said:
So Bill, do you use a Cobra against a rattlesnake (divorce lawyer) ?

Is that 'Snake Kung Fu'?....per Wicopedia? (yup, it's there)

We all like that the snakes are few and far between at our lake.....

And on a serious note, I'm sure everyone here @ WW knows the little guys are the most dangerous/deadly.

I had a mentor tell me that baby rattlers can't control the amount of venom they inject, so it's 'overkill'. (no pun)

Many humans think oh, it's a baby, no big deal, but that could be a big mistake.

We taught the kidlets not to get near snakes ESPECIALLY the little guys, because of this.

Always thought that seemed accurate......Anyone else wanna comment??

:unsure:
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I have heard the same about baby rattlers.
 
Marina Bum said:
To me, Everything at Powell is of good design, the mountains, the canyons, the formations, the Colorado River, the sunsets and yes even our most ubiquitous venomous snake. I find it very thoughtful that they were designed to have a built in warning sound maker they turn on before they strike giving an audible warning and hopefully giving you time to move on. Gotta love nature!

I know they can swim and I image they could probably bite in the water but they could not coil up and strike.
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Just returned from Bullfrog couple weeks ago and our group saw a huge rattlesnake. No warning, it did not rattle at all, 3 feet away, they don't always rattle. We are wake surfers so maybe he didn't like us either...IMG-9579.jpgIMG-9578.jpg
 
thekid26 said:
Just returned from Bullfrog couple weeks ago and our group saw a huge rattlesnake. No warning, it did not rattle at all, 3 feet away, they don't always rattle. We are wake surfers so maybe he didn't like us either...View attachment 24452View attachment 24453
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Cool! I believe when they coil to strike they usually politely rattle as a warning mechanism, when they are afraid. I don't think they slither about constantly shaking their noisemaker wherever they go. Personally I'm content to see them from afar, rattling or not and to go the other way quickly.
 
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