[pct-l] Surrounded by Rattlesnakes

[calliger@infolane.com (R.J.Calliger)]

Too complicate matters I can around the bend in that section
and a rattler was just lieing their dozzzzzing....

It did not even have the courtesy to rattle even when I was
2 feet away!

talk about mellow.

It started rattling **after** I hastilly jumped over it... I think I
might have got it a little wet from peeing my pants :-))

R

At 9:47 AM -0800 4/8/01, CharlieJones@aol.com wrote:
>For those of you in the Class of 2001 who plan to camp at Cibbets Flat
>Campground after you leave Lake Morena ...
>
>In case you wake up the next morning and hear noises that make you think you
>are "surrounded by rattlesnakes," stop and think about that (from inside your
>zipped tent, of course). Too bad about your tarp-using fellow hikers; they
>have no place to hide.
>
>This happened to me when I began to section hike the PCT in 1994. The sound
>was unmistakable (almost) and caused me to ask, "What's wrong with this
>picture?" Actually, I never saw any snakes and only solved the mystery
>recently.
>
>I heard somewhere, talked with a bird keeper at the Wild Animal Park, and
>then read about it for confirmation, that burrowing owls imitate the noise of
>a rattlesnake when threatened. Since these little owls live underground in
>burrows and have as many as 8-12 young, they could make quite a stir if
>something tried to invade their burrow.
>
>Don't be lulled into believing that ALL rattling sounds are from harmless
>burrowing owls. If you only hear one "owl," I'd be really careful about
>taking that next step until I knew what made the noise and where they are.
>
>Have a good hike!
>
>Charlie
>
>
>
>
>
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