The Sportsman's Corner

I do not spend a lot of time on the internet; but when I am online, I visit a couple of fly-fishing sites. One of these is paflyfish.com, where there is a forum that includes various sub-forums. On one sub-forum, visitors can post about nearly any topic. Two recent threads on this Off the Subject (of fly-fishing) sub-forum have involved rattlesnakes.

Those posting their thoughts about rattlesnakes on both threads nearly all espoused the attitude that rattlesnakes are your friends. These sportsmen would do nothing to harm a rattler under nearly any circumstance. They insist that rattlesnakes control populations of mice and other vermin. They also insist that rattlesnakes bite few people during a calendar year.

I am not one who harbors a grudge against rattlesnakes. I, too, would not harm a rattlesnake in most situations. I once stopped my truck on the top of Lock Mountain to avoid running over a big rattlesnake.

It is, in fact, illegal to kill rattlesnakes in Pennsylvania unless you possess a rattlesnake permit to possess or harvest one. You can buy one of these per calendar year from the PFBC. The harvested snake must be at least 42 inches long. (How would you determine that in the woods?) The season runs from the second Saturday in June through July 31. You may kill one "in defense of life and limb" at any time but must report the kill to the PFBC within five days.

One poster wrote that cooked rattlesnake meat is tasty. In addition, he said that a properly cured rattlesnake skin can make an attractive hatband or display.

Traditional rattlesnake snake hunts that were popular in northcentral Pennsylvania gathered rattlers from all over the big woods. Some were sold to make anti-venom. Recently, rules governing these hunts have become much more restrictive.

Rules limiting the killing of rattlesnakes have apparently paid dividends. The posters on the Off the Subject threads believe rattlesnake populations are on the upswing since restrictive rules were established.

Most of the posters about the formerly despised rattlers forget one thing: Rattlesnakes can be dangerous, especially around camps and permanent residences. Rattlers are often difficult to spot in forested settings. About 20 years ago I nearly tramped on one after a fly-fishing adventure that had lured me 25 minutes away from my truck. Had I stepped on the snake, I would've been in trouble. One autumn, I nearly sat on a rock with a rattlesnake underneath it. That could've been unpleasant.

Rattlesnakes may well be your "friends" – but they are dangerous ones.