Here's the story I got with this picture from a co-worker:

"Texas Rattlesnake!



This snake was recently found at the old Turkey Creek gas plant located just south of the Alibates Turnoff on Highway 136 south of Fritch Texas. (Just north of Amarillo and west of Borger, TX)"



"A reminder that these creatures are actually out there and no matter what you believe, sometimes they should not only get prescriptive rights to be there but the full right of way!

9 feet, 1 inch - 97 lbs.

No matter what anybody else tells you, kill the snake before you try to do anything else to it! It's the safest way for you and the snake doesn't really care anymore.

DEEP-FRIED RATTLESNAKE
1 medium-sized rattlesnake (3-4 lbs.), cut into steaks
1/2 cup flour
1/4 cup cornmeal
1/4 cup cracker crumbs
1/2 cup milk
1 egg
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder (not garlic salt)
1 teaspoon salt
dash pepper

Mix dry ingredients. Whisk milk into beaten egg and use to dip snake steaks.
Then coat them with dry ingredients. Fry, uncovered, in 400 degree oil until brown. "

holly crap, I have never seen one that big, it must be inbred with anaconda. dad once killed a 56 incher that was as fat as a body builders forearm, thats a baby compared to that one

quote:

Believe nothing, no matter where you read it, or who said it, unless it agrees with your own reason and your own common sense.

Good advice. From the camera perspective, that snake would look much larger than it's acutal size. A Western Diamondback of more than 9 feet would be more than a foot larger than the largest recorded. I'm guessing that snake to be a little over 6 feet. As to weight, something far less than half of the claimed 93 pounds.

I wasn't there, but come on, this is Texas...a little 'embellishment' is expected.

I was guessing a solid 7.5 feet....and no one the size of this guy could hold 90 pounds on the end of a pole that casually, but hey, we weren't there.

It's still a damn big snake!

He's holding that stick awfully lax for a snake that weighs in close to 100 lbs...

Bet it is a camera trick...

Very strong dude holding the stick, would't want to mess with him, but maybe the snake is not quite that heavy(97 pounds???) my guess snake is less than 25 lbs. and 6-7 feet in length. Lay snake on sidewalk longways and next to a coke can, then I'll have a better idea of how big they get in TEXAS. bill439

what are you all geting all exercised about? Tain't like its no big snake. We have copperheaded rattleing moccasins here in Alabama and Ga. that would eat that snake and not even burp. Thats why they train Green Berets and other snake eaters at Ft. Benning
and not at Ft. Hood. Its so they can get enough to eat. LOL
Judge Sharpe

quote:

9 feet, 1 inch - 97 lbs.

Obviously a non-Calibrated "Strain Gauge" system.

quote:

Originally posted by Hot Core:

quote:

9 feet, 1 inch - 97 lbs.

Obviously a non-Calibrated "Strain Gauge" system.

That guy and the snake sure do get around. They've all over the state. Same picture, different locations.

Relax.....anyone that has ever taken a picture recognizes the effects of depth perception on a photo, thats why you hold that buck or bass as far away from you as you can when a pic is snapped....decent sized rattler (we got 'em up to 7' here in South GA), but nope, he ain't no anaconda.

Here is my son with a REAL seven footer...

Not too long ago the british newspaper The Guardian sent one of it's people to the orient to measure a record sized python. His comment ? "It's amazing how snakes shrink when confronted by a tape measure !!"

Hey Hank, That boy is about to "squeeze" that snakes head clean off.

Unless your boy is only 2' tall, I do believe his snake is BIGGER than the 9'er(???).
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I do LOVE those fine Speer Shot Capsules (with #7 shot) in the first two cylinders for situations when encountered with Mr. No-Shoulders.

That guy is holding the snake on the end of a pole with keeping himself some number of feet behind the animal. There is NO WAY that snake is 9 feet long and over 90 pounds. I have worked with some of the world's largest snakes from Burmese pythons, to Reticulated pythons, to green anacondas, and that snake is no where near 90 pounds. That snakes is probably 7 feet long, and about 45-60 pounds. Just a thought for anyone planning on killing a snake that large. A snake can strike up to 2/3 of its body length, which means that a nine foot snake could make solid contact from six feet away. When killing a big rattlesnake I suggest a shotgun.

Hey Tom....I agree with everything you said. I had tons of snakes as pets growing up, including Burmese, Retics Boas and Rock pythons. Look at the hook holding up that rattler and compare it with the other end of his stick....I estimated a 5 footer. Anyway, cute story. We have had a picture circulating in South GA ever since the Civil War concluded (I think) that shows a black man holding up a nice rattler with the end of a hoe handle...same camera trick. Down here I try not to kill any snake, even the poisinous ones. Interestingly, it seems the bigger they are(six feet and over) the tamer they "appear" to be around us. If they could talk, most seem to be saying "man, I am just out here trying to do my job...if you leave me alone, I will extend the same favor to you". The one below was about 6' and he let me snap a pic or two and never even rattled, nor ever struck. The seven footer my son was holding was killed by a neighbor.

Hey Hotcore,

Yeah he was squeezing kinda hard, but he was quite dead. The neighbor that killed him popped him over the head with about a 20' section of 1" galv. pipe...said he just rolled over and gave it up. He was an honest 7 feet even when measured...no stretching, etc. I tanned the hide, and extracted the fangs with needle nose pliars....they averaged, believe it or not, an inch and a quarter long. Still have em on my reloading bench as a reminder. Still hate to see them killed though...but I understand if they are around your house, dog pens, etc...

I've got a 7ft Red-Tail Boa weighing approximately 35 lbs. That rattler in the first picture looks to be roughly the same size. Looks like that buzztail was eating quite well.

here is a small snake from the South Texas ranch.