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07-12-2018, 05:42 PM
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Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Alberta
Posts: 413
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Great pictures, thanks for posting.
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07-12-2018, 06:34 PM
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Join Date: Jun 2012
Location: Edmonton
Posts: 446
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I always enjoy your photography, some amazing pictures and knowledge thrown together
Thank you!
V
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07-13-2018, 12:01 AM
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Join Date: Oct 2014
Posts: 103
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Great photos! Glad I have never ran into one!
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07-13-2018, 12:14 AM
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Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Redcliff, Alberta
Posts: 2,618
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Thanks everyone! I love that so many have an appreciation and respect, even if they might not love them as I do. I really appreciate that outdoorsy people here don’t have a “kill ‘em all” attitude like I encounter south of the border.
I should mention that folks should not handle the hognose. Not venomous like a rattlesnake, but it has a sort of venomous saliva.
Quote:
Originally Posted by jmedical
Great photos! Glad I have never ran into one!
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Are you a medic, by chance? Calgary zone?
__________________
There is nothing to writing. All you do is sit down at a typewriter and bleed. ~ Ernest Hemingway
www.SnakesonaPlain.ca
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07-13-2018, 07:16 AM
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Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: Sturgeon County, Ab.
Posts: 3,132
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Great photos, thank you for sharing in your adventures.
__________________
Proper placement and Deep penetration are what’s important. Just like they taught in Sex Ed!
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07-13-2018, 07:26 AM
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Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Ft. McMurray
Posts: 38,635
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Love the pics!
It never ceases to amaze me just how much different wildlife there is that yhat we take for granted or do not even notice when we are out doing other things!
Cat
__________________
Anytime I figure I've got this long range thing figured out, I just strap into the sling and irons and remind myself that I don't!
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07-13-2018, 08:10 AM
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Banned
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Join Date: May 2007
Location: Calgary
Posts: 5,189
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Awesome, learned something new today, the lizards...very cool. Knew about the rest and someone did comment scorpions too...do we have those? I didn't think we had. Also didn't know we had the hognose, never saw one of those at the denning area i found.
I discovered a denning site sometime ago a few hours from calgary, tons of garter snakes, 3 different color variations i always called the red siders, grey siders, and then i don't know what you call the one with the orange stripe and the lime green belly but they are my fav, only ever found the first two in and around calgary but when i found this denning area i found the third color variation.
Bull snakes and rattle snakes at this denning area also, caught a bull that had to be near 9' one day early spring, just came out and was warming up on a rock. Huge snake, i'm 6' tall and i held it up with a foot and a half on the ground and a foot and half beyond my hand held way above my head (tail nubbed shorter). Would not have tried to handle her if it was much warmer, she could barely move, will never forget that slow hiss she warned me with that just kept getting louder and louder as i wondered when it was ever going to stop...when i first started picking her cold self up, wish i had digital camera then...i had no camera. Left her there of course. Caught many rattle snakes there. The babies are quite something to see at the dens, so tiny.
Anyway, great pics and thanks for posting!
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07-13-2018, 08:36 AM
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Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: 204
Posts: 5,485
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Can you still trade a horny toad for an old yeller dog?
__________________
"I like to quote my own quotes" ~ Dewey Cox
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07-13-2018, 08:48 AM
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Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Redcliff, Alberta
Posts: 2,618
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Dewey Cox
Can you still trade a horny toad for an old yeller dog?
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That depends. With rabies, or without? Rabies will cost you extra.
(Great novel, great movie!)
__________________
There is nothing to writing. All you do is sit down at a typewriter and bleed. ~ Ernest Hemingway
www.SnakesonaPlain.ca
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07-13-2018, 08:49 AM
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Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: 204
Posts: 5,485
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They made that movie into a book?
I’ll have to read it...
__________________
"I like to quote my own quotes" ~ Dewey Cox
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07-13-2018, 08:55 AM
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Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Redcliff, Alberta
Posts: 2,618
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Dewey Cox
They made that movie into a book?
I’ll have to read it...
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The book came out a year before the movie.
__________________
There is nothing to writing. All you do is sit down at a typewriter and bleed. ~ Ernest Hemingway
www.SnakesonaPlain.ca
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07-13-2018, 09:48 AM
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Shooting Xs
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Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Medicine Hat
Posts: 836
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We had our 3rd. Annual Open House at Medicine Hat Rifle and Revolver club on June 23rd.
These two showed up and decided it was time for some procreation on the drive way 12 feet across from the main entrance to the Club house .We posted a Member to stand on guard to warn passers by and give them as much privacy as possible ,although they didn't seem to have any problem concerning that.
About 1.5 hours later{not like bunnies ,for sure} we nudged them to the other side of the fence where this photo was taken.
Lots of people had a look ,some had never seen Rattle snakes before, never mind while mating.
A nice added bit of nature bonus to a great day of shooting.
It's not unusual to see snakes on the Range ,but due to the construction next door we're seeing a few more this year.
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07-13-2018, 04:50 PM
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Join Date: Nov 2012
Posts: 177
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I found some of those scorpions on a dry hillside in the Porcupine Hills a few years ago. I didn't believe what I saw until I got home and confirmed that Alberta does indeed have scorpions. Now I just need to see one of those lizards!
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07-13-2018, 05:40 PM
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Join Date: Jun 2010
Posts: 2,262
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Great photos and story Archnodisiac. Sure missed ya posting.
__________________
Quote:
Originally Posted by huntinstuff
Attention Anti Hunters
Sit back
Pour yourself a tea
Watch us "sportsmen" attack each other and destroy ourselves from within.
From road hunters vs "real hunters" to bowhunters vs rifle hunters, long bows and recurves vs compound user to bow vs crossbow to white hunters vs Native hunters etc etc etc
.....
Enjoy the easy ride, anti hunters. Strange to me why we seem to be doing your job for you.
Excuse me while I go puke.
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07-13-2018, 06:22 PM
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Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Calgary
Posts: 307
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Black widow
Quote:
Originally Posted by 32-40win
Cool, wasn't actually aware we had black widows up here. Nice to see your pics.
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Are these black widow spiders dangerous to humans?
Great pics---thanks for sharing.
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07-13-2018, 06:54 PM
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Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: Alberta
Posts: 1,269
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Cool thread.
I used to go with my dad in the fall to the rattlesnake den sites.
Wasn't uncommon to see 100 rattlesnakes on a sunny September afternoon.
Have found everything on your list (including the little scorpions) except the lizard... On the to do list!!
Thanks for the flashbacks
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07-13-2018, 09:31 PM
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Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: WMU 214
Posts: 569
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Great pics! Is that Black Widow in Alberta? Med Hat area? How common are they? Are they the same as the Black Widow we are all thinking of??
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07-13-2018, 11:46 PM
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Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: Central Alberta
Posts: 593
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Love this post. I have hoped to find horned lizards but never have, so nice to see one. The hog nose snake is cool too, new one for me as well. Looks like some great adventures.
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07-14-2018, 07:30 AM
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Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Redcliff, Alberta
Posts: 2,618
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Remi3006
Great pics! Is that Black Widow in Alberta? Med Hat area? How common are they? Are they the same as the Black Widow we are all thinking of??
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Yup, sure is. There are many species of black widow and this one is found into the U.S. and Mexico. Its venom is neurotoxic, but not usually fatal. There hasn’t been a. Documented fatality in North America from this species. (But it wouldn’t be fun. It’s painful and can cause pain for several months apparently.)
They aren’t uncommon. They are usually found in gopher holes, with a messy, disorganized webs. Around human habitation, they like to build their webs not too high, but they like open space above and below their webs. Think the opening of a watering can or under a bench.
They are found in the southern belt of Alberta, probably right to the mountains. They are super fun to keep!
__________________
There is nothing to writing. All you do is sit down at a typewriter and bleed. ~ Ernest Hemingway
www.SnakesonaPlain.ca
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07-14-2018, 08:47 AM
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Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Edmonton
Posts: 8,384
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Thank you for posting and sharing. This is something I could never do intentionally. Your herping threads are alway fascinating!
BW
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07-14-2018, 12:01 PM
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Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Redcliff, Alberta
Posts: 2,618
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Quote:
Originally Posted by DougC
I found some of those scorpions on a dry hillside in the Porcupine Hills a few years ago. I didn't believe what I saw until I got home and confirmed that Alberta does indeed have scorpions. Now I just need to see one of those lizards!
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I am super curious to know where! I have not seen them outside of the river areas associated with rattlesnakes, and that type of habitat.
__________________
There is nothing to writing. All you do is sit down at a typewriter and bleed. ~ Ernest Hemingway
www.SnakesonaPlain.ca
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07-14-2018, 12:41 PM
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Join Date: Mar 2008
Posts: 305
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I saw my first and only scorpion in the old Medicine Hat train station in mid-December lol , it was -20 C outside , there was a hole in the floor and this small light brown scorpion was right beside it . I don't know if anyone believed me when i told them what i had just witnessed .
Another odd sighting was in the souther interior of BC at the end of March with snow in patches , there was a long snake at the side of the road . I couldn't believe it seeing how it was still so chilly . It was a bull snake that had it's head squashed , the rest was ok so i took it and skinned it later . It's burrow must have been a warm one for it to be able to be out and about give the cold weather .
Glad to see so many people interested in the rare critters we have , gotta keep their habitat undisturbed .
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07-14-2018, 02:39 PM
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Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: Southern Alberta
Posts: 7,350
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Bigrib
I saw my first and only scorpion in the old Medicine Hat train station in mid-December lol , it was -20 C outside , there was a hole in the floor and this small light brown scorpion was right beside it . I don't know if anyone believed me when i told them what i had just witnessed .
Another odd sighting was in the souther interior of BC at the end of March with snow in patches , there was a long snake at the side of the road . I couldn't believe it seeing how it was still so chilly . It was a bull snake that had it's head squashed , the rest was ok so i took it and skinned it later . It's burrow must have been a warm one for it to be able to be out and about give the cold weather .
Glad to see so many people interested in the rare critters we have , gotta keep their habitat undisturbed .
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Used to find them frequently in the gravel pits that used to be just up from power plant near the waterslide park. Back in the sixties.
Great thread and pics Arachnodisiac!
__________________
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eat a snickers
made in Alberta__ born n raised.
FS-Tinfool hats by the roll.
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07-15-2018, 02:24 AM
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Gone Hunting
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Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: North of Peace River
Posts: 11,346
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Awesome thread!
I'm still watching for animal skulls for your collection, but I don't see anywhere near as much as I did when I worked for highway maintenance.
Still, there is always a chance.
I'll get to see a rattler some day. I am planning on a week in the south some time in the next few years, to photograph southern wildlife. On the top of my wish list are Rattlers and Sage Grouse.
__________________
Democracy substitutes election by the incompetent many for appointment by the corrupt few.
George Bernard Shaw
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11-22-2018, 05:08 AM
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Join Date: May 2010
Location: The Forgotten Corner
Posts: 786
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I operated on the block for near a decade and there were hundreds of widows. In addition, rattlers, hog nosed snakes, bullsnakes, giant toads, kangaroo rats.
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11-22-2018, 12:49 PM
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Join Date: May 2011
Location: Edmonton
Posts: 1,471
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Sure do enjoy your posts and miss them when you dont post in a while about the critters some dont ever get to see. Im surprised i never got bit as a kid. Used to crawl around out in the middle of nowhere mostly on my own. Seen all the ones you've mentioned in there natural habitat. I grew up in the kinda country you speak of. Im down there at least 5 -6 times every year visiting.
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11-22-2018, 02:14 PM
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Join Date: Aug 2018
Location: Bonnyville
Posts: 63
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I worked on the block as a summer student about 20 years ago, documented 18 rattlers that I had seen from pencil sized to the big ones. Seen bull snakes and a red sided garter snake as well but no hog nosed snakes (great pic by the way!) Also seen more black widow's than I care too as well in the utilidor's that cover on site piping!
Great place to check out the cold blooded kind!
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01-01-2019, 05:18 PM
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Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Redcliff, Alberta
Posts: 2,618
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Hey everyone, thanks so much!
I really love sharing these photos and stories with folks that appreciate them.
This summer, I’m moving to Medicine Hat (I work there full-time now) and I’m so jacked to be able to call that part of the province my home.
Looking forward to hunting the area too, and sure hope to get out with a few of y’all.
__________________
There is nothing to writing. All you do is sit down at a typewriter and bleed. ~ Ernest Hemingway
www.SnakesonaPlain.ca
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01-01-2019, 05:58 PM
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Join Date: May 2007
Location: Calgary
Posts: 3,343
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Looking forward to your 2019 adventures. Always love the pictures.
Dodger.
__________________
Freedom comes with responsibility and integrity. Not stupidity and self entitlement.
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01-01-2019, 06:00 PM
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Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Edmonton Alberta
Posts: 9,645
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We just went thru your pics and story for the second time
Love it
I went to college in Lethbridge. Got introduced to the coulees by a girl. We sat and just marvelled at it many many evenings. For me, it was like being on another planet as i came from northern Alberta
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