Rattlesnakes at Pawnee

[Tristan]

Just a heads up. Went out there with the wife today and saw three, one that we accidentally ran over. Got his hide on the post out back, lol. But they're already out.
The "normal" shooting areas are looking decent. Still lots of little crap, like plastic bottle and remnants of clays. We got two Walmart sacks full of trash, but took us about an hour. Usually see the cops out there on the weekends, but none today. They would stop by all the time last year and ask/remind us to clean up after ourselves. Thought that was great.
Anyways, heads up on the rattlers.

[bimmer]

i just started going out there this winter (my step-dad took me out there a few weeks ago) and i was suprised i wasnt seeing any the other day. haha. i'm actually a reptile lover and snake breeder, and was planning on hunting for rattlesnakes this summer to take pictures and stuff so now its like a 2 in 1! haha. i definately need to buy that snake hook now.

[theGinsue]

Might have to check this place out. Been wanting to go rattler hunting for years.

What's the season and daily bag limit on those things?

[ChunkyMonkey]

June 15 - Aug 15 3/day

[Tristan]

I haven't seen any in the "normal" shooting areas. We like to go rockhounding after shooting, and that's when we see them. Here's a link to the area we like to go. Also, if you follow the creek on the left to where the dirt road heads back west, there is a sandstone formation that sports about 10 of the buggers. Just gotta get out there early enough. They love the morning sun, ya know.
And the east side is private, I think. It's fenced at any rate.
Anyways, here's the link. I hope it works.
http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&ie=UTF8&t=h&ll=40.681419,-104.479122&spn=0.057929,0.11055&z=13

[Marlin]

They are up at the North shoot area also,, Saw a Baby one a few years back.. So, take heed up there also...

On a related note,,, Years ago,, Taking a road trip to Kearney Ne.. I just happened to be behind a 18 wheeler,,and the angles were just right that I saw what I would guess to be a 5-6' snake, between the wheels of the trailer, get flipped up in the air,, and land just far enough out of the way, that I didn't run Him over... I thought cats only had 9 lives....

[theGinsue]

Okay, so I know you can skin 'em and hang the skins to dry, but anyone here ever eat 'em?

[FromMyColdDeadHand]

They are up at the North shoot area also,, Saw a Baby one a few years back.. So, take heed up there also...

On a related note,,, Years ago,, Taking a road trip to Kearney Ne.. I just happened to be behind a 18 wheeler,,and the angles were just right that I saw what I would guess to be a 5-6' snake, between the wheels of the trailer, get flipped up in the air,, and land just far enough out of the way, that I didn't run Him over... I thought cats only had 9 lives....

Why do you have to ruin sun roofs for me? I was just getting over the idea of birds crapping on me.

[trlcavscout]

Okay, so I know you can skin 'em and hang the skins to dry, but anyone here ever eat 'em?

Good eatin! I havent seen them there, but my buddy lives a few miles south of there on "rattlesnake hill", so obviously we find them there alot. They are fun to shoot with the bow and some blunt tips.

[Tristan]

Okay, so I know you can skin 'em and hang the skins to dry, but anyone here ever eat 'em?

You mean you don't?! lol
Cut the head off, peal the skin (don't cut it up the middle) off, pull the guts from the neck all the way out, cold water wash.
You cut them into 4-6" lengths, cover them in corn meal and fry them in bacon grease or oil. Good meal, there. Really does taste pretty much like chicken, too, but with the consistency of fish. It's an interesting eat, but a good one. There was a restaurant in Denver that used to serve them up all the time, but they were probably farm raised.
Their skins make neat things, too, like wallets and hat bands, etc.
And the B&P limit does not apply to road kill, or so the Fort Collins DOW guy told us a few years back. May have changed. Doubt it.