Pinesnake Encounters

[Bobbleton]

Four years ago, I stumbled across a northern pinesnake in a state park. That particular incident is what rekindled my interest in reptiles and amphibians, and began my tromping escapades.
Since then, I have been trying like mad to find another pinesnake, and have had absolutly zero success.

Today, however--in one awesome hour, I broke an unlucky streak of four years by finding two Pinesnakes. One was found on a trail, and the other was trying to bask on a road.

The first one was a healthy adult measuring around 5 feet in length. It barely put up a fight, hissed just a bit . . . it was a textbook capture. A triumph.

The second one was a bit different. I noticed the snake in the road on the way home . . . only about a mile from the entrance to the park. I immediatly pulled a u-turn and stopped the car, and as I flagged cars away from the HUGE animal, he was struck twice by some careless bastard. His bones were crushed in two places on his body . . . he futilly struggled to move away from the road--but he could barely move at all . . . his head was slack and there was blood in his mouth. This formerly healthy snake was around 6+ feet in length and probably approaching 20 years old. It is now dead and rotting in a ditch on the side of a road.

http://www.njpinebarrens.com/modules.php?set_albumName=album303&op=modload&name =gallery&file=index&include=view_album.php

To whoever hit this snake despite my pleading traffic to avoid the animal: F*** YOU. You paid no heed to my frantic motions and direction . . . your lack of respect for other living things sickens me. You didn't even stop. I hope someone runs down your little yuppy bastard chihuahua with an equal level of apathy. (spits in disgust)

-Bob.

[bach2yoga]

Bob,
I saw one like that before, it was sad. I can't even imagine having seen it being hit...that is disheartening that people are so cruel and heartless. Did you get his tags?
There are some idiots out there...yesterday when leaving Martha, we had 2 kids and a dog in the car and a kayak strapped on top. If you know Joe, you know he barely hits 55 in a 65 zone. He drives like a grandpa, and people always tease him about it. His workers say his trucks won't go over 40 mph because he's never made them. We can't even caravan, he always winds up too far behind everyone else.
Around the bend comes two punk ***holes probably 40 mph. We stopped, he kept coming, then threw on his brakes. I screamed for what seemed an eternity before he came to a stop--then he had the nerve to say we scared the **** out of him! We were at a complete stop while this idiot came barrelling toward us. His license plate was on upside down, I'm guessing it's not the first time he's pulled crap like that and it prevents people from getting his plate number accurately. I hope whoever it was is reading this... I did get his tags.
Renee

[46er]

Probably too busy yapping on the cell phone instead of paying attention.

[imported_irishman]

Bob

I'm really sorry to hear about your experience with the second snake. I've had similar experiences and I know how bad it feels, and how bad it can piss you off. I can't imagine how someone could just hit an animal like that, any animal actually, without a moments thought, without even stopping. I commend you for trying.
Brian

[alfonso]

want to see a snake paradise ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, go to crossley perserve ......... theres snake mounts all over the place .......... i'm sure you'll find some of n.j nicest snakes around there .................i'm talking from 1st hand incounters....ask the others how to get there ,,,,,,,,, you wont be disapointed ....................

[Bobbleton]

want to see a snake paradise ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, go to crossley perserve ......... theres snake mounts all over the place .......... i'm sure you'll find some of n.j nicest snakes around there .................i'm talking from 1st hand incounters....ask the others how to get there ,,,,,,,,, you wont be disapointed ....................

Thanks for the tip--but its not quite the paradise you'd think. I've been going there at least once or twice a week since early spring to catch the fabled "emergence from the hibernacula". I was just there thursday, actually. Unfortunatly, I've found no snakes to date. A few turtles, lizards and frogs . . . but no snakes. Go figure.

-Bob

[suresue592003]

If you find out who that person was Renee, let me know. I may very well know them. Wow! You go Bob! You are my hero of the day! :D I was wondering, how you can tell how old a snake is? Snakes are out and crawling all about now. My friend John, (who is in the snapper fyke pictures of Barry's) has seen four black snakes where he lives in the woods in Shamong (Indian Mills). .Sue......

[suresue592003]

Thought you might want to know alittle more about the black snakes...
John has a cabin in the woods and snakes constantly visit. He once opend a door to his heater room, and there was a snake wrapped on top of his heater. He has opened his cabin door many times to find them spread out across the floor. They also crawl into the nearby garage. Once he swears, while he was sleeping, he could hear and feel something breathing near his face. He believes it was a snake. They will get in bed with you if they can. So will mice. Sometimes John would fall asleep in his chair or bed after eating. Men with beards know what food catchers a beard can be. Mice would crawl all over him and have a grand old time. Growing up with a house full of mice, they can become very friendly. I used to put out bowls of snacks hoping they would find it and leave my goodies alone.
When I was young, growing up in Tabernacle...we lived in an old two story farmhouse owned my Joe Conte of Conte Farms. Downstairs my brother had a gold fish type bowl with five small (bottlecap size) turtles in it. Suddenly, each morning we would discover one turtle missing. Finally, with one turtle left, the mystery was solved. While rooting through my mother,s upstairs bedroom closet, I discovered a black snake curled up in the corner. Apparently, each night the snake would crawl downstairs and eat one turtle, never upsetting the bowl! I remember once my dad having a King Snake in a box. He got the idea he was going to try to feed it an egg. That snake struck at him bearly missing his hand! While living at Friendship and traveling up and down Carranze Road, my dad would hunt for rattlersnakes. He had a long Birch branch that forked off into a V at the end. Finding the rattlers sunning themselves stretched out across the road, my dad would leap out of his car and capture the snake with his V-like Birch pole. Pineys have killed snakes for years and some still do, and this is what my dad did. They fear rattlers and feel they have no purpose. Like antlers are a hunters prize, the prize here is the rattles. Buttons they are called, and the more the buttons, the bigger the snake. My dad's snakes would consist of 12-14 buttons. I remember playing with the rattlers as a kid, shaking them and listening to the sound.......Sue.....

[bach2yoga]

Sue,
Are the black snakes you are talking about racers or rat snakes?
I can't believe you played with the rattlers back as a kid! My how things change.
I was going to ask you to post another story!
Renee

[suresue592003]

Renee, I would guess rat snakes since we had mice as well as rat co-existing with us in that farm house. Really, it was a disgrace the way we had to live, considering what a wealthy farmer Mr. Conte was and still is today. The immigrants lived better then us and we paid rent.
My mom would set rat traps under the kitchen sink. Once a rat so big, sprung the trap and got away, minus one of it's eyes, (which we found lying next to the trap). My mom, then more determined then ever, searched for the rat hole. She found the hole in back of the stove. She waited there one night with a frog spear. Finally, it poked it's head out of the hole, and with one swif thrust.........my mom had her rat! She literally screamed in horror as she dragged it out of the hole with the spear, for the rat was the size of a small cat. About two months later, my mom had a mis-carriage. She didn't even know she was pregnant at the time. In the hospital, she asked the doctor if it was a boy or girl. The doctor told her he couldn't tell and that it was a blessing that she had lost it. He told her it was so deformed that it looked like a rat.
(I only tell true stories here, and as we all know...Truth is stranger then fiction.................Sue...............

[suresue592003]

Sorry I forgot to add, the rat my mother speared had only one eye.
..............Sue..........

[bach2yoga]

Oh, my goodness, your poor mom...what a story! I think I'd like your ma.
Sue, I cannot tell you how much I enjoy your stories!
Ben is looking for articles, maybe you would consider writing some??? Please???
Renee

[suresue592003]

Well thank you Renee for all your support. Ben has read my postings, if he is interested, he can let me know. I am alittle shy at times...LOL shy Piney! LOL
...............Sue............

[bach2yoga]

Sue,
Ben has opened it to anyone who would like to submit something.
Anyone else like to see Sue's stories? speak up!
clamor! clamor! clamor! :jump:
(Am I convincing you yet???)
Renee

[bach2yoga]

You could be the next Beck (except more accurate) (and obviously not Father....)!
Renee

[suresue592003]

WOW! What a compliment! I am blushing over here...Sue...

[njvike]

Sue,

Did you know this Rattlesnake Ace that was mentioned in one of the books that Beck wrote?

[bunnymom3]

Bob,

Friends of ours live in Jackson on Lakehurst Ave. They find at least 1 snake a day in their yard. Pine snakes and a ring neck??? Some of them are pretty big in size.

Nykki

[Bobbleton]

Sue--

Those stories are nuts . . . I agree with Renee . . you should definatly write a few articles on all the tales you have to offer. Hell . . . I spend my time intentionally having adventures and your stories are still better than mine.

and to your question and comment:

it was just an estimate on age . . . 20 years is around the max for a pinesnake and judging from its length (they really don't get much longer), girth, and scarring . . . the animal was probably older than most high school kids.

I know lakehurst rd . . . its right off 571 . . . I've heard rumors of rattlesnakes on the colliers mills side of jackson (i live on the other side), but none have been thusfar substantiated. Also, I take such sightings with a grain of salt the size of manhattan. Most people can't tell a rattlesnake from a garter snake. Pinesnakes are impressive, though . . . that's just more reason for me to better explore that side of town (before IT gets developed to death like my side).. Thanks.


-Bob

[bach2yoga]

Bobbleton,
Question...we had a large bullfrog population several years ago, easily a dozen or more next to our house. About two years ago they disappeared, but our chorus frogs, wood frogs, fowlers and now gray tree frogs have been doing keeping us company--I didn't notice any other frogs but an occasional fowlers and all of the peepers while the bullfrogs were here. The peepers have remained consistent.
The other day Joe heard two bullfrogs back again.
I don't know for a fact that the bullfrogs proliferation was responsible for the lower diversity, as I didn't know the frogs well enough before the bullfrog population 4 and 5 years ago, and I can't conclusively state that their disappearance was causally and directly related to the increase in frog diversity.
Any thoughts? I hate to see the diversity diminish with the bullfrogs back.
Renee

[suresue592003]

No I did not know Rattle Snake Ace, but I hope to find out about him when I go exploring for Bill Wasoswich (sp?). I never knew snakes could live so long! Scarring? Thank you Bob for your encouragement. If I keep writing stories in here, who will buy my book? LOL! Oh the things I could put in the book!! Trying to decide what to add and what should be left out. But they are all piney stories and I want to include them all! This Fall I will be taking Desktop Publishing. Not sure all it details, or how much it will help me to prepare for that book, but nevertheless I will be giving it a shot.....................Sue............

[bach2yoga]

I'll buy your book. Rather have it in hard copy anyday.
Renee

[suresue592003]

It was either a 1968 or a 1969 hardcover, fourth edition of John McPhee "The Pine Barrens I just ordered on a old book website. I ordered a bunch of other neat stuff too. One thing was blueprints of the old Devonshire in Chatsworth. Once I receive this stuff I will post in more detail just what it is. The J.McPhee book was only 7 or 8 dollors. You will the first I offer my book to..Sue........

[bunnymom3]

Bob,

I grow up on Green Valley Rd. in Jackson. Lived there until 6th grade. I really makes me sad what has happen to Jackson but it started back when I was a kid with Flair and has just gotten worse. They also bought an older home. They both grow up in Jackson but she grow up on the road. I love going there to visit and Sucess is right there, which is one place I have to visit yet.

Nykki

[MikeBickerson]

A one eyed rat the size of a cat? I know I won't be sleeping tonight :shock:

Sue ~ I'd certainly buy your book, even if it does have cat sized rats.

[suresue592003]

Wait until I tell the story of the spider in the cedar swamp! I have literally scared the ....out of my kids more then once with that one!!
..........Sue..........

[bach2yoga]

do tell!!!
:bounce: