For a few years, I worked hard at finding the greatest concentrations of animals in North America. Northwest of Winnipeg, Manitoba in an area between Lake Winnipeg and Lake Manitoba there is a region of limestone topography. Sink holes in the limestone provide denning for masses of red-sided garter snakes. Indeed, the area has the highest concentration of snakes in the world. In late April or early May, sex starved males emerge first in mass and wait for the larger females to emerge. Once breeding occurs, the snakes disperse into marshy areas nearby. The snakes were the most docile snakes I've ever seen. When I was in the sinkholes with them, I literally had to keep picking up balls of snakes that crawled under me to prevent from harming them. I never had one attempt to bite or produce musk (a rather disagreeable thing garter snakes sometimes do). The cool thing, was something I didn't expect; you could hear the sound of all those scales rubbing together!
Ughhhhh... I hate snakes! Your photo gives me the willy's!!! Mental note to self: do not ever, ever, ever go near that place!!!
YIKESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I would have a heart attack or throw up... OMG I am so petrified of snakes. Yeah Yeah I know they are good and all that.. but not for me:>)) What a great image though
holy garter snakes Batman. Whew! They had a house on a TV special this year, where all these snakes had declared it their den. The snakes came from miles around to den at this one place, then dispersed all around in good weather. Yikes, place gave me the willies too just on TV. I accidentally stepped over a black snake yesterday, I saw about 8" of it's body in the grass, and dang, I am sure it was a 4-6 footer likely judging from girth of snake. You talk about doing some high stepping. I bet I looked like a Tennessee Walking horse coming out of there. Photographing it was the last thing on my mind... I was just looking down to keep from breaking my neck, and falling into a stream 5-6 feet below a wall, I was walking the edge of wall and ground as it wasn't level up next to road. I was carrying tri-pod extended and camera on board over my shoulder. Didn't matter, I was steppin'! I'm with Gale and Francois! No snakes for me please! I fear bears, boars and snakes. I'll take the rest of the wildlife, oh and Brown Recluse, I don't fear the spider, but I do fear his BITE!
Well since I have seen first hand what the Brown recluse can do. I am afraid I am in the I don't like spiders camp to. Boy we have alot of them here. yikesss. They are so small you would never see them. I honestly would rather see a snake that run across a Brown Recluse bite.. To many doctors do NOT know how to treat the bite from them. Ask Jim Fenton.
Steve I am glad you like snakes..lolol Love the pics. Don't think you would do that with a rattler:>)) I think it is the lack of knowledge people have thats make us so afraid.
Another "Where's Waldo" shot? Probably not a good idea to accidentally drop one's pet snake into the pile and try to retrieve same. When I see these kinds of snakes, it reminds me of Peewee Herman in that one movie where he goes running into a petshop that's on fire, to rescue the animals and there's one scene where he comes running out with a handful of snakes in each hand and of course he's making that nyaaaaahhhh!!! face. Lol, snakes in the hair ... instead of the proverbial being combed for lice, you'll have to be combed for snakes. :biggrin: Those are great shots, you look so happy when among snakes! I can just imagine how neat it was to hear the scales sliding sound. Steve, only if you didn't mind, may I ask what method/brand you use to convert slides/negatives into digital? I assume you have tons of shots from the non-digital age - thanks.
