LASC NEWSLETTER

ANNOUNCMENTS, EVENTS &

APRIL MATCH REPORTS

​

This is going to be an abbreviated report because over the last weekend LASC hosted the regional lever-action match for three days.  Scores and details to follow in next month’s letter.  That left little time to do the May newsletter.  But we will catch up next month.

​

For those club members who did not shoot the match (why not????), the LASC Extravaganza is only 3 ½ months away!  Time to start thinking about your sight settings and what guns you will be shooting!!

 

This is my obligatory Rattlesnake Article because we are finding juveniles on the firing line area at

 

LASC:
SOUTHERN PACIFIC RATTLE

HABITAT  (YES, THEY ARE FOUND AT LASC)

​

These rattlesnakes live in a variety of areas including grasslands, mountain forests, coastal dunes, rocky deserts and hillsides, and agricultural fields. In the northern end of their range they spend the winter hibernating in rock crevices and ledges. Many individuals (sometimes hundreds) will gather together in “snake dens” to over-winter.

​

PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS

​

The thick body of Southern Pacific rattlesnakes ends in a short stubby tail. The rattles at the end of the tail are made up of a series of loosely jointed, dry, hollow segments of skin. Narrow ridged (keeled) scales cover the entire body. The large triangular head widens at the base. Fangs are contained in the front of the mouth. The neck is thin. Heat sensing pits are located on each side of the head. The pupils of the eyes are elliptical. The tail of young juveniles ends in a soft prebutton (an extra large scale) instead of a rattle. When the snakes shed their skin for the first time at one to two weeks after birth, another scale, the button, emerges. The button is the first segment of a rattlesnake’s rattle.

​

Most of these rattlesnakes blend into their surroundings due to their coloration. Although usually brown to olive-brown, they may be gray or a greenish tint. A thin brown, grey, or black stripe extends from the corner of each eye to the mouth, covers their eyes. Large, dark-rimmed spots of brown, olive, tan, grey, or black cover the back. The spots narrow into strips toward the tail. Very young snakes in this species usually have a bright yellow-green tail. Southern Pacific rattlesnakes found on Santa Catalina Island are usually almost completely black, lacking patterns.

​

SIZE

​

Adults are usually 75 to 100 cm (30 to 44 in) long. Some individuals grow to be over 135 cm (54 in) in length.

​

DIET

​

Rattlesnakes eat only when they are hungry. If their last meal was large, adults can go two weeks between meals. Juveniles usually eat once a week. Young snakes feed mostly on small lizards, while adults usually eat birds, lizards, snakes, frogs, insects, and small mammals, including mice, rats, rabbits, hares, and ground squirrels. (Adult California Ground Squirrels are immune to rattlesnake venom and will intensely confront any snake they feel to be a threat.)  Rattlesnakes usually are nocturnal hunters. One way that they track passing prey in the dark is by flicking their forked tongue in and out to pick up of ground odors that come from the potential meal. The smell is transmitted to organs in the roof of the mouth that connect to the brain. These snakes also catch a meal by hiding near their prey’s territory and ambushing it. Usually, one bite is enough to kill the victim before it can run or fly away.

​

BEHAVIOR

​

Since they are cold-blooded, rattlesnakes are only as warm or as cold as their environment. To maintain an ideal body temperature, rattlesnakes move into sunlight or shade throughout the day. By hunting and moving mostly at night, they avoid very warm daytime temperatures. Night hunting when the ambient temperature is cooler also allows their heat sensitivity to be at peak performance. Not active during cooler periods in winter.

​

CONSERVATION

​

Southern Pacific rattlesnakes are not listed as threatened or endangered either by the IUCN Red List or California Fish and Game. Unfortunately, due to increasing road construction and human ignorance, rattlesnakes are on the decline in almost every environment where they are found. Without these stealthy predators as a natural control, it the rodent population may increase threatening human food supplies and other wild flora and fauna.

​

Other than humans, rattlesnakes are commonly preyed on by birds of prey, coyotes, and Roadrunners, (Geococcyx californianus).

​

AMAZING FACTS

​

Much of our current-day technological advances in night-vision and heat seeking ability are a result, in part of research done on pit vipers such as the southern Pacific rattlesnake.

​

Southern Pacific rattlesnakes’ venom changes as they age. While the snakes are young, their venom is less potent and does not digest prey very quickly. As the snakes age and favor faster, harder to digest prey, the venom becomes stronger, adapting to the need to hunt larger and different prey to satisfy their appetites.

​

RATTLESNAKES IN CALIFORNIA

​

As springtime calls people and snakes alike to the outdoors, encounters with snakes become inevitable. California has a variety of snakes, most of which are benign. The exception is California’s only native venomous snake – the rattlesnake.

​

California rattlesnake species include the northern Pacific rattlesnake (in northern California), and the Western Diamondback, Sidewinder, Speckled rattlesnake, Red Diamond rattlesnake, Southern Pacific, Great Basin rattlesnake and the Mojave rattlesnake (all found in Southern California). Though rattlesnakes are dangerous if provoked, they also provide humans with a tremendous service they eat rodents, other reptiles, and insects, and are in turn eaten by other predators. In California where rattlesnakes are found from sea level to the inland prairies and desert areas and to the mountains at elevations of more than 10,000 feet, enjoying the outdoors means learning how to avoid contact with rattlesnakes.

​

Generally not aggressive, rattlesnakes strike when threatened or deliberately provoked, but given room they will retreat. Most snake bites occur when a rattlesnake is handled or accidentally touched by someone walking or climbing. The majority of snakebites occur on the hands, feet and ankles.

Rattlesnakes can cause serious injury to humans on rare occasions. The California Poison Control Center notes that rattlesnakes account for more than 800 bites each year with one to two deaths. Most bites occur between the months of April and October when snakes and humans are most active outdoors. About 25 percent of the bites are “dry,” meaning no venom was injected, but the bites still require medical treatment.

​

The potential of running into a rattlesnake should not deter anyone from venturing outdoors, but there are several precautions that can be taken to lessen the chance of being bitten when out in snake country – which is just about anywhere in California.

​

DOS AND DON’TS IN SNAKE COUNTRY

​

First, know that rattlesnakes are not confined to rural areas. They have been found near urban areas, in river or lakeside parks, and at golf courses. Be aware that startled rattlesnakes may not rattle before striking defensively. There are several safety measures that can be taken to reduce the likelihood of startling a rattlesnake.

​

§  Never go barefoot or wear sandals when walking through wild areas. Wear hiking boots.

§  When hiking, stick to well-used trails and wear over-the-ankle boots and loose-fitting long pants. Avoid tall grass, weeds and heavy underbrush where snakes may hide during the day.

​

§  Do not step or put your hands where you cannot see, and avoid wandering around in the dark. Step ON logs and rocks, never over them, and be especially careful when climbing rocks or gathering firewood. Check out stumps or logs before sitting down, and shake out sleeping bags before use.

§  Never grab “sticks” or “branches” while swimming in lakes and rivers. Rattlesnakes can swim.

§  Be careful when stepping over the doorstep as well. Snakes like to crawl along the edge of buildings where they are protected on one side.

​

§  Never hike alone. Always have someone with you who can assist in an emergency.

§  Do not handle a freshly killed snake, it can still inject venom.

​

§  Teach children early to respect snakes and to leave them alone. Children are naturally curious and will pick up snakes.

​

IS IT A RATTLESNAKE?

​

Many a useful and non-threatening snake has suffered a quick death from a frantic human who has mistakenly identified a gopher snake, garter, racer or other as a rattlesnake. This usually happens when a snake assumes an instinctual defensive position used to bluff adversaries. A gopher snake has the added unfortunate trait of imitating a rattlesnake by flattening its head and body, vibrating its tail, hissing and actually striking if approached too closely.

​

A rattlesnake is a heavy-bodied, blunt-tailed snake with one or more rattles on the tail. It has a triangular-shaped head, much broader at the back than at the front, and a distinct “neck” region. The rattlesnake also has openings between the nostrils and eyes, which is a heat-sensing pit. The eyes are hooded with elliptical pupils. Additional identifying characteristics include a series of dark and light bands near the tail, just before the rattles which are different from the markings on the rest of the body. Also note that rattles may not always be present, as they are often lost through breakage and are not always developed on the young.

​

WHAT TO DO IN THE EVENT OF A SNAKE BITE

​

Though uncommon, rattlesnake bites do occur, so have a plan in place for responding to any situation. Carry a portable phone, hike with a companion who can assist in an emergency, and make sure that family or friends know where you are going and when you will be checking in.

​

The first thing to do if bitten is to stay calm. Generally, the most serious effect of a rattlesnake bite to an adult is local tissue damage which needs to be treated. Children, because they are smaller, are in more danger if they are bitten. Get to a doctor as soon as possible, but stay calm. Frenetic, high-speed driving places the victim at greater risk of an accident and increased heart rate. If the doctor is more than 30 minutes away, keep the bite below the heart, and then try to get to the doctor as quickly as possible.

​

The California Poison Control Center advises:

§  Stay calm

§  Wash the bite area gently with soap and water

§  Remove watches, rings, etc, which may constrict swelling

§  Immobilize the affected area

§  Transport safely to the nearest medical facility

For more first aid information please visit California Poison Control.