rattlesnakes (Ogallala, Niobrara: live in, to move, transport)

[IsThisOneTaken?]

Originally Posted by itsMeFred

Where??

I've lived all over the Sandhills and this has not been my experience at all...

For the same reason you don't find too many prairie dogs in the Sandhills, you don't usually find rattlesnakes, either. Generally speaking, you need rocky areas, and/or, firm soil for rattlesnake habitat.
You don't find that type of terrain in the vast majority of the Sandhills.

Then again, now that I'm thinking about it, you don't really find too many antelope in the Sandhills either. If I'm thinking correctly, you can't even GET an antelope permit in almost all of the Sandhills counties because they're pretty uncommon...

Are you sure you're hunting IN the Sandhills, and not one of the surrounding regions, like the panhandle or the Platte Valley?

Well, I would most definitely consider northern Arthur County and southern Grant county west of Highway 61 the Sandhills.

There are antelope permits available--and antelope to hunt--in many sandhills counties. While not even close to being as prevalent as deer, they are there.

http://outdoornebraska.ne.gov/huntin...fs/biggame.pdf Page 11 and 12

I totally agree with you in that rattlesnake are more prevalent in the rocky areas you mention. In fact, the fine folks at UNL tell us they PREFER rocky outcrops and prairie dog towns:

Snake Key and All Snakes

In my younger days I spent a lot of time walking the sandhills north of Lemoyne and encountered plenty of rattlesnakes. While not the sandhills, I've also found them on the beach at Lake McConaughy, on the rocks on both sides of Lake McConaughy and even swimming in Lake McConaughy (during high water years).

But trust me: they are in the sandhills too. I'm not just making this up to try to lead the OP on a wild goose (snake?) chase.

[rainroosty]

Originally Posted by ron van bergen

Looking for places to catch rattlesnakes in Nebraska. I've heard the Chimney Rock area has lots of snakes as well as the Chadron area and dog towns around Ogallala. Scottsbluff area is supposed to have lots of snakes also. Anyone have good information about snakes in these areas?

Why?

[ron van bergen]

Anybody have any knowledge abouit snake populations around the Chimney Rock National Monument and the Wildcat Hills,

[rainroosty]

Originally Posted by ron van bergen

Anybody have any knowledge abouit snake populations around the Chimney Rock National Monument and the Wildcat Hills,

I asked you, "why?"

There's no reason for you to kill our rattlesnakes, they're in plenty of danger from mankind as it is.

[Mathguy]

Originally Posted by rainroosty

I asked you, "why?"

There's no reason for you to kill our rattlesnakes, they're in plenty of danger from mankind as it is.

It's not clear that he is hunting to kill them but perhaps wants to keep\breed them or maybe just take pictures?

Not sure if the massagua is protected, I would highly recommend the OP contact the state dept. of wildlife and find out what types of permits he may need and what is and is not protected.

He could also post on the venemous forum of kingsnake.com as that place is *packed* with experts (some of which I've seen on the discovery channel from time to time.)

Fortunately, most of the snakes you'll find in Nebraska are not as medically significant (prairie and massagua) unless the rare timber rattlers happen to get that far north. The prairie etc. are NOWHERE near as dangerous as a bite from something like a mojave or one of the eastern or western diamondbacks.

Imagine if you had snakes like the lachesis muta muta in your woods.

[IsThisOneTaken?]

Originally Posted by ron van bergen

Anybody have any knowledge abouit snake populations around the Chimney Rock National Monument and the Wildcat Hills,

Since both those areas have the aforementioned rocky landscape, I would have to assume they have decent populations. Both areas have signs warning of rattlesnakes on the paths, although I have not personally seen one at either area. However, I've not spent a lot of time "off the beaten path" at either area.

You would want to check with the office at Wildcat Hills (SRA/WMA) or Chimney Rock (state historical society--not a national monument) to make sure they allow take of the snakes on their property. Or see if you can get permission to collect on private property.

There is a bag limit of 10 prairie rattlers for in-state use. Export is prohibited.

http://www.sos.ne.gov/rules-and-regs.../Chapter-4.pdf

010.03A3 Take of individuals from the wild
within Nebraska and associated in-state
transport, possession, or processing will be
permitted with a bag and possession limit of
ten (10) individuals per species, or products
derived from ten (10) individuals per species
---Prairie Rattlesnake Crotalus viridis

[SCGranny]

Originally Posted by IsThisOneTaken?

Since both those areas have the aforementioned rocky landscape, I would have to assume they have decent populations. Both areas have signs warning of rattlesnakes on the paths, although I have not personally seen one at either area. However, I've not spent a lot of time "off the beaten path" at either area.

You would want to check with the office at Wildcat Hills (SRA/WMA) or Chimney Rock (state historical society--not a national monument) to make sure they allow take of the snakes on their property. Or see if you can get permission to collect on private property.

There is a bag limit of 10 prairie rattlers for in-state use. Export is prohibited.

Some of my ranching neighbors (south of me, near the Niobrara river) tell me that, every spring, their pastures and hayfields are moving - alive with literally hundreds of rattlers. They go out and shoot them, and run out of ammo long before they run out of snakes. I told them I was from what was formerly advertised as "The Snake Capitol of the World!" - and we used to use CO2 fire extinguishers, freeze the little buggers, then pick them up and break them on trees. I may have started a new trend...

With the literally thousands of rattlers reported out here in spring, I find it interesting that there's a "bag limit".

[rainroosty]

Originally Posted by SCGranny

Some of my ranching neighbors (south of me, near the Niobrara river) tell me that, every spring, their pastures and hayfields are moving - alive with literally hundreds of rattlers. They go out and shoot them, and run out of ammo long before they run out of snakes. I told them I was from what was formerly advertised as "The Snake Capitol of the World!" - and we used to use CO2 fire extinguishers, freeze the little buggers, then pick them up and break them on trees. I may have started a new trend...

Originally Posted by SCGranny

With the literally thousands of rattlers reported out here in spring, I find it interesting that there's a "bag limit".

...and then, in turn, you would have literally thousands of rodents. It is pretty darn cruel and irresponsible....

[ron van bergen]

SCGranny, what counties are your ranching friends in?

[SCGranny]

Cherry and Sheridan...