Snake I.D.

[okrattler]

I would call them Lucky Because they would be dead snakes if I would have found them.

Definitely are lucky. I returned them to the wild far away from anyone or anything. I enjoy huntin snakes and being a part of snake hunts that have been going on in Oklahoma for years. It's something I want to be preserved for future generations. Although I probably won't ever have children of my own,I'd like these animals to be here for the people that will carry on a tradition when I'm dead and gone. I just hope they have sense enough to leave some well enough alone so that their children and grandchildren can do the same.

Anyone that loves the outdoors doesn't walk around killing everything in sight out of fear and ignorance. Knocking a baby deer in the head would make more sense than killing those snakes. Deer are overpopulated,Massasaugas ain't. At least not in this part of Oklahoma.

[MRWHITE87]

I don't want all snakes dead. I just want enough distance between us that neither of us is aware of one another. I'm headed out to my "lease" today to do some work, (it's a trade of service on my part for access to hunt) and I'll be bringing some "snake-away" granules to toss around the stands, blinds and barns now.

[okrattler]

I don't want all snakes dead. I just want enough distance between us that neither of us is aware of one another. I'm headed out to my "lease" today to do some work, (it's a trade of service on my part for access to hunt) and I'll be bringing some "snake-away" granules to toss around the stands, blinds and barns now.

A buddy of mine tried that stuff in his yard. Almost seemed like it attracted more snakes than it kept away. He used to find bullsnakes by his house until he sprinkled that stuff around. He found several rattlesnakes around the house after he put that stuff in the yard. It was coincidence of course but that's a true story. I really don't know of anything that really works. I've heard of moth balls and things but haven't tried those other methods so I don't know if they work or not.

[bmac]

The easiest way for me to tell it's a Massasauga is by the patterns on the tail,also the bars that run along the side of its head are dark black a lot of times,small rattles in comparison to a Prairie and they have 9 enlarged scales on their head where others don't. Also a Massasaugas side blotches are different from a Prairie Rattlesnakes. Most people aren't going to get close enough to notice those last two differences. I'm sure Massasaugas get mistaken for Prairie Rattlesnakes quite a bit. I can just tell by the way they're laying if they're stretched out on the road which one is which.

One snake that I think looks the most like a Massasauga is a Western Hognose Snake. Especially if you see one on the road and pass by it. They look very similar.

Stick the camera in there a little farther and get us a better picture of the differences. I can see color difference but hard to see scales and banding.


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[okrattler]

Stick the camera in there a little farther and get us a better picture of the differences. I can see color difference but hard to see scales and banding.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I actually thought about pinning the bigger one and getting closer pics of the head to show the difference. I assumed there's only one way anybody would ever get close enough to ones head to tell the difference anyway and at that point it won't matter.

[Cantcatch5]

Were are you in Oklahoma? We have a place near Quinlan and have mostly diamondbacks but occasionally see prairie rattlers and now I question if they might be massasagua instead of prairie...I sure wouldn’t know the difference.

[okrattler]

Were are you in Oklahoma? We have a place near Quinlan and have mostly diamondbacks but occasionally see prairie rattlers and now I question if they might be massasagua instead of prairie...I sure wouldn’t know the difference.

I'm in Beaver County. If you look at the distribution range for Massasaugas I'm basically right on the line where their range ends in the Panhandle. They're more common in Northwestern Oklahoma.

I know up in Quinlan,Texas there's most likely Timber Rattlesnakes and I'm sure the occasional Massasauga as well. I don't think the Prairie Rattlesnakes range is quite that far East but I could be wrong.

[Big pig]

Definitely are lucky. I returned them to the wild far away from anyone or anything. I enjoy huntin snakes and being a part of snake hunts that have been going on in Oklahoma for years. It's something I want to be preserved for future generations. Although I probably won't ever have children of my own,I'd like these animals to be here for the people that will carry on a tradition when I'm dead and gone. I just hope they have sense enough to leave some well enough alone so that their children and grandchildren can do the same.

Anyone that loves the outdoors doesn't walk around killing everything in sight out of fear and ignorance. Knocking a baby deer in the head would make more sense than killing those snakes. Deer are overpopulated,Massasaugas ain't. At least not in this part of Oklahoma.

Thanks for the photo and identification tips . Rattlesnakes fascinate me. I have only ever seen diamondbacks. I hate copperheads and water moccasins in central Texas, but ain’t scared of any snakes.

[okrattler]

Thanks for the photo and identification tips . Rattlesnakes fascinate me. I have only ever seen diamondbacks. I hate copperheads and water moccasins in central Texas, but ain’t scared of any snakes.

They are pretty interesting creatures. No copperheads or water moccasins up this way but I've had the opportunity to see a few in other parts of the country.

I forgot to mention just in case anyone wanted to know,Massasaugas are actually closer relatives to a Pygmy Rattlesnake than they are Prairie Rattlesnakes although there are similarities between the two.

A Massasaugas venom is considered to be more toxic than a lot of the larger rattlesnake species. I think the toxicity is probably comparable to a Timber Rattlesnakes venom. But they're small and don't deliver near as much as a Timber Rattlesnake would or even a large Prairie Rattlesnake for that matter.

[bboswell]

I don't want all snakes dead. I just want enough distance between us that neither of us is aware of one another. I'm headed out to my "lease" today to do some work, (it's a trade of service on my part for access to hunt) and I'll be bringing some "snake-away" granules to toss around the stands, blinds and barns now.

Snake Away is a waste of time and money. Moth Balls work just as well....

[okrattler]

I forgot to state the obvious. Massasauga's are generally darker in color than Prairie Rattlesnakes. Which can differ in color quite a bit. I've caught yellowish colored Prairies,green,tan,darker brown and really light which I believe is from living in and around caliche.

[Cantcatch5]

I'm in Beaver County. If you look at the distribution range for Massasaugas I'm basically right on the line where their range ends in the Panhandle. They're more common in Northwestern Oklahoma.

I know up in Quinlan,Texas there's most likely Timber Rattlesnakes and I'm sure the occasional Massasauga as well. I don't think the Prairie Rattlesnakes range is quite that far East but I could be wrong.

Our place is near Quinlan, Ok. Not to far from Moreland and notfar from Waynoka...I know a rattlesnake guy knows where Waynoka is!

[okrattler]

Our place is near Quinlan, Ok. Not to far from Moreland and notfar from Waynoka...I know a rattlesnake guy knows where Waynoka is!

Oh ok I wasn't sure where Quinlan,Oklahoma was. In that case you definitely have Massasaugas and Prairies and of course Diamondbacks. I've been to Waynoka a time or three but I honestly had never heard of Quinlan before. It's a lot different terrain over in that area compared to here although it's only a few hours away so you see a few more species than what we normally see here. I know guys that have even caught copperheads over in that area.

One guy that lives in Mooreland (I think) caught a 31" Copperhead somewhere over there a few weeks ago. Copperheads aren't supposed to live there according to their distribution range but apparently they don't know that.

I Googled Quinlan,Oklahoma and it brought up Woods County but I couldn't find a map that showed exactly where it was. I assumed you meant Quinlan,Texas.

[125Dad]

I don’t go out of my way to find any type snake around my house most I see is rat snakes and they get put back on the other side of the fence. But if I come across a venomous one and it don’t move on quick enough I kill it. I doubt I ever kill enough to hurt the population.

[okrattler]

I don’t go out of my way to find any type snake around my house most I see is rat snakes and they get put back on the other side of the fence. But if I come across a venomous one and it don’t move on quick enough I kill it. I doubt I ever kill enough to hurt the population.

You won''t. You could probably go out of your way to find them and still not. I take snakes to roundups so I'm no tree hugger either. That's what happens to the snakes I take to those. But seeing how we don't have very many Massasaugas I never keep them. I pretty much don't mess with anything that won't make at least a pound. That's just how I do things though. I understand killing venomous snakes in the yard and things like that. They have their place in the world too though so I see both sides of it. If I can get around killing a snake just I will. But I've been catching them basically all my life too and not everyone will. That I understand as well. Not many people would relocate a snake of any kind let alone a venomous one.