dentedr Report post Posted June 7 2 hours ago, GreatWhiteBuffalo said: 'I'd been inhaling the pure, crystallized Mojave toxin' LOL I had a biology professor in college who taught mycology, he had more lesions and growth on his skin then I've ever seen. That sounds like the crew that comes by to empty my septic. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
IA Born Report post Posted June 7 On 6/6/2025 at 3:37 PM, PRDATR said: I'm familiar with what we call Fume Hoods which is what I am guessing is the same as a Vent Hood. How do you crystalize the venom, by freeze drying it in a vacuum with dry ice? That was what a friend would do with scorpion venom to turn it into a fine powder to then be used for anti-venom. In our research labs, we called them vent hoods, but they are 100% the same. We had a fancy lyophilizer machine that did all the work. We'd put the venom samples in a -70F flash freezer and then throw them in the lyophilizer when we had time. Another funny story related to that was me flying to Monterrey, Mexico to present my research at a big herp conference and forgetting I had all about 5 vials of crystallized Mojave toxin in my book bag. Somehow, I made it into Mexico and back out with no problems and it was my carry-on bag. I realized my mistake when we came through customs in El Paso (flew out of Juarez because it was cheaper) to cross back in the U.S. I was trying to figure out how to explain that one away. Luckily, the customs agent looked right past those vials. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
IA Born Report post Posted June 7 22 hours ago, Big or Bust said: I love tidbits like this. Keep them coming. Any blacktail info? My local ranges are loaded and they are the meanest freaking snakes I've ever encountered.... What kind of blacktail info are you wanting? And you're talking blacktail rattlesnake (C. molossus) and not AZ Blacks, right? I've never had issues with blacktails being mean or aggressive in AZ. In fact, most of the specimens I've encountered barely rattled to let us know they were there and they were very docile when handled. I actually used to grab them by the tail and pick them up. I have a picture of that somewhere, too, from down in the Chiricahaus. The blacktails in west Texas were a whole other ballgame, though. They were aggressive AF and would strike like crazy. We had a a set of young Mohaves from west Texas with the neurotoxin. They were born in captivity to a 4-foot female that was captured near Hueco Tanks. It was fun to watch feeding time. It gave you a good perspective as to how lethal the Mojave toxin is. They would strike the mice we fed them, the mice would jump straight up, and hit the bottom of the tank dead with minimal twitching, if any. One of those beauties escaped on me during feeding time once. It hit the ground at my feet and went under some tanks/tubs on the floor. I had to go and lock myself in a 7x15 room with it and start moving tanks, tubs, and cans around to get it back in its cage. That was kind of unnerving. 1 2 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
HuntHarder Report post Posted June 7 Anyone who handles venomous snakes for research purposes are good in my book. Even non venomous give me the hebby jeebies. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CatfishKev Report post Posted June 8 Another eventful Day. These folks found another bigger one in their yard after I left. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
catclaw Report post Posted June 8 My experience is that Az black rattlesnakes are least likely to bite off all the ones discussed here. They're typically at the elevations we hunt coues. Black tailed on the other hand have always been very aggressive in my encounters with them. There's a spot on n the Salt that we home into for catfish and we call it our rattlesnake spot. Always see 3 or 4 blacktails on the way in. I was hunting near one year in 24A glassing a big canyon that runs into Salt River canyon. Sat down in the dark. About 830 we got up to move and my buddy put his hand down to stand up. Put it right on top of a black coiled up. He jumped up and pulled his pistol. I told him not to shoot it as it was not aggressive to us and an god trait to pass on! 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
NOTAGS Report post Posted June 8 3 hours ago, HuntHarder said: Anyone who handles venomous snakes for research purposes are good in my book. Even non venomous give me the hebby jeebies. Gopher snakes make you twitch, I’ve seen it, lol Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
nateNAU Report post Posted June 8 I took the kids to lynx Creek in Prescott yesterday to do some gold panning. Just about stepped on this AZ black. Very docile and not aggressive at all. Had a bunch of rattles but was fairly small so I'm thinking maybe a female. I gave another AZ black a hair cut with a 44 mag a few years ago that was very aggressive while hiking into one of my bear spots. The one I shot was jet black when I shot it but after a few hours the diamond pattern started to show. 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Big or Bust Report post Posted June 8 22 hours ago, IA Born said: What kind of blacktail info are you wanting? And you're talking blacktail rattlesnake (C. molossus) and not AZ Blacks, right? I've never had issues with blacktails being mean or aggressive in AZ. In fact, most of the specimens I've encountered barely rattled to let us know they were there and they were very docile when handled. I actually used to grab them by the tail and pick them up. I have a picture of that somewhere, too, from down in the Chiricahaus. The blacktails in west Texas were a whole other ballgame, though. They were aggressive AF and would strike like crazy. We had a a set of young Mohaves from west Texas with the neurotoxin. They were born in captivity to a 4-foot female that was captured near Hueco Tanks. It was fun to watch feeding time. It gave you a good perspective as to how lethal the Mojave toxin is. They would strike the mice we fed them, the mice would jump straight up, and hit the bottom of the tank dead with minimal twitching, if any. One of those beauties escaped on me during feeding time once. It hit the ground at my feet and went under some tanks/tubs on the floor. I had to go and lock myself in a 7x15 room with it and start moving tanks, tubs, and cans around to get it back in its cage. That was kind of unnerving. Not necessarily looking for info just love the tidbits if you have any. Crazy you say the lack of aggression. I'm talking blacktails not AZ blacks. I have a training hike I do twice a week behind my house on some rocky hills. Over the years I've likely encountered at least 15 blacktails on or near the trails I have made. Every single one has basically come at me and rattled profusely. Nasty nasty agressive.... 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
firstcoueswas80 Report post Posted June 8 Biggest one I ever saw was about 12 years ago in the catalinas archery deer hunting. Found a good little spot to drop a deuce and let's just say it was occupied so I found somewhere else. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
IA Born Report post Posted June 9 4 hours ago, Big or Bust said: Not necessarily looking for info just love the tidbits if you have any. Crazy you say the lack of aggression. I'm talking blacktails not AZ blacks. I have a training hike I do twice a week behind my house on some rocky hills. Over the years I've likely encountered at least 15 blacktails on or near the trails I have made. Every single one has basically come at me and rattled profusely. Nasty nasty agressive.... And that could be a product of SE AZ blacktails vs the rest of the state. I've encountered them in the all of the Sky Islands, except for the Pinalenos and everyone was about as docile as they come. Most barely rattled and were content staying quiet until I started messing with them. I've been the third person hiking out of a canyon at night and stepped within 2 inches of a blacktail and it only rattled a couple of shakes after I was past it. I was doing spotted owl surveys on Ft Huachuca many years ago and ended up sharing an abandoned cabin with one and my dog. I relocated it safely out of the cabin and down the canyon and it was all "Hey, cool view from up here!". I'll find that picture of me holding one by its tail when I get to my office tomorrow. I miss seeing blacktails, especially in SE AZ where they are so yellow in color. 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
IA Born Report post Posted June 9 I thought the pic I had from helping with a research project in Chiricahua NM was me holding the blactail by its tail, but its me with it in my hook. I had it by its tail, but others were freaking out, so I played nice. Other blacktail pics are from the Santa Ritas and Huachucas. Chiricahua NM Scheelite Canyon, Ft Huachuca Madera Canyon, right off a popular trail Scotia Canyon, Huachuca Mts Right outside Ft Huachuca West Gate They all got defensive and rattled like crazy once I started messing with them, but they were never aggressive or eager to strike. In fact, all of these barely rattled at all when we walked past them. Like barely two tail twitches. 5 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CatfishKev Report post Posted June 10 9 hours ago, IA Born said: I thought the pic I had from helping with a research project in Chiricahua NM was me holding the blactail by its tail, but its me with it in my hook. I had it by its tail, but others were freaking out, so I played nice. Other blacktail pics are from the Santa Ritas and Huachucas. Chiricahua NM Scheelite Canyon, Ft Huachuca Madera Canyon, right off a popular trail Scotia Canyon, Huachuca Mts Right outside Ft Huachuca West Gate They all got defensive and rattled like crazy once I started messing with them, but they were never aggressive or eager to strike. In fact, all of these barely rattled at all when we walked past them. Like barely two tail twitches. I came across a few in the huachucas, almost stepped on one looking for blood on a bowshot and it moved rather then rattle or get stepped on. Didn't rattle till I messed with it trying to get a pic. The yellowish green sure makes them look pretty. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
firstcoueswas80 Report post Posted June 13 Saw this one at work. Pretty sure it's a Mojave but not sure. It was good sized. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
25-06 Report post Posted June 13 5 hours ago, firstcoueswas80 said: Saw this one at work. Pretty sure it's a Mojave but not sure. It was good sized. Yep that's a majove. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
