Hiking for Snakes anyone?

**BeyondBasic** · 04-28-2012, 03:13 PM

Hey im looking for someone or a few people who like nature, wildlife, and reptiles. within the next few weeks i want to start herping again for some snakes and other reptiles. I received some solid info on some Rattle Snake dens only about a 45min hike from woodstock near overlook mountain. I am not only out for Rattle Snakes i love any snake or any animal at that. I do have good knowledge with animals and outdoors, i carry all supplies for the worst case scenario.

My goal is to find someone who likes the outdoors.
Take a bunch of photos
Then start a blog this year of my NY snake findings and hikes.

Timber Rattlesnake near Saugerties NY

Eastern Massasauga Rattlesnake

**Chicken Shoot** · 04-28-2012, 03:17 PM

If you weren't so far away, I'd be in!! I own snakes and have other reptiles!!! I love catching and releasing snakes!! Do it all the time .... well except the rattlesnakes ... well no I take that back ... I had to release one some idiot decided to bring home from Bear Mountain after camping there 5 years ago!! What a moron!! No it wasn't me .... HERPERS ROCK!!

**BeyondBasic** · 04-28-2012, 03:19 PM

ya man i have 26 in my house right now. ill take some pics tomorrow and throw them up here. i have a whole breading area, some custom made heat tanks i think you''ll find awesome. ill get pics tomorrow brotha/

**usmcveteran** · 04-28-2012, 03:24 PM

If you were closer I would still pass lol. I am not particularly fond of snakes lol. I remember in NC a guy put a baby rattle snake in a ammo box we were putting cases into and we made him take it out. When he did not only did he drop kick it (not cool for snakes sake) but when he did it looked like a lot of venom was misted into the air.

A suggestion for your personal records is this. I have a delorme handheld GPS and it comes with mapping software so you can add different maps and create routes (software is not user friendly). But the cool thing about it is if you bring the GPS with you and sink the time on your camera up to the gps when ever you take the photos it can put them on the map in your computer so you will know where you took the photos of dens or snakes for future reference.
PN-Series Handheld GPS - DeLorme

**Darthgamer138** · 04-28-2012, 03:24 PM

Is that snake grabber supposed to look like a pelican? Because it does.

**varmint** · 04-28-2012, 03:32 PM

unfortunately you may not posses native lizards or snakes in NY state

**Chicken Shoot** · 04-28-2012, 03:59 PM

Originally Posted by varmint

unfortunately you may not posses native lizards or snakes in NY state

All serious herpers know this law. The same goes for many species of plants. (they don't want them taken from the environment/eco system) The guy that brought the rattler home didn't know though which is why I released it back on Bear Mtn. (not to mention the fact he thought it was cute!!) There is an exception to that rule though ... garter, rat, milk, and corn snakes are commonly found in the pet stores. All of them are considered native to this state as they are pretty much the same genre and there are specimens of each in the wild in NYS. Most for sale in the pet stores are captive bred and in "collector phases" of colors and patterns, but there are a few "normals" I question due to their attitude when handled. LOL I'll take a pic of the creamsicle colored corn snake at the range if I see him again. Purely 100% natural color morph and not sure how it manages to be around every year. That type of coloring is a huge welcome sign for the predators of the snakes. Pretty cool to see this little guy. ( I call him little because compared to a 19.5' Reticulated Python I use to have (RIP), he's a worm!! Hahaha

Right now, I only keep Ball Pythons as far as snakes go. They are easy to take care of and easier to manage due to their max length of 6'. Very tame snakes as well. Love to be handled and outside on a nice 75 degree or above day soaking up the sun.

**varmint** · 04-28-2012, 04:12 PM

Originally Posted by Chicken Shoot

All serious herpers know this law. The same goes for many species of plants. (they don't want them taken from the environment/eco system) The guy that brought the rattler home didn't know though which is why I released it back on Bear Mtn. (not to mention the fact he thought it was cute!!) There is an exception to that rule though ... garter, rat, milk, and corn snakes are commonly found in the pet stores. All of them are considered native to this state as they are pretty much the same genre and there are specimens of each in the wild in NYS. Most for sale in the pet stores are captive bred and in "collector phases" of colors and patterns, but there are a few "normals" I question due to their attitude when handled. LOL I'll take a pic of the creamsicle colored corn snake at the range if I see him again. Purely 100% natural color morph and not sure how it manages to be around every year. That type of coloring is a huge welcome sign for the predators of the snakes. Pretty cool to see this little guy. ( I call him little because compared to a 19.5' Reticulated Python I use to have (RIP), he's a worm!! Hahaha

Right now, I only keep Ball Pythons as far as snakes go. They are easy to take care of and easier to manage due to their max length of 6'. Very tame snakes as well. Love to be handled and outside on a nice 75 degree or above day soaking up the sun.

Well I have been warned by more than 1 conservation officer...I was not attacking you just trying to save you some lawyer fees...I have family in and around virginia that collect venom for anti-venom. I don't have time to play with snakes anymore.

**Chicken Shoot** · 04-28-2012, 04:25 PM

Originally Posted by varmint

Well I have been warned by more than 1 conservation officer...I was not attacking you just trying to save you some lawyer fees...I have family in and around virginia that collect venom for anti-venom. I don't have time to play with snakes anymore.

Was never taking it as an attack.

I was just stating that those who are into reptiles do or SHOULD know this and you made a great point!! I was merely adding that the point you brought up was a reason for me to release that rattler and so noone takes it to extremes with the animal rights stuff, I stated that the garter snake and others in that genre were legal to have IF <--- big IF ... you purchase them from a pet store is all. I probably came off as possibly insulted, but rest assured, I was not. Great post you made there about the law!!!

**BeyondBasic** · 04-28-2012, 05:35 PM

Originally Posted by varmint

Well I have been warned by more than 1 conservation officer...I was not attacking you just trying to save you some lawyer fees...I have family in and around virginia that collect venom for anti-venom. I don't have time to play with snakes anymore.

you can own snakes in NY. you need to read the law more in depth . you can ALSO own venomous snakes in ny but you must register them which is $80 per snake per year hence why people no longer do due to the cost.

**Chicken Shoot** · 04-28-2012, 09:48 PM

Originally Posted by BeyondBasic

you can own snakes in NY. you need to read the law more in depth . you can ALSO own venomous snakes in ny but you must register them which is $80 per snake per year hence why people no longer do due to the cost.

I think they were talking about the Law that states you may not keep a snake caught in the wild which is native to NY which is correct. So that nice corn snake I mentioned at the club I go to ... it would be 100% illegal for me to take him and make him captive.

**de17walt** · 04-28-2012, 09:53 PM

As long as these snakes have hips I will hunt them all day LOL!!

**varmint** · 04-28-2012, 10:03 PM

uh....keyword Native....nevermind....have a nice day

**hexidismal** · 04-28-2012, 10:27 PM

While I'd be happy to go out and shoot at paper with you one day my man, going out snake hunting is just not up my alley.. heh.

Interesting hexidismal fact #726: For reasons unknown, snakes absolutely HATE me. I don't even really have anything against them, and I am not at all afraid of them, but something about me they just really don't like. Now, mind you I am very much an 'animal person'. Peoples pets, even otherwise typically unfriendly pets, and even sometimes wild animals, just seem to always take a shine to me. Snakes however... Well, lets just give some examples. Pet snakes which will calmly just sit around on their owner will inevitably strike out at me if I get close. On a school trip, when I was just a lad, I was bit not once but twice by common watersnakes in a public swimming lake where as far as I have heard no others have ever been bitten. Even little baby garden snakes that don't even have the teeth for it, will insanely strike out at me if I try to handle them (and be completely calm for others). So, I've never had any inkling why, but snakes and I can not co-exist. Their bad.
:P