RRC Archives

Crankmas wrote:heard one of the pair of copperheads at Bruisebrothers in Muir was found uh, unalive sunday, that truly sucks, its buddy was there hanging out by itself where they used to be together

Really sorry to hear that. The boulder where they sun themselves has a copperhead birthing rookery under it. The sun warms the rock and the den under it, where, at this time of the year, 3 to 10 copperheads are born live to each female. During the past week, several newborn young have been seen near the rock where the two (now one) females hang out.

In the past we have tried unsuccessfully to relocate the snakes that frequent this rock. Kristen, with the Kentucky Reptile Zoo explains that moving the copperheads or simply killing them will not solve the problem. Since it has been a successful rookery site, new copperheads will continue to visit this spot for birthing.

Our plans are to modify the terrain, in an attempt to make it unattractive to copperheads. In the meantime, please bear with us and don't disturb the wildlife in MV.

Everyone should just leave them alone. This is madness.

While snakes can be scary or dangerous if you're unaware of their presence, Killing a snake that is doing no harm is just stupid. Maybe the best solution is to put up a sign warning that copperheads are known to directly inhabit the area under the rock just to make sure nobody sits down on it barefoot or anything crazy, although it should be common sense.

Saw my first rattlesnake this weekend while backpacking the north south trail in LBL yesterday. It was at least five feet long and bigger around than my forearm. The largest snake I've seen in the wild and truly impressive, and a bit scary.

saw my first timber rattler recently, too. it was similar in size to the one you described. i was standing about 6 inches from its head when i realized that it was there. truly an unaggressive species, just like the copperhead.

to those of you who kill snakes--don't be cowards. it is relatively easy to capture and relocate a snake...especially if it is, say, in a PARKING LOT (you know who you are, coward #27421).......... or just ask someone else who would be willing.

Where is LBL, and where exactly did you see these snakes? A friend and I are wanting to head down for a day next week to look for timber rattlers, neither of us have seen one in the wild and am looking forward to seeing them and getting some good pics also. Let me know any other areas that they see these snakes

LBL is land between the lakes, it's well...in between Lake Barkley and Kentucky lake. It's in West KY about 4 hours from louisville, about 10 min from where I'm from, Calvert City.

We backpacked the south portion of the north-south trail that runs all the way through LBL. If you look on this map, we were in between point 7 and 8 when we saw the snake.

http://www.lbl.org/LBLSouthEndTrails09.pdf

It's the only rattlesnake i've ever seen, although it was my first time in the southern portion of LBL and thats where most are said to be.

Allah - call me and I will give you a the location where I saw a timber on the auxier ridge trail.