Author Topic: huge rattler (Read 1271 times)

mr.frosty · « **on:** December 14, 2005, 02:06:36 PM »

I got this in an email the other day:

WE GROW 'EM BIG IN TEXAS!!!

This snake was recently found at the old Turkey Creek gas plant located just south of the Alibates Turnoff on Highway 136 south
of Fritch Texas.
[THAT'S JUST NORTH OF AMARILLO]
A reminder that these creatures are actually out there and no matter what you believe, sometimes they should get not only prescriptive rights to be there but the full right of way!

9 feet, 1 inch - 97 lbs.

No matter what anybody else tells you, kill the snake before you try to do anything else to it!
It's the safest way for you and the snake doesn't care anymore.

DEEP-FRIED RATTLESNAKE

1 medium-sized rattlesnake (3-4 lbs.), cut into steaks
1/2 cup flour
1/4 cup cornmeal
1/4 cup cracker crumbs
1/2 cup milk
1 egg
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder (not garlic salt)
1 teaspoon salt
dash pepper

Mix dry ingredients. Whisk milk into beaten egg and use to dip snake steaks.
Then coat them with dry ingredients. Fry, uncovered, in 400 degree oil until brown.

Swamp Yankee · « **Reply #1 on:** December 14, 2005, 02:37:01 PM »

I'd like to see Steve the croc-hunter try and catch that one alive!!!
Jim

Cowpox · « **Reply #2 on:** December 14, 2005, 02:43:43 PM »

Your recipe calls for one medium size snake of 3 to 4 pounds? For some reason, I was expecting a medium sized snake to be in the neighborhood of 50 pounds !

briarpatch · « **Reply #3 on:** December 14, 2005, 04:09:33 PM »

If I see the weight right that 97 # must be wrong. But any way you look at it. Its big!!

Mauser · « **Reply #4 on:** December 15, 2005, 08:46:33 AM »

I consider the people of the South and especially Texas to be my favorite Americans, and because of the people, I would love to live there. Like them, I love my guns and the rest of my freedoms. But that snake (and the millions more like it) is part of the reason why I wouldn't. I don't even like the little garter snakes we have up here in the "northwoods."

rockbilly · « **Reply #5 on:** December 15, 2005, 12:30:59 PM »

I think the weight listed is most likely correct. We have killed several big snakes on my place, (over 6 feet) which is located about 25 miles Southwest of Abilene TX. I never put on on a scale, but estimate one of them at over 70 lbs, that was comparing the snake to a fifty pound bag of feed.

I my head were screwed on straight when I ran up on one this large, I would try to capture it alive. This snake would be the big money winner at the sweetwater Rattlesnake Round Up. Only problem, you would have to keep it alive until Feb. But that would allow time to fatten it up with a few jackrabbits.

sjones · « **Reply #6 on:** December 15, 2005, 12:32:48 PM »

I've seen an awful lot of snakes all over texas,but that is the biggest one I've ever seen.I even got bit by a copperhead when I was 11,I am now 62 and I still have the fang marks on my upper right arm plain as day.I was one sick kid for a long time.Now I kill every snake I can,no matter what kind they are.

rockbilly · « **Reply #7 on:** December 15, 2005, 01:02:03 PM »

sjones. By no means am I implying they are common. This is an exception rather than a rule. I am out daily, in my sixty-five years I have seen two that I remember that would go over six feet. I have seen several that went over five, and a bunch that were four feet. I wouldn't even try to count those under four feet. I may go for months, even years without seeing a snake, then I see one and spend the next few months looking for them. :roll: :roll: :roll:

All one has to do is visit the Sweetwater Rattle Snake Round Up to get an idea of the size and number of snakes in this area. :shock:

sjones · « **Reply #8 on:** December 15, 2005, 01:10:48 PM »

Rockabilly,I have seen some of those,thats a lot of snakes.I have come very close to being bitten more times than I want to remember,most of the times when I was out hunting and fishing.,particually down in south texas.Gives me the chills just thinking about them.For the people that live up north or somewhere there aren't any snakes,consider yourselves lucky. sj

williamlayton · « **Reply #9 on:** December 16, 2005, 02:17:55 AM »

I am getting chills looking at that picture. I hate snakes, scared of 'em, doan have no use for 'em, kill 'em all and then look for the kind they are.
Back in '61 & '62, the boys at tha college asked me to sit out awhile and come on back when I decided that I was going to be serious, and I needed work. Got a job with Coastal engineering and Surveying working on the Lake Livingston dam project.
We were running levels and property lines in preparation for the purchase of property to be inundated by the lake.
Along comes hurricane Carla.
We were running property lines below Cold springs, near the site of the dam. It is low bottom land, full of palmetto.
This bottom land flooded when the river rose too flood by the results of the hurricane. Flooded that bottom. All the snakes moved to high ground.
THEN THE WATERS RECEDED. We had to go back to those palmetto flats.
5' brush hooks and more snakes than you can ever imagine.
Boys I killed snakes til I could feel 'em before I could see 'em. If I killed one I killed 500. All with a 5' brush hook. I dreamed about those snakes for years.
Blessings

8rounder · « **Reply #10 on:** December 16, 2005, 03:10:12 AM »

I had an Uncle that worked at that station years ago. He used to tell stories of the big snakes they would find during the spring and summer.
To me a 3 footer is plenty big, if I came across something this big I would hope my 30-30 wouldn't make mad.
Turkey Creek station is in between Alibates flint quarry and Lake Meredith on the edge of the Canadian River. There is a lot of brush and creek beds all around it. Perfect breeding grounds for big rattlers.

rockbilly · « **Reply #11 on:** December 16, 2005, 04:20:53 AM »

:roll: When you look down and find one of any size at your feet its time to go change your pants. Usually when I run across one, it is when I least expect it, and most often when I am doing some kind of work around the place.

While we are on the subject, there is a 250-300 thousand dollar house on Hwy 83-84 just south of Abilene that was evidently built on a snake den. The house is in a fairly remote area on the side of a hill overlooking the city. The folks that built the house moved out after three-four months. I understand that during that period they killed 30-40 snakes IN THE HOUSE. The house has been empty for approximately two years, it has a realtors sign out on the hwy. Seems every time someone goes to look at the place they find snakes and look no further. Anybody want a nice 4000 sq ft house and forty acres cheap? :eek: :eek: :eek:

spraynpray · « **Reply #12 on:** December 16, 2005, 10:32:03 AM »

A snake that big would be fun to blast with the AK.

akpls · « **Reply #13 on:** December 16, 2005, 04:09:51 PM »

Yikes!! :eek: Another reason to stay in Alaska.

rockbilly · « **Reply #14 on:** December 17, 2005, 05:46:19 AM »

:roll: Yes them big old rattlesnakes make some folks shy away from Texas, but them Ice snakes ya gots up there in 'Laska shore makes me wanna stay here. I can handle dem biting things, but what dem Ice snakes do to you ain't nice at all............ :wink: :wink:

myronman3 · « **Reply #15 on:** December 17, 2005, 11:18:33 AM »

Quote from: rockbilly

:roll: Yes them big old rattlesnakes make some folks shy away from Texas, but them Ice snakes ya gots up there in 'Laska shore makes me wanna stay here. I can handle dem biting things, but what dem Ice snakes do to you ain't nice at all............ :wink: :wink:

i once convinced a white boy from chicago that snow snakes were indeed real, and what they did to you just wasnt right. :-D watching him get ready for the night was a blast.

grendel · « **Reply #16 on:** December 17, 2005, 07:04:48 PM »

I have to call bullshi* on this one. First off the gent does not look like he is holding up 97 pounds on the end of that stick. Second he is holding the snake at least 2-3" feet closer to the camera then he is, which is a very common camera trick

It's a big snake all right, look at the girth of the body, but it's not 9' long.

You know what they say. IF God had wanted texans to ski he would have made Bullshi* white.

msdh · « **Reply #17 on:** December 17, 2005, 07:17:58 PM »

That is an absolute monster and freak of nature. Ive seen and killed many rattlers and moccasins cutting my hunting teeth as a teen duck hunting the swamps of central Florida. But i've never seen anything close to that.
When I think of some of the dumb things me and my buddies did as kids, I cringe. In the early 70s we would set out a large spread of decoys in one of the small shallow fresh water lakes up against the Kennedy Space center. Then wearing nothing but thin camouflage overalls and sneakers we would stand against the mangroves in crotch deep water and blow pintail whistles. The action for pintails and widgeon was fast and furious and although we saw and killed many snakes none of us was ever bit. When I look back on it I cant believe it. As for those who hunt in the north don't believe your entirely out of snake country. I lived in central New York most of my life one of the most frigid snowbound areas of the east. Although not in the numbers as down south there are timber rattlers in the southerntier area and copperheads. But its too cold in hunting season for them to be out.

williamlayton · « **Reply #18 on:** December 18, 2005, 12:27:08 AM »

I can certainly believe the story. I have seen too many Timber rattlers go to 7/8 feet to not believe. It is not a freak of nature, just a smart old ratter that avoided humans.
If Rockbilly would check the records for the snake records out there I bet some would come close-especially from years ago.
Blessings

clodbuster · « **Reply #19 on:** December 18, 2005, 04:27:42 AM »

Scared poopless of rattlers myself and wityh all respect, this looks like one of those fish pictures where its held out infront to look bigger than it really is. Can't see it making length or weight listed.

Dusty Miller · « **Reply #20 on:** December 18, 2005, 09:09:52 AM »

I've spent my entire adult life as a photographer, both amateur and professional. When I look at this photo and think "wide angle" I'm looking at the apparent distance from the snake to the guy holding him and that distance looks normal to me. Yeah, he's being held close to the camera but the perspective appears to fit a 50mm lens on a 35mm camera. I'm buying the story. All it takes for a snake to get that big is time and a really good supply of rodents plus avoiding predators (such as humankind).

NONYA · « **Reply #21 on:** December 18, 2005, 10:43:18 PM »

that snake isnt over 20 pounds,no way.

Datil · « **Reply #22 on:** December 19, 2005, 12:12:17 AM »

I don't think the snake weighs close to 97 lbs. look how easy
the man holding it up? it is a big snake I agree! Marv.