The Great Outdoors

Welcome to our Community
Wanting to join the rest of our members? Feel free to Sign Up today.
Sign up

Hauler

Been fallin so long it's like gravitys gone
Feb 3, 2016
48,430
60,437
Got a day off work...that I'm spending working.

But I'm outdoors and couldn't be happier.

20210906_123938.jpg
 

Hauler

Been fallin so long it's like gravitys gone
Feb 3, 2016
48,430
60,437
Spotted a red velvet ant today.

It's actually a wingless wasp and they sting like a motherfucker - so stay clear if you ever spot one.

Fast little guy. And big - maybe 1" long.

20210918_173750.jpg
 
M

member 1013

Guest
Me and the battle axe went bird watching on the kayak, we saw loons fishing, ospreys nesting, and a great blue heron fight

my gods it was exhilarating
 

Grateful Dude

TMMAC Addict
May 30, 2016
8,929
14,285
Spotted a red velvet ant today.

It's actually a wingless wasp and they sting like a motherfucker - so stay clear if you ever spot one.

Fast little guy. And big - maybe 1" long.

View attachment 46748
We supposedly have those here too, but I've never actually seen one. I collect endangered invertebrates as part of my job (I'm fully permitted to do so!) , so I would have grabbed my shit and pickled that bad boy in ethanol :)
 

Grateful Dude

TMMAC Addict
May 30, 2016
8,929
14,285
Check this fella out....

For as much as I hate snakes, these are pretty cool looking. It is also not all that common to run in to them, at least in my experience. They're around, but more generally secretive and less "fuck you, bitch" aggressive like the rattlers.

Coral snake 1 twin springs.JPG
 

Hauler

Been fallin so long it's like gravitys gone
Feb 3, 2016
48,430
60,437
We supposedly have those here too, but I've never actually seen one. I collect endangered invertebrates as part of my job (I'm fully permitted to do so!) , so I would have grabbed my shit and pickled that bad boy in ethanol :)
They say they are somewhat common.

Odd that it took me until I was 87 years old to see one. And here you are - an avid outdoorsman - and you've yet to see one.

Odd indeed.
 

Hauler

Been fallin so long it's like gravitys gone
Feb 3, 2016
48,430
60,437
Check this fella out....

For as much as I hate snakes, these are pretty cool looking. It is also not all that common to run in to them, at least in my experience. They're around, but more generally secretive and less "fuck you, bitch" aggressive like the rattlers.

View attachment 47017
Fuck that noise.
 

Grateful Dude

TMMAC Addict
May 30, 2016
8,929
14,285
Fuck that noise.
Generally, I agree. I'm like Indiana Jones when it comes to being around snakes. But working with biologists for a couple decades now has lowered my intolerance levels, and I can appreciate them more now. 15 years ago, I would've killed it on reflex. No I'm happy to leave them be if they do the same. Rattlers are the assholes though, corals are generally mellow and want to get the hell away from you.
 

Hauler

Been fallin so long it's like gravitys gone
Feb 3, 2016
48,430
60,437
Generally, I agree. I'm like Indiana Jones when it comes to being around snakes. But working with biologists for a couple decades now has lowered my intolerance levels, and I can appreciate them more now. 15 years ago, I would've killed it on reflex. No I'm happy to leave them be if they do the same. Rattlers are the assholes though, corals are generally mellow and want to get the hell away from you.
I don't kill snakes. I leave them be. I just don't like them.

The only poisonous ones we have up here are copperheads, and those aren't really that poisonous.

Where I camp in KY they have timber rattlers but I've only seen one in my 85 years.
 

sparkuri

Pulse on the finger of The Cimmunity
First 100
Jan 16, 2015
38,401
50,536
Check this fella out....

For as much as I hate snakes, these are pretty cool looking. It is also not all that common to run in to them, at least in my experience. They're around, but more generally secretive and less "fuck you, bitch" aggressive like the rattlers.

View attachment 47017
Where the heck is that?
I thought corals were in like Arizona....or Madagascar....or Venus.
 

Grateful Dude

TMMAC Addict
May 30, 2016
8,929
14,285
I don't kill snakes. I leave them be. I just don't like them.

The only poisonous ones we have up here are copperheads, and those aren't really that poisonous.

Where I camp in KY they have timber rattlers but I've only seen one in my 85 years.
The western diamondbacks can be aggressive, they'll actually come at you and hold their ground. We often run into them in caves during the cooler months, and that sucks a big one. These are often not walking passage caves, you're belly crawling. So that was always a "if it's going to be one of us, it's gonna be him" thing for me. For the most part I let them be now, but if I get one of those fuckers that keeps coming at me I have no issue taking it out.
 

Hauler

Been fallin so long it's like gravitys gone
Feb 3, 2016
48,430
60,437
The western diamondbacks can be aggressive, they'll actually come at you and hold their ground. We often run into them in caves during the cooler months, and that sucks a big one. These are often not walking passage caves, you're belly crawling. So that was always a "if it's going to be one of us, it's gonna be him" thing for me. For the most part I let them be now, but if I get one of those fuckers that keeps coming at me I have no issue taking it out.
Do you carry antivenom with you?
 

Grateful Dude

TMMAC Addict
May 30, 2016
8,929
14,285
Do you carry antivenom with you?
Negative. It is also outrageously expensive from what I hear. And snake bite kits are bullshit. If you get bit, the best thing to do is get to the ER immediately. And try to keep your heart rate down as much as possible.