[pct-l] Rattlesnake Bites

[Nathan Miller]

>They basically just want you to go away, they don't want to bite you.

I concur.  I've only had a few encounters with snakes.  The first was a rather large timber rattler in the not-so-high Sierra that had just eaten something.  It was slowly slithering across the trail and seemed to be oblivious of our presence.  Another was two years ago just north of Burney Falls.  I stepped across a branch and right next to another smaller branch...only the smaller branch was a rattlesnake!  I yelped, jumped back, and watched as it slithered up onto a log next to the trail, coiled up, and then just looked at me.  The most recent was last June near Middle Devil's Pk. north of Seiad Valley.  A snake rattled at me from under a rock.  I stopped and as I backed up slowly, the rattling slowed.  I maneuvered around the rock and as I retreated down the trail, the rattling slowed and then stopped.

It's probably like that with most wildlife...bears, cougars, etc.  They just want to be allowed to go about their business and move along, because we aren't the droids they seek.

-Nate the Trail Zombie
Newberg, OR