rattlesnakes in the juniper

[Member 66129]

I grew up in Central and eastern Oregon. Spent a lot of time in Gilliam and Wheeler county. I've seen quite a few rattlesnakes, but like everything else there seems to be a lot less of them these days. The only time I've ever come close to being bit I was standing in the John Day and one swam right up to me. Only after grabbing it by the tail to throw it away from me did I notice it was a young rattler. Every other encounter they have given ample notice of their presence. Should you be prepared for them? Probably. Don't sweat it though.

 

[bionic knees]

I spent a lot of time running around central/eastern Oregon in my youth, plenty of snakes in the John Day, Crooked river, and Deschutes river canyons. there used to be plenty of rattlers in the grasslands between Madras and Prineville. it was not uncommon to see three or more during a drive about. lately it seems much like the rest of Oregon's wildlife their numbers are down drastically.

 

[Longwalkhome]

I was wade fishing pine creek over by halfway when I saw my first rattle snake swim. Had a 16 inch trout on in hip deep water as one swam past.

 

[Ura-Ki]

I'm always over in the eastern side of the state, Never see snek in the dry areas, mostly near water or thick trees! Plenty of big Rattlin Snek's all over the eastern side of the state, but they are pretty easy to avoid unless your huntin them! Nuthin like a BBQ Snek Burgur fresh, or oven baked with augraton taters!
Your more likely to find big Bull Snakes then rattlers, but there both pretty common! Watch out early spring for the Baby Rattlers, they are the most dangerous of the bunch, they don't have control of their venom dump and can really nail ya! I have seen Rattlers in the Bordeman area off I-84 and around Pendleton all the way to Joseph and around Imnaha, and South near Red Bluff and Sumpter too!

 

[2Wheels4Ever]

We get plenty of rattlesnakes on my property. Lots of other creepy crawlers as well. You'd have to be running through the brush or rock climbing to have any chance of getting bit. Now, young children or dogs are a different story. Thankfully, they are pretty small around my place, and not considered deadly for healthy adults. If I see them close to the house I off them with a stick; I don't like them near my children and animals. Out in the brush, I leave them alone and bid them happy hunting. They keep the mice in check.

 

[CountryGent]

I grew up in Central and eastern Oregon. Spent a lot of time in Gilliam and Wheeler county. I've seen quite a few rattlesnakes

In Oregon, that is, arguably, where I saw the most rattlers. (Wife worked in Fossil and I a bit further north in Condon. Beautiful country out that way. But there were snakes when we were out there.)

 

[ilikegunspdx]

I am planning on more time in eastern oregon and thought of walking out in the flats with the juniper to set up targets. I see in Klamath Rouge area there are rattlesnakes. Anybody ever get bit by one?

Never thought about this until now. Say between Wasco and Pendleton south to about Bend. I know thats a huge area but generally.

Rattlesnakes in Oregon

The rattlesnake is the only dangerously venomous reptile in Oregon. Among the state's native wildlife, few other animals generate as many fears, false percepti…

www.oregonencyclopedia.org

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Have seen lots of rattlers in eastern or and eastern wa. Last one I saw was in middle of the trail at smith rock. He was being eaten whole by a king snake that was smaller than the rattler! I would just ask around and the locals will know if there are rattlers in that area. If there are just make lots of noise and vibrations and they will usually be gone before you ever get close.

 

[Longwalkhome]

I had the wife and daughter staying with me over by the Snake river. Picked a nice spot you could see really good with mostly round rocks on the bank. Big black snake came down the bank really fast and crawled between my wife's feet and headed for the water. She wasn't happy. Good fishing though.

 

[Certaindeaf]

Walk loudly and carry big balls, yo.

 

[joken]

Many years ago, when I was a kid, I was with a friend hunting up above Dorena Reservoir. My friend was standing on a large flat rock and rocking it when out came a rattler. It scared the snot out of him.

 

[gmerkt]

I guess I've been pretty lucky with rattlesnakes. None around here where I live in western Wash. But as a youth, I spent a lot of time in the California desert. My grandparents had a cabin in Landers, Calif. No indoor plumbing, only an outhouse. Every time we'd go there, first job was to check the outhouse for snakes. My grandpa simply killed them with a shovel, no fooling around with guns. My parents lived in another desert community, I never saw a snake there. I wandered all around the eastern Mojave Desert alone and with pals, rock climbing and so forth. Never got hurt. A couple of times I've seen a rattler slithering away in a dry wash and they gave little time for observation. So over the years I've just kept my eyes open and not worried overly.

 

[ilikegunspdx]

I guess I've been pretty lucky with rattlesnakes. None around here where I live in western Wash. But as a youth, I spent a lot of time in the California desert. My grandparents had a cabin in Landers, Calif. No indoor plumbing, only an outhouse. Every time we'd go there, first job was to check the outhouse for snakes. My grandpa simply killed them with a shovel, no fooling around with guns. My parents lived in another desert community, I never saw a snake there. I wandered all around the eastern Mojave Desert alone and with pals, rock climbing and so forth. Never got hurt. A couple of times I've seen a rattler slithering away in a dry wash and they gave little time for observation. So over the years I've just kept my eyes open and not worried overly.

I had a geology professor that could neatly snap their heads off (or so he said, I never saw it) or at least break their neck with a thrown rock hammer. But practicing the hammer throw by pretending a stick etc was a rattler was the real secret. The hammer bangs into the ground/rock which sends every snake around heading for cover. Didn't figure that out until years later ha ha.

 

[slimmer13]

When we were about 20, me and a buddy were hiking around and ran into about a 4 footer. He snatched it up, kissed it on the mouth and tossed it into the bushes.

That kind of thing is why they say your brain isn't fully developed until you're 25.

 

[chainsaw]

Iv lived in south central oregon,the desert side,for 50 years and have seen probably 6 rattlers in that whole time.

 

[DirectDrive]

Walk loudly and carry big balls, yo.

Or let out a girlish shriek and run !

 

[Longwalkhome]

Snakes live where their food lives. Mammals drink a lot of water so they live near water and snakes hunt them. If you are walking in an area with lots of water and food for snakes then you are apt to see them.

 

[BWH]

had them all over in madras on agency plains just off the rim and down to the deschutes. 9 times outta 10, you hear them before you see them. I got good at tracking them in the dirt roads in the mornings while changing water. needs to be a water source for the them to get their whistles wet although a moist mouse, vole, rodent can do the same thing. They dont favor hot base during the day but will lay on roads at night. Sun comes up and makes it hot again, could often track them to a sage brush which they would get into to get heir belly off the hot dirt. Seneca area has bigger ones and the same conditions as mentioned above. Long handled shovel is your friend!

 

[Certaindeaf]

If you fall in one of these, you don't want snakeshot. You'll want to be able to end your misery quickly, not prolong it.
Lol.

 

[bionic knees]

had them all over in madras on agency plains just off the rim and down to the deschutes. 9 times outta 10, you hear them before you see them. I got good at tracking them in the dirt roads in the mornings while changing water. needs to be a water source for the them to get their whistles wet although a moist mouse, vole, rodent can do the same thing. They dont favor hot base during the day but will lay on roads at night. Sun comes up and makes it hot again, could often track them to a sage brush which they would get into to get heir belly off the hot dirt. Seneca area has bigger ones and the same conditions as mentioned above. Long handled shovel is your friend!

they do seem to like rimrock for some reason.

 

[Longwalkhome]

Thinking back some and in my 70 years of being outdoors in Oregon I have never met anyone bitten by a rattlesnake. Hear stories but never met anyone.