Meatless

[Woolly Bugger]

I still have yet to encounter a rattler.

I've seen one fat rattler in Stone Mountain and another one on Basin Creek

[troutboy_II]

A few years ago, TroutGirl and I saw a 6-7' Timber rattler sunning itself stretched across a paved portion of the FSR 475 just up from up the Davidson hatchery damn heading towards Balsam Grove.  Sucker was beautiful, dark and fat.  We watched it for a while from the car (!)  .  Don't think we would have stuck around so long watching it if on foot.  It finally headed off into the grass.  I feel pretty solid on the length in that it was stretched out on the asphalt.  Looked like it had eaten recently - was fat - at least 8" around or more.  Beautiful, but scary!

And what is it about water snakes that they always want to swim between your legs?  Makes my hopping around even more ridiculous than it would be if I saw it in the distance!

TB

[Dee-Vo]

Stone Mountain is loaded with rattlers. I've seen two on Garden alone, not to mention a water snake that one of them was cuddled up with in the sun. I've seen black snakes and a few ringnecks in that area, too. The water snakes around that main road through the park are fat and sassy, seen plenty of those, too.

[Phil]

Years ago, I was climbing boulders (with the rod in one hand) on the very steep upper reaches of Upper Creek -- pulled myself up a boulder, my head came up to the top, and a large timber rattler was right there at eye level looking at me, coiled, and started to rattle. Maybe 18 inches or so from my face. I don't remember how I managed not to fall down a LONG way; I was scared shitless.

[Trout Maharishi]

Years ago, I was climbing boulders (with the rod in one hand) on the very steep upper reaches of Upper Creek -- pulled myself up a boulder, my head came up to the top, and a large timber rattler was right there at eye level looking at me, coiled, and started to rattle. Maybe 18 inches or so from my face. I don't remember how I managed not to fall down a LONG way; I was scared shitless.

I bet the snake was scared when it saw you too.    I had the same thing almost happen to me. I was working my way around a log jam and stepped up on a log and I heard the buzzing of the rattles. I had an unexpected urge to junkie. 

[Woolly Bugger]

I forgot to mention the rattlesnake that was atop a downed tree on the Black River in Eastern NC., also saw a HUGE water moccasin on that 3 day trip though the black water swamps

[jwgnc]

Lot's of Hognose snakes around the South Branch of the Au Sable.  They like to think they are Cobras.  Harmless to humans, they'll play dead when scared.You cannot view this attachment.