Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I am hoping you can all help me. I recently returned from a trip to Western New York (Cattauragus and Chautauqua counties). I was told there are timber rattlers in these areas although they are very scarce due to extreme pressure on the species from humanization, poaching, illegal collecting, etc. While I am not a collector, I do have an enormous amount of respect for these animals and would have loved to have gotten some photos from a safe distance. Can anyone recommend any areas I might find these wonderful creatures in the above counties? One person told me (in Allegany State Park) that they have been extirpated from these areas, which would break my heart. Thank you in advance.

Eesh, having just read the article a few threads down about the timber rattler poachers, I guess I ought to tell you alittle more about myself, so you don't think I have any ulterior motives. I am a 39 yr old mom of 3, I love nature photography, and live on Long Island, however, my husband's family is from the Western New York area, and we go up there every summer to visit. I have never owned a snake, and have no desire to. I believe the best place for any undomesticated animal is in the wild unless rehabilitation is necessary, although many of you may have a different opinion about that as I see by the threads that there are many keepers here. We always do alot of hiking when we go up there, and the scenery is breathtaking. This past visit, I was reading and hearing alot about both the timber rattler's predicament and the increase in the black bear population. Unfortunately, I was unable to see or get photos of either while there.

I don't know much about timber rattlers in western new york, and I'm not sure I've ever been to those counties (I live in monroe county and wayne county...sort of), but I have heard about the black bear thing. Apparently studies have shown through tracking black bears and their distribution that they are moving north through western new york state and if they follow the forests they have been and continue in their general path, they'll enter wayne county in the near future. Those of you that don't know wayne county (and I'm assuming all of you don't) don't understand how wierd that would be to us around there. Unlike some people that share their land with black bears, we would never, ever expect to see a black bear while out in the woods, and I'm sure if we did it would freak us out. I think it would be pretty cool though.

I went off on a tangent, but I just find it sort of cool.

Yes, for the most part, they still do reside in all of those counties. I won't give exact areas as to where they are found, although an area called rattlesnake hill should be a give a way. Patience would be a virtue around that area, they aren't plentiful by any means.
I'll send you an e-mail later with some areas that you can check out, like I said, I won't give specifics, but I will give general areas. Many of the townspeople in those areas know that they are protected and like it that way, so if you do anything illegal, you will get caught.

-Tom

Thank you for your time. I am glad to hear you say that the locals do their part to protect them as a few people I spoke with said that the best rattlesnake is a dead one (very disheartening words.)This was from some of the locals in a town called Little Valley (we took the kids to a demolition derby there).