Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I live in a very rural part of wester NY state. I was wondering if there's any chance that any rattlers are left around here. Has anyone ever seen one wild in NY? I read that their numbers have been decimated (due to stupid human beings.) I think that if they're anywhere, there may be some in the woods behind our land. It's a couple hundred acres of undoctored pine/deciduous, which seems to be the habitat these snakes frequented.
Incidentally, if I should happen upon one in the wild, don't think that I plan on catching or taunting it!
-----
"One man's pet is another man's feeder."

You aren't going to find any eastern diamondbacks in western New York. They occur farther south. I'm currently in Buffalo.

I've seen eastern massasauga rattlesnakes outside of Rochester and timber rattlesnakes in the southern tier near PA. There are copperheads a little closer to NYC. I think it is the catskill mountains.

Here are some DEC links to native rattlers...

http://www.dec.state.ny.us/website/dfwmr/wildlife/endspec/tirafs.html
http://www.dec.state.ny.us/website/reg8/wma/rattlesnake.html
http://www.dec.state.ny.us/website/dfwmr/wildlife/endspec/massfs.html

Dave

Where abouts in rural western NY?

The eastern diamondback is a snake of the American southeast. It is found throughout Florida, & in parts of six other states.

~~Greg~~
Venomous Snakes of Florida

southwestern wyoming county
-----
"One man's pet is another man's feeder."

I think you're right in between.....Genesee county has a population of massasauga rattlesnakes, and south of you, Chautauqua, Cattaraugus, Allegany, and Steuben have populations of timber rattlesnakes. I don't know how large the populations are though. I've talked to quite a few people ( old-timers, school bus drivers, railway workers ) that say there are thousands still around, but you know how that goes.

are you guys located in wny and do you keep hots