MobileHolmes Posted March 23, 2009 Share Posted March 23, 2009 Hello All My good friend Jim Smergila took the trip to Franconia yesterday. Jim is no newbie to the desert or forest here in Prescott. With 20 plus years of Gold prospecting, Bears, Lions, rabied coyotes and Timber Rattlers Jim knows his way around. Jim found his first set back in the parking area on the south side in the first evening when a Sidewinder tried to warm up to him right off in the campsite. This guest was not to let up as it would not stop moving in no matter what. Jim gave him room but no luck and won the battle. Rv's next to him said they would not let there kids out after dark. Jim spent the night and started today with great expectations. In the first hour Jim incountered 2 more Sidewinder's and could not hear the rattlers at all. The foliage is tall this year as was last year and not worth the bite as the snakes are hunting after the winter. This was not worth the gamble as a single person and no help if needed out back. Just notes on a trip this time of the year. :worm1: Wayne Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Basaltgooroo Posted March 23, 2009 Share Posted March 23, 2009 Thats strange because we parked in the next flat east of those two RV's and encountered no snakes in camp. If the snake came after him then it sounds like a mohave green. We saw a baby sidewinder on the southside and 2 other kinds of snakes on the northside. It's worth it to invest $25 in snake chaps at Cabellas!! [Erik] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boondog Posted March 23, 2009 Share Posted March 23, 2009 Ya I talked by phone the other day with someone who was camped on the flat there they were there for a week and a half said they had a snake sharing the campfire with them and that the muster weed was thigh high in the wash's on the north side made it hard to swing they said glad you got home safe Jim hi Wayne. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MobileHolmes Posted March 23, 2009 Author Share Posted March 23, 2009 Erik John Wolfe was bitten on the toe of his boot but the bite did not go through. Lucky,and not good for the hiking boots on the sides. Takes full coverage and Jim felt he did not have it. Greens hit low and some times below the leggings on the boots. I have seen several bites and some are dry but hard to take the chance. Sidewinders are the nice guys. But Greens are the worst. Cabellas wll provide the next boots(Full Coverage). A guy on Lake Havasu was bitten on the wrist hunting for rocks and had a really bad time of it. Pays to watch. My wife was a teller at a bank in Havasu and one of her young customers at the drive thru showed her his pet snake. As he showed her the pet it bit him on the hand. He explained it was no big deal. She told him to go to the hospital with the snake. He did and and almost died as he was alergic to the anti venom and spent a month in the intensive care unit. Oh well so much for that. :worm1: Wayne Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MobileHolmes Posted March 23, 2009 Author Share Posted March 23, 2009 Hi boondogger Talk at you soon. Wayne Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paleface Posted March 23, 2009 Share Posted March 23, 2009 Yep, the snakes are out at both Gold Basin and Franconia this past week. Saw one Green at GB just before I ran into John W. Most everyone was at Gold Basin and then Franconia. I came across my first Mohave Green on the North side, he was quite active. In all the years that I have hunted down there, had never seen a green on the north side, they usually prefer the flats....... Nate, I didn't get away from the camp area for another hour, stopped and talked with Jim Mears and his wife, they were camped next to where you and Erik camped. Real nice people. He had been hunting the south side. Eric, That 61 grammer that I showed you, has beautiful flow lines. They show much better after I cleaned the caliche off. Jim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MobileHolmes Posted March 23, 2009 Author Share Posted March 23, 2009 Hello Jim Long time no see. Post a pic of the specimen with the flow lines. :1153: Greens to the west on the flats. Hope to run in to you one of these days. Wayne :icon_mrgreen: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Basaltgooroo Posted March 23, 2009 Share Posted March 23, 2009 Jim, I was blown away by the flow lines on that piece. I have a small 20g stone that has an oblation pit and flow lines coming off the front of it just like your piece. The trouble with the flow lines on Franconia's is they dont really show up on the camera unless you have the highest resolution camera's on the market... Jim, do a google search on Camel Donga's and Millbillillie's. They have gorgeous flow lines on almost every stone found. [Erik] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nighthawk Posted March 24, 2009 Share Posted March 24, 2009 Eric, That 61 grammer that I showed you, has beautiful flow lines. They show much better after I cleaned the caliche off. Jim --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Hi Jim, Is there a way you could get a photo on for us to see the flow lines. :confused0092: I'd dying to see it... :ph34r2: Thanks and happy hunting, jim "bones" :coffeetime: :outtahere: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nate Posted March 25, 2009 Share Posted March 25, 2009 Yep, the snakes are out at both Gold Basin and Franconia this past week. Saw one Green at GB just before I ran into John W. Most everyone was at Gold Basin and then Franconia. I came across my first Mohave Green on the North side, he was quite active. In all the years that I have hunted down there, had never seen a green on the north side, they usually prefer the flats....... Nate, I didn't get away from the camp area for another hour, stopped and talked with Jim Mears and his wife, they were camped next to where you and Erik camped. Real nice people. He had been hunting the south side. Eric, That 61 grammer that I showed you, has beautiful flow lines. They show much better after I cleaned the caliche off. Jim i see yea i drove for ever that night was a long day and then a long drive home Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bklein Posted March 31, 2009 Share Posted March 31, 2009 Can someone give me a little snakes101- When are they most prominent (now?) When are they hibernating? Been thinking of going to the Stanton GPAA thing at April 10. Will snakes be an issue there too? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MobileHolmes Posted March 31, 2009 Author Share Posted March 31, 2009 Hello Bklein I've only stepped on 2 and put my hand on a coiled Sidewinder. So I will not play expert. But!! This time of the year the snakes are hunting after leaving there dens. :worm1: Desert snakes can be out all year as they will move in and out and sun them selves on the south sides of the terrain in winter. Timber Rattlers do hibernate at higher elevations with snow and colder weather. When they shed their skins snakes become very dangerous as their eyes cloud and they will strike at most anything. Snakes will make the longest moves at night or early morning and late afternoon. Mating season is another fun time as you will find more that one very close or could see them standing up very high and wrapped around each other making more snakes. We have had 2 very good wet seasons and the rodents are thick. In these wet years nature provides more snakes to ease the rodent population. Wear protection!! Snake Guards and watch where you put your hands when kneeling down. Stanton should have its share of Diamond Backs Mohave greens and Sidewinders this time of the year. I have hunted for months without seeing one but you can't drop your guard. :twocents: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kaimi Posted March 31, 2009 Share Posted March 31, 2009 Aloha guys, Nice pic Wayne! They seem to find the strangest places to get warmth dont they! Just got back from a day trip north of Vegas to take a couple of follow up pics of some native american artwork for my friends book. Saw a couple of large snakes but didnt hang around to take pics as the dogs were just itching to get at them and we had our hands full with them. Be careful guys as they will be out in force this year due to the increase of rodent population. BTW, if you hunt at Franconia watch out if you decide to go waaaaaay north of the track as they are all over the place going after them little ground squirrels. got to get me a revolver as my glock 26 makes a great single shot semi auto with them shotshells. :tisc-tisc: Aloha and be safe this year. Stan aka Kaimi Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bklein Posted April 5, 2009 Share Posted April 5, 2009 Ok, I see snake guards and snake chaps for sale from Cabela's etc. What do you guys recommend and why? Do they strike higher than the shin guard type? Here in OC I can't seem to locate much. Turner's has some guards for $70 but not chaps. With the bifocals I wear, it is very possible for me to walk right on one of the darn buggers unless I look down low enough. Barry Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kaimi Posted April 5, 2009 Share Posted April 5, 2009 Aloha Bklein, Check out basspro online as they have some very good ones a lot cheaper. Aloha and be safe out there. Stan aka Kaimi Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bklein Posted April 5, 2009 Share Posted April 5, 2009 I only found one set on their website and it got a bad review.... What about chaps vs guards? I would guess guards are much less of a pain to use/wear... The review mentions preferring snaps to buckles for attaching them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Basaltgooroo Posted April 5, 2009 Share Posted April 5, 2009 http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/template...rset=ISO-8859-1 these are a little pricey but they work great for my father and I. [Erik] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johnno Posted April 5, 2009 Share Posted April 5, 2009 G'Day Bklein These are what I use. Cabelas has them but are cheaper if you go to the makers http://www.snakeguardz.com/snakeguardz.htm Cheers Johnno Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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