NEW -- From Northern California

Greetings fellow herpers Smile

I am an avid forum member on another site -- And VenomLand came highly recommended to me by a member there, and he is of course a member here.

My name is John Delgado; from Northern California, little town of Ukiah, in Mendocino County

My wife and I are new to field herping - And our specific interest is Rattlesnakes

In May od 2013 my wife and I decided that since we fear a rattlesnake, and have never seen one... our decision to go look for one was made in effort to get over the fear. HHhahaaaa... OMG Shocked

we found a rattlesnake in it's natural environment affraid

And THAT was a day that changed our lives for-EVARRR...!!!

Then came the 2014 season and although we got a late start, wasn't until June that we were on a hike and found snake tracks everywhere...! - We knew that the tracks HAD TO be rattlesnake. The terrain, the size of tracks... like I said... 'everywhere' -- So, we just had to get our camera and snake gear and go back, and we did... we found and recorded thirteen (13) rattlesnakes in about a two month time period.

I will be sharing the pics and video we took over the past season here on VenomLand -- But in 2015, I'm starting early...! bounce

NOTE: We are NOT collectors; we handle the rattlesnakes with care, we take pics and video only... then return God's most amazing and misunderstood creation back to it's natural habitat.

This is a pic of my fav catch of 2014 season -- Northern Pacific Rattlesnake - Crotalus oreganus oreganus -- We named "Travis"

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Beautiful find! Oreganus are one of my absolute favorites.

Ahhh man... this guy was STUNNING... gorgeous pic, but still... no justice.

And he was very animated too... rattled the entire 30 minutes or so time I spent with him.

He was very aware at all time... continuous DEFCON 1, or DEFCON 2 -- ALL systems armed and ready - Had me on LOCKED target at all times.

Hello John,

First: Welcome to this forum!
Second (but not meant as "last"): That is a beautiful picture of an extraordinary C. oreganus. Thank you.

I´m looking forward to more of your photos (animals and maybe habitat too),
best regards,
Rainer

Thank you -- Haha... it's a funny story; every time my wife and I go rattlesnake hunting, and we venture through the area where we caught Travis... we always call his name "Travis... Traaaaaaavis... where are you Traaaaaaavis...?"

We just have to-have to see him again someday : Cool

I'll be posting video soon... I think it's a week before I'm allowed to post video - correct? Question

Welcome John, that is one beautiful C. oreganus! So much good info here to understand the diversity of reptile life both captive and of wild populations.

Hello John,

your chances to find "Travis" or other individual rattlers you have seen again are quite high. They are quite territorial.

I used to go searching for rattlesnakes in Texas, New Mexico and Arizona for many years and could find many specimens of C. lepidus (+ klauberi), molossus, ornatus, viridis and atrox in the same places over several years. Finding them was especially easy under cooler conditions as they usually could be found on one or two special spots for sunbathing.

It is the same here in Europe with the vipers that live here. During my research about Vipera ammodytes I could watch some individuals for over 20 years using the same den for hibernation (and breeding in front of it in spring) and another place from spring to autumn that was in some cases quite far away from the den, finding their way from one to the other twice each year. And in most of these snakes the spot for warming up in the morning was the same over the years.

Good luck for next year,
Rainer

Ronald Streeter wrote:: Welcome John, that is one beautiful C. oreganus! So much good info here to understand the diversity of reptile life both captive and of wild populations.

You know me from CGN right...? You know that.

Thank you Ron for recommending VenomLand -- this is a great site, and I am certain I'll have a home here.

Rainer Fesser wrote:: Hello John,

your chances to find "Travis" or other individual rattlers you have seen again are quite high. They are quite territorial.

Good luck for next year,
Rainer

Thank you Rainer... and yes, I have heard this to be true. Denise and I do look forward to seeing Travis again.

In addition to Travis, there is another rattler we want to see again... his name is 'Sylvester' -- He makes his springtime home in some man-placed boulders around a camp site where motocross recreationists park for the day to have lunch and BBQ. The trash they leave behind feed the rodents quite well, and the rodents... well, you know... they feed the rattlesnakes Laughing

And from the looks of Sylvester... the rodents feed him really-GOOD...!!! Oh he's a BIG BOY...! Shocked

We did visit Sylvester 4 or 5 times in the course of about two months... we handled him only twice. I'll be posting video and pictures once my 7 day probation is done.

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