If walking in the hills keep your eye on the ground. This bull snake (see comment section) seems to show damage on skin or?
Photo by Eileen Redding
Publisher: This was thought by the photographer to be a rattler but the experts has spoken. Son of Carleton is not to be doubted. – Article has been adjusted so comments are to be read with interest.
Thanks for the correction “Just saying”, I am still learning about snakes and want to be as knowledgeable as possible. I am probably one of the few people in this world who likes snakes.
Hiking group saw a Blue Racer yesterday south west of Oliver Mt,,,I was at the end of the line and missed it
( next time
Hello Bullsnake. They are our friend. They do capture rattlesnakes and eat them. That Bullsnake is a good sight to see.
Looks like a bull snake to me
It IS a BULL SNAKE Jack, smooth, cool,it will hiss and on occassion nip at you but it IS HARMLESS and a great mouser
If you go to Google images and type in “okanagan snakes” you’ll get several good views of our local wiggly friends. Anybody seen a blue racer recently?
The snake in Eileen’s picture is probably a gopher snake, also called bull snake. It is quite common on our local golf courses, it’s purpose being to give the tourists the fright of their lives. Its quite similar in size, shape and coloration to a rattler but is a non venemous constrictor, squeezing and swallowing mice, baby birds and squirrels, etc. It is known to hiss vigorously at golfers walking by. After a cold night they like to lie out on the asphalt cart path and warm up.
Pat, its definiitely not a rubber boa. Our beloved naturalist, Carlton McNaughton, showed me a rubber boa once. They are grassy green and rubbery and stubby, and the head end and the tail end are quite similar.
Unless it had “rattles” on the tail, I believe you are incorrect in identifying this as a Rattlesnake. It appears to lack the triangular shaped head and vertical pupil. May I suggest that it was a “tree Boa” or “rubber Boa” which I recall have very similar colors and markings as the Rattlesnake and will curl and swell up while hissing at you. Boas are constrictors and carry no venom.
Publisher: Picture did not show rattles – so Pat could be right. A boa you say? – does it use its body to kill rodents?