Prairie Rattleer

[Coyotehunter]

Over Memorial weekend a couple of good friends of mine, one a trapper from Arizona came up to spend a few days calling and the is from town here. We were driving through a pasture, bumped a wet female and I was able to knock her down at about 250 yards on the run. I thought I had a pic of her but I guess not. Not sure what happend but every pic my friend to not make it. He asked me a few days ago where the space bar was on the computer, that should have told me something. Anyways, wet female showing 3 pups and a belly full of birds, mice, and antelope. Middle of the day and a mile, mile and a half from anything I would think she would be denning in. I have taken roughly 60 coyotes out of this area since the first of Nov, mostly with snares. could have killed the male weeks ago. This is a winter pasture for sheep and I do not do much denning up here. Anyways we did drive over to look at one good hole we found with the binoculars. Ended up being a old Badger hole but while walking around my friend Steve from Arizona got bit by a rattle snake. Hit him three times before he could get out of the way. The first shot went in his boot, the second in the pant leg just above the boot and the third got him below the knee. Looks like most of the venom ended up in the boot on the first shot. The goofy part is that at first we could see no bit marks. so we just kept on down the line. a few hours later he had some bruising below the knee but still no bit marks that we could see. He thought maybe cause he got hit so hard that was causing the bruiseing. 9:30 that night roughly 8 hours after being bit he was taking off his boots and noticed that his lower leg was all swollen. Well obviously we should have taken him in right away. We were an hour and a half from town and could not find a bit mark and only slight bruising after several hours. Now he is swollen and a big bruise, still no bit mark. We ended up in the emergency room and the doctor could not find any bit mark and decided to run some blood tests. couple of hours later the results showed no appreciable amount of venom. Sent us home and said come back if things worsen. The anti-venom shots for the whole series can run up $20,000 about $3500 per shot. That was an eye opener. The next day we could see the bit marks, small pin pricks right at the bruise. Its been a week now and he is doing fine. Like I said it looks like most of the venom got lost in the first to strikes that hit is boot and pants leg. Ended up picking up 2 coyotes, red fox, 2 badgers and a rattle snake that day.

[bucksnbears]

Great story

[DustyC]

WOW!!!!! Lucky deal. I'm glad your friend is ok. If that would have happened to me I probably would have at least had to go change my shorts.
This is a little off the subject but did you know that they make rattlesnake vaccine for your dogs? If not ask your local vet I'm sure they can get it for you. I had one of my decoy dogs bit 2 weeks ago and she was vaccinated. Didn't hardly even swell up. (Too bad they don't make it for humans) The shot only costs $20 a dose.

[Prairie Ghost]

I give my dogs the vaccine just in case also. I just about stepped on one on saturday he gave me a little rattle at about 2ft or i would have been in trouble!!

[LeviM]

Is there anti Venom a guy can pack along incase he gets in trouble way out in the boonies?

[Coyotehunter]

Here is a interesting bit of info I learned from that whole experience. I guess when rattlers get wet they do not rattle. We had a heavy rain that night and he was trying to warn Steve but was unable to make a sound. I seen his tail buzzing away but never heard a sound.

[LeviM]

I hate snakes!

[coyotelatrans]

be glad that prairie buzzers aren't near as agressive as thier cousins. I have come close but never been bitten. If they wanted to I would have had it 3 times by now, way to close for sure would have nailed me, but they say because of all the buffalo that once roamed they are more apt to worn than strike quickly as the old buffalos would go to stoppen them to death. The timber rattlers where I grew up they where much worse as they would give you little warning and first result was to bite. Plus larger than the prairie ones. I hear to the diamond backs and mohave are much worse at this and the mohave has some of the worst venom of them all, not to mention young ones don't control there venom sacks like older ones so they will give a full dose more often than the big ones.

Anti venom has gone through the roof I guess in price and more limited so I would have to drive an hour reguardless and no you can't get it to go not over the counter.