Coyotes and rattlesnakes

[Robby C]

That's pretty cool! Did it eat the snake or just kill it territorially?



Hmmmm, we do have lots of hogs out here. I can't say that I've ever heard one rattle out here on the island, killed probably close to 100 over 6-7 years, got 8 in one weekend 2 of which were in the garage and 1 was in my buddy's boat. I've killed several that don't physically have rattles, instead they have kind of a wadded up matt of black bands. I dunno if it's environmental maybe they're not shedding their skin properly or if they're mutating to not bother with the rattles.

That is a lot of rattlers, we have killed several in the last 5 years at our place but not near that many. We used to have a bobcat sit on the jetties and watch us fish at night but I haven't seen
it since last year. Definitely plenty of hogs out there. I haven't seen many coyotes though.

[jerp]

Hogs are good about eating rattlesnakes but often times where you have a lot of hogs the rattlesnakes quit rattling. I just about got nailed by rattlesnake that wouldn't rattle in Blanco

Got this trail cam pic a while back

[SmTx]

Awesome camera capture

[justletmein]

^^that's a cool pic. Looks like the snake is gonna try to eat the hog.

That is a lot of rattlers, we have killed several in the last 5 years at our place but not near that many. We used to have a bobcat sit on the jetties and watch us fish at night but I haven't seen
it since last year. Definitely plenty of hogs out there. I haven't seen many coyotes though.

We're in a spot over on the bay side not really near other cabins, there were a TON of snakes the first few years after moving in but they seem to have slowed down considerably the last few years and I sure hope it stays that way. I also like to drive the roads at dusk in March/April and look for jaywalking rattlers. There's definitely a den over by the cabins on the rocks somewhere. This last March I was at camp during the week and it rained like crazy overnight, that evening about half hour before sunset I drove that road up towards the jetty and counted something like 16 or 17 fresh snake trails crossing the road in about a half mile stretch, maybe 3/4 mile stretch. That monster Tom we watched was right off center road. I actually had the AR with 223 FMJ's so wouldn't have done much damage to the pelt, but really have no interest in killing a critter like that. He moseyed around about 25 yards from the truck in the headlights like he wasn't concerned at all and then wandered off.

[Robby C]

^^that's a cool pic. Looks like the snake is gonna try to eat the hog.



We're in a spot over on the bay side not really near other cabins, there were a TON of snakes the first few years after moving in but they seem to have slowed down considerably the last few years and I sure hope it stays that way. I also like to drive the roads at dusk in March/April and look for jaywalking rattlers. There's definitely a den over by the cabins on the rocks somewhere. This last March I was at camp during the week and it rained like crazy overnight, that evening about half hour before sunset I drove that road up towards the jetty and counted something like 16 or 17 fresh snake trails crossing the road in about a half mile stretch, maybe 3/4 mile stretch. That monster Tom we watched was right off center road. I actually had the AR with 223 FMJ's so wouldn't have done much damage to the pelt, but really have no interest in killing a critter like that. He moseyed around about 25 yards from the truck in the headlights like he wasn't concerned at all and then wandered off.

Yes, it was right after the fire we found the most. Our cabin is right on the jetty (big island). Wish I was out there now!!

[justletmein]

Yes, it was right after the fire we found the most. Our cabin is right on the jetty (big island). Wish I was out there now!!

Next to Bryant and Joe Brown?

Weather is good now but there's no fish, dunno where they went lol. It's a beer drinking trip.

[Robby C]

Next to Bryant and Joe Brown?

Weather is good now but there's no fish, dunno where they went lol. It's a beer drinking trip.

Yes, next door to them.

[okrattler]

Shooting coyotes is probably the best thing you can do for the coyote population as a whole honestly. Nature will always balance itself out on its own. Sometimes in the worst of ways and then the effects will be much more severe than shooting or trapping a few now and then. If the coyote population gets out of hand that's when you will see more coyotes with mange than those that don't.

Three of the most prolific animals in the history of the world have been mentioned in this thread. Coyotes,rattlesnakes and hogs. Man has been trying to get rid of them since he found out what they were to no avail. You ain't gonna hurt the population of any of em.

[justletmein]

Yes, next door to them.

Ah nice, I'm the guy that hauled off their old cabin. We're setup down the front beach next to Champion's place.

Shooting coyotes is probably the best thing you can do for the coyote population as a whole honestly. Nature will always balance itself out on its own. Sometimes in the worst of ways and then the effects will be much more severe than shooting or trapping a few now and then. If the coyote population gets out of hand that's when you will see more coyotes with mange than those that don't.

Three of the most prolific animals in the history of the world have been mentioned in this thread. Coyotes,rattlesnakes and hogs. Man has been trying to get rid of them since he found out what they were to no avail. You ain't gonna hurt the population of any of em.

From what I understand the pack will actually respond to a death by breeding more frequently and/or larger litter size. I don't really care about the population overall, just don't really want them so close to camp, unless they're keeping rattlesnakes away then I'll welcome them. Last night my Lab almost caught one, went out to pee before bed and her nose went up and she took off. I saw them in the moonlight booking it, she was about 5 feet behind it stride for stride when they hit the tall marsh grass. Looked to be about the same size as her. By the time I got the spotlight they were gone. I didn't expect another one to be here after blasting the one the night before.

[okrattler]

Ah nice, I'm the guy that hauled off their old cabin. We're setup down the front beach next to Champion's place.



From what I understand the pack will actually respond to a death by breeding more frequently and/or larger litter size. I don't really care about the population overall, just don't really want them so close to camp, unless they're keeping rattlesnakes away then I'll welcome them. Last night my Lab almost caught one, went out to pee before bed and her nose went up and she took off. I saw them in the moonlight booking it, she was about 5 feet behind it stride for stride when they hit the tall marsh grass. Looked to be about the same size as her. By the time I got the spotlight they were gone. I didn't expect another one to be here after blasting the one the night before.

Yeah they say you can take something like 80% of coyotes out of an area and if you leave them alone for a year they'll be back to where they were the year prior.

Sounds like you may have a group of young ones hanging around, probably pups from this year. Which probably don't look like pups at this point.