Is this why Pine Snakes are a threatened species in the New Jersey Pine Barrens?

[dragoncjo]

Well said German.

Shakieg, listen not everyone has to love snakes, I'm just trying to clear up any misconceptions about them.

Bobpx, thats definetly scary, glad everything ended up without anyone getting bit. The rabbits and shade of the cage probably attracted the snake.

 

[Chrisr]

Well said German.

I'm not a fan of snakes of any kind. But I give the members of this site 100% credit for easing my fear of them. I have the upmost respect for the people here who study them, and check on them when they can. I believe all creatures have the right to live on this planet just as we do. When we're in the woods, we're in their territory, we should respect them for that. Now, after saying I'm not a fan of snakes, my biggest thrill would be to see a Timber in the wild. Not to close, maybe thru my 400mm camera lens?? Who knows, maybe one has already seen me??

Dragon, why would the snake look for shade?? To regulate it's temperature??

 

[dragoncjo]

In this case I have the feeling its a open lawn type setting where a timber would seek shade to do exactly what you said, regulate its temperature. Its EXTREMELY rare to find a timber in the open with one exception, pregnant females. Pregnant females will sit in direct sun to a certain point but will move out of the sun as they don't want to cook the babies in them. Also pregnant females will rarely rattle, they need to conserve as much energy as possible as they won't eat months before giving birth, most will barely move from the birthing site.

Seeing a timber to me is like stepping back in time, they along with mountain lions, buffalo, bald eagles, etc. are species that define wild America at one time. We are fortunate we have enough open wild habitat to support this creature and losing the creature is really an indictment about how we've destroyed out landscape.

 

[Teegate]

You won't like this one Chris. Make sure you have your volume up to hear the talking.

http://bassfan.com/tv_play.asp?id=119

Guy

 

[dragoncjo]

Painful for me to watch, wonder if they killed him?

 

[Hinchman's Hill]

While the reasons I give for protecting these species are quite valid I always detest having to do so.

Here, here.

Puts me in mind of Onion's phony ad campaign for new Marlboro "Earth" cigarettes: "Remember, with every pack you smoke, you're attacking global warming, right at the source!"

 

[manumuskin]

If he was so afraid of it climbing into the boat did it occur to him it could of climbed up his pole?Or did it occur to him to move the boat.Did you see how that rattler was aggressively trying to hide it's head under it's coils?
Rattles seem to hold some kind of fascination for people.I remember Bob and I stopping alongside a road in the barrens to investigate a road killed rattler he spotted at 50 mph.There were already herpers present at the site checking it out.As we approached a large fellow was bent over the snake doing something.When we were spotted everyone stopped to see who we were,once assured we weren't feds and upon finding a was slightly acquainted with one of them we started to talk.I noticed the rattle had been cut off the now quite stinky snake.I don't know if thats what the big fellow was doing was swiping the rattle but that would show the strong attraction for someone to stick something that stinky in their pocket to take it home.

 

[dragoncjo]

Its kind of a funny video when you think about it. They are so afraid of it but insist on messing with which will only result in the greater likelihood they get bit. Also they want good video of it almost as if they think its cool like you and I would think Al. But in the end they just want to kill it, I don't get the sense these guys have high IQ's. I've rarely met an intelligent person who kills for no reason other than pleasure. Hunters may kill for food the sport, wildlife management, etc which is cool, but folks who kill just for pleasure or just to do it always strike me as being a little on the unintelligent side.

 

[GermanG]

I got into the snake killing debate big time on an online duck hunting forum. The number of people who responded that my stance was ridiculous and that they kill all snakes on sight made me embarrassed to be a hunter. As much as I enjoy hunting and fishing, the difference between the average intellect on a forum like this one and the one I described is startling.