I guess you're right about the Western Diamondback being in the SW, Chuck.
We do have the Western Rattlesnake (Crotalus viridis) in WA. Apparently the
Prairie Rattlesnake (Croatalus viridus viridus) is a subspecies of the
Western. I couldn't find any info. on its being in WA state, but it wouldn't
surprise me to learn it exists east of the Columbia River. We saw many
rattlesnakes out in the Columbia basin while hunting & fishing & exploring
all over out there (looking for arrowheads when the ducks weren't flying,
etc.). I know the Prairie rattler does live in eastern Idaho, not that far
away...
Another subspecies of the Western here is the Northern Pacific Rattlesnake
(Crotalus viridis oreganus).
None of this means anything when you run into one. You just want to be
somewhere else, unless you're a herpetologist.
Ross (Dad's co-worker & one of many hunting partners) was not known to tell
tall tales. I supposed a rattler could have managed to make it into a big
Ponderosa limb from a nearby rocky ledge or something. We have MOUNTAINS out
here, with trees growing RIGHT next to rocky outcroppings, sometimes growing
out of them. It's very dry and VERY steep and rocky in some of the areas we
hunted for mule deer. I too, doubt that it actually CLIMBED a tree. I've
been in hiking and hunting places where I had rocky outcroppings towering
over my head, and just KNEW there could be rattlers nearby. Always hated
hiking near rocks.
Most surprising thing I found doing a little web search is that they can live
to about 27 years old. That makes for a very large snake.
Rich
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