Snake duty in Arizona

[nevets88]

I hate snakes. Do golf course employees draw straws for snake duty? I thought it was going to escape out of the string loop thing.

 

[Patch]

It's getting to be that time of the year. Have not seen any yet myself, but a local posted a picture of a rattler in their garage.

I walk my dogs in a desert area. For the next 8 months we'll have watch where we walk. Keep them from sticking their noses in bushes. I have no doubt we will walk by a few without seeing them. Early morning, and late evening are prime snake times around here. Especially in hotter weather. Where we live we need to make sure keep the out door clutter at a minimum. 

Golf course wise,  some will  show up. My home course is across the street from an open desert area. Another near by course is open on 3 sides to the desert. 

King snakes, bull snakes, and 3 - 4 varieties of Rattlers to pick from. Don't mind the king's, and bulls as they eat Rattlers.

[ScouseJohnny]

One guy doing the Steve Irwin stuff (albeit with a bit of a pipe and string), the other chap appears to have a persimmon 4 wood in his hand to deal with the problem when it all goes awry. Personally, I think if the string fell off and the snake escaped, Mr. 4 Wood was planning on getting out of there, sharpish.

I don't hate snakes (from a distance). Live and let live. Their ancestors were there long before golf courses. All they've ever cost me, based on my golfing days in Georgia, was a ton of lost Noodles (cheap golf balls not being worth the risk of an encounter with the dreaded copper-headed water rattler).

 

 

 

[Patch]

19 minutes ago, ScouseJohnny said:

One guy doing the Steve Irwin stuff (albeit with a bit of a pipe and string), the other chap appears to have a persimmon 4 wood in his hand to deal with the problem when it all goes awry. Personally, I think if the string fell off and the snake escaped, Mr. 4 Wood was planning on getting out of there, sharpish.

I don't hate snakes (from a distance). Live and let live. Their ancestors were there long before golf courses. All they've ever cost me, based on my golfing days in Georgia, was a ton of lost Noodles (cheap golf balls not being worth the risk of an encounter with the dreaded copper-headed water rattler).

 

 

 

Hopefully Mr 4 Wood had back up from Mr 2 iron. 

[ghalfaire]

Except when they are molting, about this time of year, a rattle snake will, usually, get out of your way if you give them a chance to. You are way to big to eat and they don't want to waste the venom. But when molting they can be a little irritable and best keep your distance.

[dennyjones]

I hate snakes.   Maybe Michigan is the best place to live.  We have snakes but I haven't seen one in many, many years.  

[fishgolf]

We never saw one this winter season in Yuma.  Having fished the WA Columbia Basin Lakes and Deschutes River in OR for many years, I'm somewhat use to them and they do not bother me.  As the weather warmed in mid February, my 2 iron accompanied my forays into the scrub looking for balls.  If you think snake duty is bad, check out the videos on the guys who run gator patrol on some FL courses .

[JonMA1]

3 hours ago, dennyjones said:

I hate snakes.   Maybe Michigan is the best place to live.  We have snakes but I haven't seen one in many, many years.  

Maybe that's why you're so good at keeping your drives in the fairway.

You just need to come up to my home course and hit a few into the thick brush. I think the snakes are the main reason why I can find so many golf balls - nobody wants to go in after them. I haven't seen any rattlesnakes yet, but plenty of hognose, garter, rat, and water snakes.

[boogielicious]

i don't mind snakes, but my wife on the other hand....

[MarvChamp]

Ah, Snakes! When I see one, I recall my old boss with great fondness. -Marv 

[nevets88]

As a city dweller, one life skill that definitely is lacking and needs to be addressed is how to tell the poisonous from the non poisonous ones.

[dennyjones]

9 hours ago, nevets88 said:

As a city dweller, one life skill that definitely is lacking and needs to be addressed is how to tell the poisonous from the non poisonous ones.

For me...it doesn't matter....

[Patch]

13 hours ago, nevets88 said:

As a city dweller, one life skill that definitely is lacking and needs to be addressed is how to tell the poisonous from the non poisonous ones.

Just assume they are all poisonous, and you will be good to go. That, and not all rattlesnakes, rattle before striking, and some don't even have rattles. 

Edited March 28, 2018 by Patch

[JonMA1]

13 hours ago, nevets88 said:

As a city dweller, one life skill that definitely is lacking and needs to be addressed is how to tell the poisonous from the non poisonous ones.

I agree with @Patch on his reply. Just treat every snake with a healthy respect. As a kid, I'd been bitten plenty of times by non-poisonous snakes... they hurt. As an adult, there's almost no excuse for letting that happen. Yet, when I find one in my yard, I'll remove it out to the woods so the dogs don't kill it.

My only hope is that people don't just automatically grab a shovel and kill any snake that ends up in their yard. But I kind of get it. If you have children or pets and cannot tell the difference between a poisonous or non-poisonous species, why take the chance I suppose.

[RussUK]

One of my local courses is heathland and a protected habitat for the British Adder (our only poisonous snake). Now, we're not talking rattlesnale or king cobra levels of poinonous but enough to make you i'll for a little while.

When I first played the course with my brother in law the club pro advised us not to look for lost balls in the heather. 10th tee my B-in-L hits a new PRO V1 into the heather. The fun we had shouting "Oh my god snake!!!" as he was contemplating looking for the ball. He lost 5 that day and didnt look for one of them and needed a change of underwear by the 18th 

[Patch]

When I use to travel to Texas, I always stopped in Grants NM. I'd get a room, and go golfing.  There were signs all over the place about watching for snakes, and don't hunt for lost balls. 

Several times, I never saw a snake. However, for what ever reason, on one round, I counted 14 of those critters just coiled up minding their own business. I suspect they were just warming up, since all were out in the open in the sunshine. 

You can probably guess where my focus was that day. 

[Deauxrite]

I had my first sighting of the year this week in Sierra Vista, AZ.  It is that time of the year indeed.  One small nudge with the ball retriever and he (she) headed into the gully and out of harms way.  We normally see half a dozen or so a year..early or late usually and call the local snake catcher to relocate them.  Live and let live is the motto..just dont plan on living in the yard or the golf course:)

[NM Golf]

I love snakes, I have had several different types as pets over the years. Sold my last one I raised from a baby about a year ago. I have no problem or fear catching wild snakes, even poisonous ones. I've had to run more than a few rattlesnakes out of friends and families houses and porches. With rattlesnakes you just have to be very careful and respect the fact they can and will get you if you make a stupid mistake. Lots of the desert courses around here have snakes on them.