Huge Rattlesnake!

[RattlesnakeJack]

Well, I don't know if this is one of those pictures which has been circulating forever .... but it is the first time I've seen it, so thought I'd share it with all you pards. 

It is captioned in the forwarded e-mail I received as being 9 feet, 1 inch in length, weighing 97 lbs, and having been taken east of Helena, Montana, near Canyon Ferry Lake .....

Now obviously the old "anglers trick", of holding a fish closer to the camera lens to make it appear larger, is operating here .... but this is still one BIG snake!

[Dr. Bob]

This is certainly the way to meet a rattler of that size.  Wouldn't want to come across him up close and buzzing!

[Delmonico]

Big one, not sure it's quite than long, picture has been around a while.

[Wymore Wrangler]

See that picture several years ago, and it was supposely taken in western Nebraska in that one...

[Forty Rod]

Got bit by one that size.  After several days of intese pain, delerium, weight lose, and morbid flesh loss the poor dang thing finally died.   

[Texas Lawdog]

That picture lookd like it was taken at an abandoned booster station. It could be Neb., Kansas, Okla. or even the Texas Panhandle. I have seen them on the ranch almost that big.

[Tensleep]

First time I saw that picture the caption said it was found out around Big Spring Tex.

BIG snake ennyway ya look at it.

[Pitspitr]

Heck Jack when I saw the title I thought you was talking about yourself. You're somewhere around 9' tall ain't ya?

[Delmonico]

Ain't anywhere in Newbrassky unless someone imported the snake, that's a Diamondback, and from the terrain I'd say the Western type.  We ain't got them here, Western Newbrassky has Prairie Rattler's, but 4 foot is big, Eastern Newbrassky has Massagua's, 3 foot is giant and the wooded areas along the Missouri has the Timber type, but maybe 6 ft on them. 

[Howdy Doody]

Got bit by one that size.  After several days of intese pain, delerium, weight lose, and morbid flesh loss the dang thing finally died.   

heh, heh. It is believable folks, trust me. 

[Delmonico]

Got bit by one that size.  After several days of intese pain, delerium, weight lose, and morbid flesh loss the poor dang thing finally died.   

heh, heh. It is believable folks, trust me. 

I'm surprised it took that long, must have been a tough snake.

[Crooked River Bob]

Howdy

I looked 'er up on the Snopes.com website, and sure enough, this rattler has made the rounds:  Big Rattlesnake

Scroll on down and read the whole page.  They discuss the provenance and accuracy of the photo.  There's also a recipe for fried rattlesnake.

However, there is no doubt that this is a big snake, and it makes a great picture.  I had not seen it before.  Thanks for posting, Rattlesnake Jack!

... and Forty Rod, you gave me my first good laugh of the day.  Thanks, bubba!

Crooked River Bob

[El Peludo]

 
That's one big rat-o-leer buzzworm, no matter how ya' try to shake it out.  Not too many ever get that size, and for sure, that one appears to be a Pacific or some sort of Western Diamondback Rattlesnake; they do get pretty big.  Saw one in southern Oregon that was some over six feet, biggest one I've ever seen.  Most of our southwestern buzzers never get longer than about three to five feet.  Now, some of them other kind o' snakes in the world, well 

[Buckskin Ben]

Seen that snake 'bout a hundred times.

[Daniel Nighteyes]

Heck, y'all ain't SEEN a big snake 'til ya come acrosst one o' those Alabama Timber Rattlers. One time my friend Broussard seen one stretched out acrosst th' road, 'n decided ta run over it wit' his pulpwood truck.   Didn' work out too good, nope, 'cause de truck high-centered on dat snake an' got hung up.

Ol' Timber Rattler wuz plumb mad at Broussard, yessir, 'cause he done ruint his afternoon nap.  Snake throwed a coil aroun' da truck, squeezed it a mite, an' proceeded ta swallow it -- pulpwood 'n all.  Broussard jest barely got out in time!

[Deadeye Dick]

I don't think he could lift a 97 pound anything the way he is holding the snake. Big snake though.