Have you had any encounter with them during fishing trips?
once – little rattler. He didn’t survive. Meet up with other, non poisonous snakes all the time. they seem to like the water out here in the California heat.
Come across rattle snakes once in awhile fishing E. WA. Never had to kill one or take any evasive action other than giving them the time to retreat. Almost every time I have seen a snake it was heading in the other direction.
I have had the privilege of spotting cougars twice in my life. Both times were cool and both were brief encounters with the cat moving away swiftly.
Mt. lion: Hiding behind bush 50 ft. from me along Rio Grande at Coller Wildlife Area near S. Fork, CO. about three weeks ago. Stepped away from river and was walking toward a low ridge when dog (Brittany) sudddenly ran up the incline and the cat jumped up from its hiding place under a bush and off it went. Full grown. 11 A.M. and only 150 yds. from busy road. Don’t know if was stalking dog, or me (or both) or just fascinated w/my casting skill (LOL). Very rare to see them this close, I’m told, and without dog, I would have passed close by. Shocked me enough I quit fishing. Had to call dog back as she wanted to chase the cat. Waited a couple of minutes and then walked to mesa above ridge to see where cat had gone. Cat was walking slowly by my truck about 150 yds. away and eventually wandered into some nearby rocks and trees. Have carried my .38 with me ever since, although I realize that unless I see the cat and have some warning, I’ll never get off a shot. Upside is that I’m told death will be quick.
If you fish you are going to encounter snakes. Here in North Carolina it is normally copperheads, the occasional rattler, cottonmouths, and
any number of non-poisonous ones.
I just give them a wide berth. I’m careful as to where I step as most bites occur when you most likely step on them. Be very careful hiking trails and the brush. They can be very difficult to see as their camouflage is extraordinary!
Just read an article in Wildlife in North Carolina about just that thing. Be hopeful your insurance will cover the cost of a venomous
snake bite as the treatments can run as high as $40,000.00…ouch!!!
Never experienced a cougar or mountain lion and can say that’s fine and dandy with me!
Why do you ask?
Every now and then we see rattlers on the banks of the Missouri River in Montana, below Holter Dam, and a few times we have seen them crossing the river. Mountain lions are not really a problem, they don’t want to be around you, but it doesn’t hurt to have a noise making tool, like a large caliber pistol.
Larry —sagefisher—
I have seen a number of rattlers on the paths, sunning themself and copperheads in the streams searching for frogs. Also, saw a bobcat once.
I wear snake boots and always carry a gun…
Around 4 weeks ago while wadefishing in elder lake in the tall moss I saw a coral snake swim slowly along between my ankles… Looked to be bout 3ft long & close to the diameter of a spool of uni thread…
Here in Central Oregon, those two things should always be in your mind, at least somewhere!! 
Just the other week!
bobbyg, I asked because in Patagonia Argentina is -depending on the area- is relativelly usual to see puma (cougar) tracks. Very smart animals they can spot you during hours and you not them. Some males are really big (200+pounds) and the attacks to humans are unusual but I know that in US you have had several including very bad ones. Not bears here thanks God. Poison snakes are problematic in some areas at North (Bothrops species, Yarar?) when we go for dorado.
Well? I did run across a “Snake” trying to sell some fishing supplies stream side once. Then there was this “Cougar” that was hitting on me, while I was wadeing in the Neshanok. :roll:
ohiofly, you need to quit having those nasty dreams!!! As for me I made a deal with the snakes, if they leave me alone I’ll leave them alone, worked so far. Now as to the large kitties, Mo DOC has only recently acknowledged that we have the cats in Mo. When I go fishing in area which might have the cats I carry a .40 Solution, hopefully will never have to use it. I’ll make the kitties the dame deal I made the snakes, again works for me, take care, John.
It has been a few years, but I was walking through a marsh in central Wisconsin on my way to a trout stream and I saw a couple of Mississauga rattlesnakes, which are quite rare. I walked around them.
You were very lucky to have spotted a Massasauga rattler (or 2). They are really hard to find.
I have seen probably 5-6 rattle snakes. Last year I had a HUGE cougar walk in front of my truck just a couple minutes after leaving the river. He was a wonderful well fed specimen. I consider myself very lucky to have seen one in the wild. I am aslo happy that I saw him from the comfort of my new truck…hahahaha
:shock::shock::shock:I saw a bee while fishing the other week. He looked really mean and bright yellow so I gave him plenty of room (which means I ran screaming like a little girl)
Yes & No. Curiously I’ve been fishing and hunting in Eastern Washington and have NEVER seen a live rattlesnake in the wild. With over 50 years in the wild I find that odd. As far a cougars are concerned, I’ve only seen one. It was a cub I spotted while Turkey hunting in the Keller Ferry drainage. We stared at each other for almost 45 minutes. The cub never moved. I never moved. Then I realized that Mama cougar must be somewhere close and it would be prudent for me to get up and leave. I got up and left. NO HARM, NO FOUL. Thanks Mama cougar!
Only ever saw two live rattlers - one side-winder in Nevada, and one timber in Pa. Would not have seen the one in Pa. if my brother did not yell “RATTLER”, after I had already gone by it. Apparently it was rattling like crazy (which I can’t hear!) I have seen many copperheads over the years here in Pa. and numerous non-poisonous snakes. They all fascinate me and luckily I haven’t needed to dispatch any of them. I have been to places here in Pa. known to be infested with timber rattlers - I couldn’t find one, no matter how many rock crevasses I rooted around in - go figure!
Did a lot of hiking and fishing in deep canyons in SW Utah - normally by myself. Some of these canyons are perfect choke-points for cougars waiting for pray! Had to climb out of one of the canyons (got too far in to back-track). Took awhile to find a place to climb out (apparently it gets dark earlier down in these canyons - who knew?) Sometime later it dawned on me, that if I could climb out at that spot, that chances were good that it was used by lions also! Ignorance was bliss. Didn’t think about snakes either - Yikes!! Great fishing in there though!
Best regards, Cougarbait Dave.
I’m semi-retired and I live in an area rich with outdoor activities - especially fishing, which puts me in the outdoors most every day. Rattlesnakes and King Snakes are not an everyday occurrence, but we do come across them several times a week from March through early November. So much so, that as you approach the populated areas, you’ll become aware of the posted Rattlesnake warning signs. Whether it’s fishing, hiking of Mt. biking, it pays to keep an eye out for them. In the case of buzz worms, that’s obvious, but we wouldn’t want to accidentally harm a King Snake by riding or running over one. They both play important roles in our environment.
Cougars are a different story. While some of our trailheads are well marked with cautionary signs about the presence of Cougars, sighting are uncommon. Down in the valley, where the grasslands remind one more of a savanna, I’ve spotted several over the years following the course of waterways and shadowing larger game animals.
To the best of my recollection, I’ve become aware of the presence of a Mt. Lion while fishing, only three times in my lifetime and two of those were over thirty years ago.
Best, Dave