4 Day High Desert Trip - Ojai to Alabama Hills *Very Pic Heavy*

[unkamonkey]

I'm not a snake fan either but I sort of know what kind they are. I used to go down to where the water tower was and bring home Garter snakes to scare our mother. She grew up with 2 brothers so she was used to them.
I was up a few years ago house/dog sitting and the Border Collie was running back to the house from the mailbox. She ran right over a rattler. I did a trip to the other side of the driveway and got my .357 out of the camper. The snake was in some rocks by then so It didn't seem to be a smart thing to shoot into the rocks. I went to town the next day and got some snake shot rounds for the pistol. Of course by then the snake was gone. I didn't really want to kill the snake but my concern was for the dog.
I told Shirley about the snake and she said that she would take a morning walk with the dog before work and there was a rattler sticking it's head out of a hole in a dirt bank as she walked by. I suppose it was her pet rattler.
She is that sort of woman.

 

[wngrog]

Superb. Excellent pics.

 

[unkamonkey]

A bit off topic but back in my geology days i had to go map rock formations and rock contact zones. You did need to talk to the landowner to get permission to stomp around on their property. Part of that was to listen to their tales, Rattle snakes, hay wagons and horses that would just stand there to watch the snakes wind around their hooves. It could be BS or the truth?

 

[inv3ctiv3]

Nice! Not a huge fan of snakes, but I respect them. I rolled up on a timber rattle snake that had just struck a rabbit. The rabbit was paralyzed, waiting do die, but the snake took off. Got a sweet pic of it on my Instagram account.

I'm not a snake fan either but I sort of know what kind they are. I used to go down to where the water tower was and bring home Garter snakes to scare our mother. She grew up with 2 brothers so she was used to them.
I was up a few years ago house/dog sitting and the Border Collie was running back to the house from the mailbox. She ran right over a rattler. I did a trip to the other side of the driveway and got my .357 out of the camper. The snake was in some rocks by then so It didn't seem to be a smart thing to shoot into the rocks. I went to town the next day and got some snake shot rounds for the pistol. Of course by then the snake was gone. I didn't really want to kill the snake but my concern was for the dog.
I told Shirley about the snake and she said that she would take a morning walk with the dog before work and there was a rattler sticking it's head out of a hole in a dirt bank as she walked by. I suppose it was her pet rattler.
She is that sort of woman.

I'm glad you guys can respect them, it's funny how very few animals invoke a response of "it's somewhere near me so it must die" when you could just get a stick and and gently nudge it off the patio or whatever (or call a person like me who will come remove and relocate it for free).

Superb. Excellent pics.

Thank you!

A bit off topic but back in my geology days i had to go map rock formations and rock contact zones. You did need to talk to the landowner to get permission to stomp around on their property. Part of that was to listen to their tales, Rattle snakes, hay wagons and horses that would just stand there to watch the snakes wind around their hooves. It could be BS or the truth?

I'm not sure I understand but if you or a horse stood still a rattlesnake would have no problem just slithering between the legs to continue on. Some of them are fine to be near you so long as you respect them and don't try and pick them up or kill them, a vast majority of bites are due to people trying to kill them it's a kind of sad justice.

 

[unkamonkey]

Most horses will just stand still and just watch the snake, Others will jump on them and cut them to pieces with their steel horse shoes.
I was up with Ron sitting against his art studio wall in the sun drinking a couple cool ones. A snake crawled out between out feet. We waited until it was out from under the building.
Cool, just a bull snake.
My neighbor and brother were down in NM and there was a tarantula out in the highway. They got a stick out to move it off of the road. They were surprised about how fast the thing could climb up a stick.

 

[wngrog]

My 22# Boston Terrier took a Cottonmouth to the eye a couple of days ago. I am glad they are tougher than humans.....

 

[unkamonkey]

My 22# Boston Terrier took a Cottonmouth to the eye a couple of days ago. I am glad they are tougher than humans.....

It sounds like you have one tough little pup. My grandmother had one but we weren't allowed to get near him as kids. She was afraid one of us kids would get bit.

 

[wngrog]

What tags do you put on your YouTube videos to embed them?

 

[ljrunner05]

Great pics as always man! Really enjoyed that. My wife and I both have a passion for reptiles as well. We've got a few rescues at home, but much prefer to see them in the wild.

Just after high school I was attending a camp meeting in Mississippi. I got a call from a buddy who was mowing one of the large fields behind the nearby school. He almost ran over a little garter snake, but luckily stopped and called me. He knew I liked snakes and called me to come relocate it so it didn't get run over. By the time I got out there he had been picking it up with a stick and moving it back to the clearing so it didn't get into the tall grass. Needless to say he was less than thrilled and little feisty. He just wanted to get out of there. After catching it I took the opportunity to take it around to some of the younger classes and do a impromptu teaching moment. While walking by one of the classes before letting the little guy go in the woods an older lady walked out of a building, called me by name and told me to go put that snake down! She was my old 3rd grade teacher, I hadn't seen her in years! Apparently I hadn't changed much...

 

[inv3ctiv3]

Great pics as always man! Really enjoyed that. My wife and I both have a passion for reptiles as well. We've got a few rescues at home, but much prefer to see them in the wild.

Just after high school I was attending a camp meeting in Mississippi. I got a call from a buddy who was mowing one of the large fields behind the nearby school. He almost ran over a little garter snake, but luckily stopped and called me. He knew I liked snakes and called me to come relocate it so it didn't get run over. By the time I got out there he had been picking it up with a stick and moving it back to the clearing so it didn't get into the tall grass. Needless to say he was less than thrilled and little feisty. He just wanted to get out of there. After catching it I took the opportunity to take it around to some of the younger classes and do a impromptu teaching moment. While walking by one of the classes before letting the little guy go in the woods an older lady walked out of a building, called me by name and told me to go put that snake down! She was my old 3rd grade teacher, I hadn't seen her in years! Apparently I hadn't changed much...

That's awesome! I'm the same way, I have some I've taken in as rescues but always rather see them in their natural environment than a cage!

 

[reddog90]

Awesome trip and props to you on not killing every snake you see.

 

[illking]

Dude! so stoked on everything. Metal, cliff jumping, reptiles and of coarse off roading. I love to see reptiles out in the wild i keep my distance from snakes since im not educated but always happy to see them and thankful for them to share their environment with us. Pumped to follow your youtube channel now

 

[YetiX]

Amazing pictures and cool report! I've passed through that area probably 50 times (Whitney, Mammoth, Kern River, etc.) but never stopped to explore. Sounds like I need to. Let me know if you ever want to show someone around the area.

A few years ago we camped off 20 Mule Team to ride out to Husky Monument. As we were sitting around the campfire, I spotted this little guy. Wasn't larger than a 50 cent piece, maybe even smaller. I've seen hundreds of rattlesnakes in my life, but never one that small. Since he was so exposed, I moved him over to some rocks so he would be safe.

 

[inv3ctiv3]

Awesome trip and props to you on not killing every snake you see.

Thanks man, I don't kill any snakes I love all reptiles and amphibians and hope I can help show that they're not out to hurt anyone they just wanna live their lives same as us.

Dude! so stoked on everything. Metal, cliff jumping, reptiles and of coarse off roading. I love to see reptiles out in the wild i keep my distance from snakes since im not educated but always happy to see them and thankful for them to share their environment with us. Pumped to follow your youtube channel now

Thanks dude! It's always best to keep your distance unless you know what it is so good on ya for that!

Amazing pictures and cool report! I've passed through that area probably 50 times (Whitney, Mammoth, Kern River, etc.) but never stopped to explore. Sounds like I need to. Let me know if you ever want to show someone around the area.

A few years ago we camped off 20 Mule Team to ride out to Husky Monument. As we were sitting around the campfire, I spotted this little guy. Wasn't larger than a 50 cent piece, maybe even smaller. I've seen hundreds of rattlesnakes in my life, but never one that small. Since he was so exposed, I moved him over to some rocks so he would be safe.

Very cool little Crotalus Cerastes (Sidewinder) and because rattlesnakes give live birth they're all super small when neonates much like the one you moved (thanks for doing that!).