Where Are The Rattlesnakes?

I have shared that my favorite season in the Sonoran Desert is summer. Yes, Summer!

Brutally hot!

That season also includes an extra dose of misery during the monsoon season with that punch of humidity draping 100+ degree days. Despite some negative aspects, summer tops my list as this is when the wildlife is out and about on or near the trail that I frequent. And let’s not shrug off the fact that this is also the period of time that the dramatic monsoon season strikes.

I can kick around the local trails January - March and October - December and rarely see any wildlife. Well, cool and unique wildlife. Arizona has many rather interesting creatures (we are looking at you: tarantula, gila monster, javelina, mountain lion, horned lizard, the tarantula hawk, and others. I will thank my mom for helping show a little more love toward the deer and bunnies. My animal stories toward her and dad did not usually include my encounters with poisonous or venomous creatures. She did learn to further question me as I was honest and maybe, I did see a snake, or two. “What kind of snake?” she would ask, knowing it was almost always the one with a rattle.

Bobcat

Gila Monster

So this story is a reflection of the many years that I have hiked the Sonoran Desert just north of Tucson. My educated guess is that I average in the low to mid-20s in terms of how many rattlesnakes I see each year. The rattlesnake count may start as early as mid-March. Last year seemed unusual as I did not see one until May 1st. The year would escalate with sightings of slithery bodies as I would end my count at 39. My question this year, as of July 9th, is that I have seen 1. Where are the rattlesnakes? This season opener was a very young rattler. I generally see newborns toward the end of summer.

Western Diamondback Rattlesnake (from the archives)

I know that it can be a life moment for some people to encounter a rattlesnake, especially on a trail, not dead on the side of a road. It is a part of my daily existence to have encounters if I am going to travel into the desert. My respect and attention are toward the rattlesnake, and I choose to value them as part of the landscape. I have read many stories of people who have been bitten, and their lives are sometimes drastically changed. In a cruel way. If you are bitten, the snake may or may not inject you with venom. The anti-venom can help/save you but at a price. One vial of anti-venom can run $5,000 -10,000 and the average (stated by one article) to treat a bite is twenty vials. There are several other animals or insects/spiders that demand my attention, but the rattlesnake is my main concern.

Diamondback Rattlesnake (photo from the archives)

As we roll into the first week of July, my count is at 4. It is becoming a good monsoon season which is bringing out more wildlife. Still lacking Mr. Rattlesnake, which makes hiking a bit less tense. With grass growing at an alarming rate, my single-track sections are beginning to close in. A little more of a worry as I step cautiously through snake territory.

Horny Toad (Horned Lizard)

Tarantula

I had a knee surgery yesterday (minor meniscus tear) and I am looking forward to getting back on the trails soon. It is my desire to share more on this blog. With caregiving duties, the passing of my father, moving mom into assisted living, going through household items and getting the house ready for sale, my mind and time have gone into another space. I realize that writing and photography will help keep my life more balanced and possibly more sane.

Horny Toad (Horned Lizard)

The photo above gives light to the tremendous monsoon season we are having. My trail is giving way to a green tunnel of grass, in some sections. You can imagine the new scenario I now have as I cautiously step through patches of thick grass on terrain that was once a bare, open trail. A new level of concern as I thread through rattlesnake grounds.

The photo above is rattlesnake numero 8 of the season. Yes, I almost stepped on him. Thankfully, the desert dweller was down for the night, coiled and patient but flicking his tongue to get a better sense of his surroundings. Their strong sense of smell helps compensate for poor eyesight.

I think back to the days I ran this trail/road. Would I have seen him in time?

It is now October 6th, and I have had many more encounters with r snakes. The count is 18 and the monsoon season continues to hammer the desert.

The final r snake count for 2022 was 20. Did I say final? I saw a photo posted yesterday (October 8th) featuring a rattler in someone’s back yard.

My curious title of this post (Where Are The Rattlesnakes) was appropriate as I had encountered only two rattlesnakes as the summer reached the halfway point. I would see 18 in the last half of our blazing summer. You just never know about wild life.

California King Snake

Sonoran Desert Toad