Its Rattler season in the Pawnee!!!

[Snowman78]

Prairie Rattlesnake (Crotalus viridis) Venomous

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Description: Pit on each side of head between and slightly below the eye and nostril; large rattle on tail; small scales covering most of top of head with one large scale over each eye; pattern of 30–55 dark gray or brown blotches on the back; dark bands on the tail. Head, body and tail are greenish gray to brown; tail bands similar in color to body blotches. Belly grayish or white. Young look like miniature adults.

Habitat: Prefers rocky canyons and open prairies with an abundance of small mammal burrows. Suns on southfacing hillsides with large rocks in spring and fall; roams open prairies in summer, when it is often nocturnal.

Diet: Feeds on lizards, rats, mice, gophers and young prairie dogs.

Size: Length up to 56 inches

Natural History: Females produce litters every other year; 5-18 young per litter, born in spring, summer or fall. Prairie rattlesnakes are very common found over most of Colorado with an elevation range up to 9500 feet.

http://www.coloradoherping.com/species-guide.html

[Mazin]

I hunt Rattlers when I go out to Hoyloke, The bull Snakes get blasted too just not as much because they keep the rattler pop down. I hate friggin snakes!

[bennice]

I hate snakes too, but we have a bull snake that's been living in the front yard the past couple years. We've left it alone, and it's left us alone thus far. I wish it would get hungry and eat some of the damn bunnies, and I'm guessing it will likely keep rattlers and small rodents away.

[HBARleatherneck]

Tonight at about 630pm my kids were driving me nuts. I said go pick up rocks. Not 5 minutes later they all come yelling that there is another rattlesnake by the house. My shovel is starting to have a lot of notches on it.

He was laying in the grass on top of my leach field. There really is no rhyme or reason to where snakes are. People say there is, but I have seen them everywhere out here...anyway.

[flogger]

Snakes control rodents, BIG time! If they are rattlers and near kids or dogs they are toast, if they are bold imitators, let them go. Most snakes are good, don't be too judgemental (but if there is any doubt don't hesitate to take action).

[buffalobo]

We have only had 2 here at the house and think it is because of the high number of bull snakes. Rattlers get dispatched immediately when we find them, bull snakes get pass as long as they are not within the wifes AO.

[rockhound]

the only good snake is a dead snake

[def90]

This guy was on the driveway into the Boulder Rifle Club last October..

[buffalobo]

This guy was on the driveway into the Boulder Rifle Club last October..

He looks pissed. Did you use wrong gate code?

sent from my electronic ball and chain

[hollohas]

I grew up in Southern AZ. Lots of Diamondbacks. Everyone of them that came in the yard met the shovel. When I was about 9, I was riding my bike around the desert and I heard a rattle. Being a dumb boy I tracked down the source and hit it in the head with a rock. I put it over my handlebars and brought that rattler home to mama. She totally freaked and rushed me inside where I had to stay for the rest of the day until my Dad came home and gave him the shovel treatment. The snake never moved so surly he was dead, but my Mom is still a bit mad about it to this day.

These days I don't have to deal with many snakes here in suburbia. There is one snake that I see in the yard from time to time and the best I can tell he's a Lined Snake or something.