Posted: 5/23/2015 6:56:29 PM EDT
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As if we needed to be reminded. I almost sat on a diamondback sporting a reddish caste yesterday. Was it a Mohave Red(with a formal range somewhat South of me), or a Western Diamondback? Intardnet research is inconclusive.
That's the third one in a month I've almost stepped on or sat on while hunting in the desert. Let's be careful out there. |
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I believe it's called the Black Mountain Wilderness.
First, I sat on a biggish flat rock to rest. Then I poured some dog kibbles on it for my hunting dogs. As they ate, I walked around to the backside of this 1 1/2' by 2' rock. I squatted down and poured some more kibbles. While doing this, I heard a faint whirring sound. "That can't be a snake buzzing," I thought. I looked down at my feet, and the pinkish/tan diamonds were beginning to squirm and slither around under the rock, 6" from my boots. 
I flew backwards, threw the water bottles back in my pack, kicked the kibbles off the top of the rock, and we fled, leaking water as we went. And people wonder why I pray for safety before each hunt! Careful out there. Antivenom is a paltry $2000/ unit, with people sometimes needing a dozen units. I'm still surprised I didn't get poisoned. |
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You are a bit north of the Reds range. But nobody may have told the snake it was too far north. One good thing about the reds, they are generally more timid and mild mannered than the Mojave Green.
Since you mention anti venom, if you do get bit, it's best to know what type of snake it was. |
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I saw the wikipedia map of the red's range. I wonder if they got the memo that they were Out of Bounds.
We have the Mojave Greens (almost stepped on one of those) and the Western Diamondbacks, too. I've seen more Western Diamondbacks than I care to remember. My sensitive rear was about 6" from that snake's icky mouth, while I sat there
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| I doubt most folks realize just how close they come to snakes, of all types, on any given outing. For the most part, snakes will just slither away (we are too big to eat), or lie still and wait for us to go away. While the Mojave Green does have a reputation for having a bad disposition, even they will only bite if their space in invaded. |