I’ve lived between these two states my entire life. I’ve probably average 50 miles a week for the last 15 years and I’ve never heard of a runner getting bitten by a rattlesnake. It may happen on occasion, but I bet more dogs get bitten by rattlesnakes and human beings in the southwest.
I have even seen Josh Kerr running on the same trails that I have also seen snakes. I have never witnessed both at the same time.
Wait a minute. You've seen a snake. You've seen Kerr. And you've never seen them in the same place at the same time. Are you suggesting that Kerr ... might be a snake? That would make sense then, why he's never been bitten.
I’ve lived between these two states my entire life. I’ve probably average 50 miles a week for the last 15 years and I’ve never heard of a runner getting bitten by a rattlesnake. It may happen on occasion, but I bet more dogs get bitten by rattlesnakes and human beings in the southwest.
I spent time in AZ for about two years, and I’ve seen all three of these. Mostly rattlers either on trails or in arroyos, but also on asphalt. Probably encountered about six total.
Sorry, replied to the wrong guy… I’ve never heard of a runner getting bitten either, but I’m sure it’s happened.
This post was edited 1 minute after it was posted.
Lived in Arizona for 15 years. Never saw a rattle, scorpion or tarantula.
I spent time in AZ for about two years, and I’ve seen all three of these. Mostly rattlers either on trails or in arroyos, but also on asphalt. Probably encountered about six total.
I've probably seen ten rattlesnakes in my life. The first time was when I was about twelve and went deer hunting with my dad in the Sierras. That was the closest I got to getting bit. I had walked right by it. I heard a sound like I was dragging a bush behind me. I didn't want to scare the deer so I stopped and looked back down. There was a HUGH rattlesnake coiled about two feet behind me, obviously ready to strike. I immediately leaped forward. I never saw if the snake stuck or not. I know now that rattlesnakes can only strike two-thirds of their length, so I think I was just within reach. I did deliveries for 17 years in the Santa Cruz Mountains and saw two. One, probably three feet long and thick, on a porch. The other on a dirt road. The others I saw at Lake Shasta and in the hills above Willits and Sonora.
My dad got bitten by a copperhead in Oklahoma when he was a kid and almost died. He became terrified of snakes. When he saw my disappointment in his being so afraid of the garter snake I held in my hands when I was about ten, he said, "Well, son, there are only two kinds of snakes I'm afraid of." I I I "What kinds of snakes?" I asked. Kind of relieved that there were only two kinds of snakes he was afraid of. And he said, "Lives ones and dead ones."
That is strange considering rattlesnakes lurk along side every trail in existence.
In my experience... Rattlers pick up your heat and vibration signals as you approach and they just hope you don't step on them. They kind of perceive a running human as a large animal that is way too big to eat.
Used to see them rather fairly routinely on trails and roads around Tucson. Only had one ever get aggressive and one other one hiss and rattle.
Jumped over a few on the trails though.
Kick a little toward them (like it's windy) and they leave. You can even them to head in a certain direction ... away from a trail. They can't hear so yelling is a waste of your energy.
I have even seen Josh Kerr running on the same trails that I have also seen snakes. I have never witnessed both at the same time.
Wait a minute. You've seen a snake. You've seen Kerr. And you've never seen them in the same place at the same time. Are you suggesting that Kerr ... might be a snake? That would make sense then, why he's never been bitten.
it wouldn't mean he was never bitten. In fact, if he's a king snake he is immune to venom and would be there to EAT rattlesnakes.
So, those posters noticing there aren't many rattlesnakes around... Please Josh Kerr stop eating the rattlesnakes
I have even seen Josh Kerr running on the same trails that I have also seen snakes. I have never witnessed both at the same time.
Wait a minute. You've seen a snake. You've seen Kerr. And you've never seen them in the same place at the same time. Are you suggesting that Kerr ... might be a snake? That would make sense then, why he's never been bitten.
This might be top 5 most I’ve randomly laughed at a post on letsrun. lol solid
We had d2 regionals at West Texas A&M the first year they hosted. They just mowed a field that was never used for humans before. There were rattlesnakes everywhere on the edge of the course in the brush for the pre regional meet. They were on the course in the afternoon the day before the race and rattling like crazy.
But like others have mentioned they don't want to bite a human they can't eat a human. Also like others have mentioned they want to be in places humans (predators) don't go. This was a rare time when a place a human hadn't been in years now had a couple hundred people running through it. Never was an issue other years and by November west texas is pretty cold so they aren't out and about.
In the south east of I-35 cotten mouths though less potent poisen tend to be around trails and since they don't have a rattle they aggressively fake strike. In the summer near water def don't hug the edge of the trail. But going out west growing up rattlesnakes are extremely common and mostly not an issue because they give you a nice warning
Apparently they’re kind of common here. I was surprised to see one but the natives said they’re everywhere.
Don’t know about SD, though I would assume they’d be common as they’re all over WY. Also, you think Albuquerque is bad, go to Las Cruces.
Las Cruces: On the trail below the dam I've run across a rattler three or four times in the past few years. I'm starting to think it might be the same one!
Remind me to never trust someone who teaches a herpetology class in Texas, yet does not know the ranges of the Western Diamondback or the Prairie Rattlesnake. These are both in West Texas and New Mexico and live at over 6,000 feet altitude.
Since the original post I replied to was deleted, this makes no sense. The original post was by someone who claimed to teach herpitology (sic) in Texas, while stating that rattlesnakes don't live over 3,000 feet elevation.
I live in Northwest Arizona at 3300-3600’ (above 3000’). While out running or working outside, I have come across mohave green rattlesnakes, western diamondbacks, king snakes, red racers, bull snakes, multiple scorpions, and tarantulas. Also deer, coyotes and one time a javelina. I once was able to slowly get less about 7 feet from a hawk perched on some rock formation.
One of the bull snakes I saw was very large. I took a pic and later estimated it to be 7.5 feet long. Based on the 6.5 foot steps I took from where the tail to head was, plus a foot for the curves of the snake. This is way into the upper percentile for bull snake length. It was in the middle of the trail, I stopped before I ran into it, but it sensed me and got mad and acted like a rattlesnake. It hissed and shook its tail. It lives in an undeveloped field area with two small hills… I run there from my house as it’s a quarter mile away. I thought I’d run into it again, but haven’t.
Back in the 90s when I lived in Tucson for a couple years, me and another runner were rounding a turn and ran into a rattlesnake on the trail. I immediately jumped high and to the left while yelling. After I frantically jumped away, the snake was coiled up with its head a foot off the ground. It was mad! That rattle sound is haunting. My runner friend behind me said it struck at me… I don’t know if it did or not, because he was kind of a fibber and exaggerator…. But either way, that was scary.
He did get bitten by a radioactive snake that escaped from a government facility in Los Alamos. The bite gave him super running powers with the downside being he’s now a total douche interpersonally. This is a well known fact that has been documented in several fact checked articles from reputable sources. Google it brah.
A rattler nearly bit us running at top of Copper Trailhead in ABQ. My buddy running in front of me thought he was stomping onto a stick but was a rattler that lurched around and came at us. We were both 10k guys but for a moment became sprinters as we screamed up the trail and away.