Below is about the last thing you ever want to see as you step down. Dave (a photographer friend) gets kudos. I was probably too loud but ‘STOP’ just came out. He froze on the spot.
This Canebrake Rattler (Timber Rattlesnake) was about to be stepped on by one of us. Opps.
He was the biggest I’ve ever seen. Counting the rattles on his tail made him between 5 to 8 years old. Fat from his last meal too.
We stepped back and regrouped LOL. Then of course took a few shots.
The shortest I could shoot was 200mm and he was in the grass so these are the best I could get.
What had been a long slow day turned interesting in a heart beat.
You never know what you might find out there.
Donnelley WMA, ACE Basin, South Carolina.
Walking up on a rattlesnake sure makes your stomach sink.
Getting close by mistake rarely causes problems. In the last 2 weeks had another snake, Copperhead, and the day before this incident a hidden gator. Both the critter and me want no interactions and move away. I have found that to be the norm. Here, well one of us was about to step right on him. That was a bit much.
Whoa
Yeah, good description 😂