# Tappan Timber Rattler



## maynard

https://yourradioplace.com/local-news/huge-timber-rattlesnake-found-in-harrison-county/


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## freyedknot

I seen that on the local news in Cleveland this morning but I thought it said it was from Eastern Ohio


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## cincinnati

That thing is the reason God invented long-handled gardening tools.


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## odell daniel

the old "crocodile hunter" was in PA on a show and he parked along the highway, went up a big hill and they were everywhere, he said that is the most venomous snakes he has ever been around in one area. Killdeer plains has the Lethbridge rattle snake, I know a guy had a nest of them under his porch, game warden removed them but they were back the next year, he ended up selling the house because of the snakes.


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## ducky152000

Not impossible, but this snake is most likely a hitchhiker from a pipliner truck that was down south. Reason to believe this is the most likely outcome.
1. by now snakes are holed up for winter
2. That is a very large timber rattler
3. The very very few timber rattlers we have in Ohio are in the very southern part of the state.
Just because joe smo says he saw a timber rattler or cotton mouth or even copperhead does not mean he actually did. There are no cotton mouths in Ohio. And timber rattlers and copperhead are actually very rare. Every summer you here about someone killing a rattle snake or copperhead or cottonmouth when in most cases it's a Eastern water snake or a harmless milksnake.


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## percidaeben

Let em’ live


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## Specwar

In 1968 there were Timber Rattlers discovered and removed or destroyed, I cannot remember which at Clendenning. They were in the area of the damn. The theory that this one was a hitch hiker on a vehicle from the Southwest is very likely.


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## RH1

I remember in the early 90s my dad and I were squirrel hunting in noble county around Dexter City. We were walking the edge of a thick hill side when we came up on 2 very long rattle snakes stretched out on a logging road soaking up the sunshine. First and only rattle snakes I've seen in ohio in 35 years of hunting


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## maynard

I'm from Noble and heard tell of 'em every so often. Only 2, though, from anyone i'd call credible...but never seen evidence.


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## c. j. stone

I used to deer hunt on property very near the found site(sad thread posted in Lodge forum). In forty years, I never saw a snake of any kind hunting all seasons! When growing up in Southern WVa, it was common to walk up on timber rattlers who liked sunning in cleared powerline and strip mined areas with rock piles. Many copperheads also, one actually biting my mother on our front porch!


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## Saugeyefisher

ducky152000 said:


> Not impossible, but this snake is most likely a hitchhiker from a pipliner truck that was down south. Reason to believe this is the most likely outcome.
> 1. by now snakes are holed up for winter
> 2. That is a very large timber rattler
> 3. The very very few timber rattlers we have in Ohio are in the very southern part of the state.
> Just because joe smo says he saw a timber rattler or cotton mouth or even copperhead does not mean he actually did. There are no cotton mouths in Ohio. And timber rattlers and copperhead are actually very rare. Every summer you here about someone killing a rattle snake or copperhead or cottonmouth when in most cases it's a Eastern water snake or a harmless milksnake.


I agree probobly a transplant,butt,was walking a creek sunday an seen 3 snakes why out. Kind a shocked me,but it did get pretty warm..


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## Bluesangler

ducky152000 said:


> Not impossible, but this snake is most likely a hitchhiker from a pipliner truck that was down south. Reason to believe this is the most likely outcome.
> 1. by now snakes are holed up for winter
> 2. That is a very large timber rattler
> 3. The very very few timber rattlers we have in Ohio are in the very southern part of the state.
> Just because joe smo says he saw a timber rattler or cotton mouth or even copperhead does not mean he actually did. There are no cotton mouths in Ohio. And timber rattlers and copperhead are actually very rare. Every summer you here about someone killing a rattle snake or copperhead or cottonmouth when in most cases it's a Eastern water snake or a harmless milksnake.


Lawrence County in southeastern Ohio has many copperheads. I saw a drunk bud pick one up and it bit him. Duh.
He ended up at Bellefonte Hospital overnight in agonizing pain because he was so drunk(moonshine) they wouldn't give him anything until morning.


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## Phish_4_Bass

Bluesangler said:


> Lawrence County in southeastern Ohio has many copperheads. I saw a drunk bud pick one up and it bit him. Duh.
> He ended up at Bellefonte Hospital overnight in agonizing pain because he was so drunk(moonshine) they wouldn't give him anything until morning.
> 
> 
> Sent from my SM-N950U using Tapatalk


Play stupid games, win stupid prizes.


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## fvogel67

ducky152000 said:


> Not impossible, but this snake is most likely a hitchhiker from a pipliner truck that was down south. Reason to believe this is the most likely outcome.
> 1. by now snakes are holed up for winter
> 2. That is a very large timber rattler
> 3. The very very few timber rattlers we have in Ohio are in the very southern part of the state.
> Just because joe smo says he saw a timber rattler or cotton mouth or even copperhead does not mean he actually did. There are no cotton mouths in Ohio. And timber rattlers and copperhead are actually very rare. Every summer you here about someone killing a rattle snake or copperhead or cottonmouth when in most cases it's a Eastern water snake or a harmless milksnake.


Copperheads have a pretty large range in Ohio


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## BuckeyeFishinNut

I have run into a number of copperheads in eastern Ohio. We used to see them regularly in the summer fishing strip pits in Belmont and Harrison county. Thats why we always would wear leg gaiters when we would fish out there. When walking through knee high grass, you would never see them until its too late. There is no warning from a copperhead like a rattlesnake.

I have never seen a water moccasin in Eastern Ohio though. I ran into rattlesnakes fishing in California, would rather not run into them in Ohio.


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## allbraid

Timber rattler can be a big intimidating animal. Ran into this big girl in June on the Appalachian trail in eastern PA. She was 5+ feet long and extremely thick. Gave me a warning rattle at about 5 feet before I stepped on her. I stood and watched her for about 10 minutes. Awesome sight!


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## STRONGPERSUADER

allbraid said:


> Timber rattler can be a big intimidating animal. Ran into this big girl in June on the Appalachian trail in eastern PA. She was 5+ feet long and extremely thick. Gave me a warning rattle at about 5 feet before I stepped on her. I stood and watched her for about 10 minutes. Awesome sight!


That even looks like it would hurt.


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## ducky152000

fvogel67 said:


> Copperheads have a pretty large range in Ohio
> View attachment 286527


I totally agree, but just because they have a wide range dose not mean they are a common sight to Ohio residents. I was just saying that the majority believes they see a copperhead or rattle snake when in reality they see a harmless water snake or milk snake.


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## fvogel67

I agree most people confuse them.But they are very common.
I see them regularly when I’m catching bait here in Butler County.


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## STRONGPERSUADER

I seen a Copperhead back in the mid 80’s in Mohican at the covered bridge area. The Park Ranger removed it because the area was so populated. I used to wade for SM all the way down to Rt3 quite often and that was a first and only for me.


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## fastwater

Not surprising some haven't seen any copperheads in Ohio since they go mostly nocturnal in the summer months.
I can take you to a pond in Logan Ohio towards McArthur that's on property I used to spring turkey hunt that was infested with them. So much so that the property owner warned me and made me promise not to hunt around that pond. And no...these were not water snakes. They were copperheads and it was not uncommon to see several laying on the rocks around the pond sunning themselves when the cool mornings started to warm up.


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## maynard

I've lived in Noble County for 30 years and only seen 2 copperheads. My dad ran over the back half of one on and mashed it to our road, while the front half tried to strike us until it finally died. When I was 21, found one on Whiskey Run golf course, layin next to a sandstone. Seen my friend jump 3 feet up and start hollerin for me to come down off the tee blocks. I was makin fun of him for being scared of a water snake, til I got down there. It struck my 7 iron several times before I teed off in it. Another buddy almost stepped on one in WV a couple years ago on a fishin trip. The eyes, the pits, and the blunt tail give em away. I've heard several different people tell about findin em in sandstone foundations...I suspect it's on account of being porous and it keeps em cool?


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## bubbster

Copperhead bites are usually to the hands of someone working around old buildings. They have a small set of jaws. and like old buildings.


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## Brutus

bubbster said:


> Copperhead bites are usually to the hands of someone working around old buildings. They have a small set of jaws. and like old buildings.


Lived in Belmont county


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## Reid man

A buddy of mine in vinton county had to cal ODNR yesterday because he had a timber rattler in his front yard . His kid saw the rattler










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## Tazmanme

Reid man said:


> A buddy of mine in vinton county had to cal ODNR yesterday because he had a timber rattler in his front yard . His kid saw the rattler
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 Holy Moly that’s a big one, sorry , but he would have to get relocated!


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## Farmhand

odell daniel said:


> the old "crocodile hunter" was in PA on a show and he parked along the highway, went up a big hill and they were everywhere, he said that is the most venomous snakes he has ever been around in one area. Killdeer plains has the Lethbridge rattle snake, I know a guy had a nest of them under his porch, game warden removed them but they were back the next year, he ended up selling the house because of the snakes.


I’ve never heard of a lethbridge rattlesnake. Pretty sure it’s a made up name for something else.


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## Muddy

The ones around Killdeer Plains are Massasauga Rattlesnakes.


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## MagicMarker

Reid man said:


> A buddy of mine in vinton county had to cal ODNR yesterday because he had a timber rattler in his front yard . His kid saw the rattler
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If one showed up in my yard I'm afraid it'd never make it another day and never be seen again


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## slimdaddy45

We have both around here around Nelsonville never seen a rattle snake where I live but have several copperheads but just nw of town there a hollow called Dorr Run it is full of rattlesnakes .When I worked in the oil patch we had several wells there and we killed a few on locations and seen a lot. The old story I"ve always heard that there was a survival camp up there and they turned them loose for food for the survivalist to eat whether that true or not I don't know way before my time but Ive always heard that but I do know Dorr Run is full of rattlesnakes because Ive seen them a lot of them in my time of working in that area


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## bubbster

slimdaddy45 said:


> We have both around here around Nelsonville never seen a rattle snake where I live but have several copperheads but just nw of town there a hollow called Dorr Run it is full of rattlesnakes .When I worked in the oil patch we had several wells there and we killed a few on locations and seen a lot. The old story I"ve always heard that there was a survival camp up there and they turned them loose for food for the survivalist to eat whether that true or not I don't know way before my time but Ive always heard that but I do know Dorr Run is full of rattlesnakes because Ive seen them a lot of them in my time of working in that area


Just that the conditions for them are just right. In Pa. Cooks forest park they have a display that tells you that. Plus some beautiful examples of coloration on display. By the way, sure would like to photograph an Ohio Rattler! Might have to check Dorr run!


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## bubbster

I would gladly pay a fee to someone who can show me an Ohio Rattler of any native species! Would love to photograph an Ohio rattler! Contact me I'm serious if you are.


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## One guy and a boat

North Bloomfield, Ohio. Trumbull county. Thought I didn't have to worry about poisonous snakes lol









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## slimdaddy45

bubbster said:


> I would gladly pay a fee to someone who can show me an Ohio Rattler of any native species! Would love to photograph an Ohio rattler! Contact me I'm serious if you are.


I gaurentee theres rattlers in Dorr Run this was in the early 80's so im sure there some still there


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## bubbster

Suppose I will try to get down there sometime. My Uncle was raised around Carbon Hill.


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## Drm50

Southern Belmont and Monroe cnty have plenty of copper heads. They are not what I call wide spread but there are places that are full of them. I was involved in drilling core samples for coal in Belmont & Monroe cnty and saw them daily, dead & alive the guys on drill rigs claimed ground vibrations brought them out. They had shotguns on rigs. Steep hollows with rock outcrops near woods with creek are prime areas for copper head. One year in 80s me and a buddy hunted CHs for the hides. Hand caught and drowned, we didn't shoot because it would have docked the price. We got around 25 a week, hunting from 7am to 10am. They were caught 10minutes from my house.

The only Rattler I've seen in Ohio was a stow away from WVa. It came into supply house in a crate with a electric motor from down Bluefield way. Seen my share in other states. The Tappan snake appears to me to be from SE state due to coloration. There is a lot of water snakes mistakes for CHs by people that have never seen a CH. The only thing similar would be color pattern. All snakes show colors and markings better right after they shed. CHs will get almost black ahead of shed. I've skinned CH with young still in sac like little Lima beans. The tiny little snakes had perfect markings. 
CH are not that aggressive unless cornered or fooled with. You almost have to step on one to get bit. 

Guy I know was bit hooking choker up to a log. Got him in forearm. He didn't go to doctor, was sick for 3 days. To this day that bite looks like a big rotten place in his arm. His family is backward and used some old time home cures on the bite. Me, I'd go to Doc.


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## maynard

Drm50 said:


> Southern Belmont and Monroe cnty have plenty of copper heads. They are not what I call wide spread but there are places that are full of them. I was involved in drilling core samples for coal in Belmont & Monroe cnty and saw them daily, dead & alive the guys on drill rigs claimed ground vibrations brought them out. They had shotguns on rigs. Steep hollows with rock outcrops near woods with creek are prime areas for copper head. One year in 80s me and a buddy hunted CHs for the hides. Hand caught and drowned, we didn't shoot because it would have docked the price. We got around 25 a week, hunting from 7am to 10am. They were caught 10minutes from my house.
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> The only Rattler I've seen in Ohio was a stow away from WVa. It came into supply house in a crate with a electric motor from down Bluefield way. Seen my share in other states. The Tappan snake appears to me to be from SE state due to coloration. There is a lot of water snakes mistakes for CHs by people that have never seen a CH. The only thing similar would be color pattern. All snakes show colors and markings better right after they shed. CHs will get almost black ahead of shed. I've skinned CH with young still in sac like little Lima beans. The tiny little snakes had perfect markings.
> CH are not that aggressive unless cornered or fooled with. You almost have to step on one to get bit.
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> Guy I know was bit hooking choker up to a log. Got him in forearm. He didn't go to doctor, was sick for 3 days. To this day that bite looks like a big rotten place in his arm. His family is backward and used some old time home cures on the bite. Me, I'd go to Doc.


Wow..interesting...thanks for sharing!
You work for Murray in the No. 6 or Century mine...or strip mine? My wife's granny was bit by a copperhead while out puttin up hay. Put her in the hospital for a week..she said her whole body ached.


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## Drm50

I was pre Murray at NA and Y&O, now Century. The hollows around these two mines hold a lot of Copper Heads. You would be surprised the numbers you can find if you are looking for them. This is perfect time of year to hunt them, Dog Days. Like anything else you need habitat, food and water.
#1 on menu for the many I skinned out was chipmunk. The more developed an area is the less chance there will be any population of Copper Heads because of less food avaible. The guy that bought of us would pay premium for snakes over 24". Out of close to 75 CH in one summer only three were over 24". Our biggest 32.5". I saw a 38" CH from Washington cnty but have yet to see those 4' & 5' CHs that are commonly reported. Those are not CHs. One you show a person a CH up close they won't mistake them anymore. 

PS the cucumber thing is BS.


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## BuckeyeCrappie1965

Have had two copperheads in our front yard this year in Meigs County, one just 3 days ago.


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## Drm50

When I was a kid my Greatuncle & Aunt still lived in old home place in a deep hollow right against the Monroe Cnty line in Belmont cnty. All the summer family gatherings were there. Many times there would be better than 25 kids running amuck barefoot and playing in the creek. Uncle was always yelling at us to put our shoes on and watch where we were stepping. We never saw one and thought he was a grumpy old man. I spent a summer with uncle & aunt when I was 10 After supper we would take the dogs a walk up along creek road. Unc would carry a walking stick and flip rocks along the road to show me Copper Heads, he made a believer out of me. He would chop them with a hoe if around house or barn. Away from house they didn't excite him. It was live & let live. That same hollow today is where I would go if I had to come up with a CH quick. 

I was struck once and wouldn't have known it. My Bro happened to see it and shot it stinging me with flying dirt. I had on common 8" loggers and it didn't penetrate. It glanced off but marks were visable on boot. It hit the heel probably hardest and thickest part of boot. That was in Bent Fork in Belmont cnty.


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## autogyroenthusiast

interesting thread


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## chevyjay

my favorite snake claim is people who claim to see a gardner snake


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