Are there timber rattlesnakes in Vermont?

Eastern timber rattlesnakes, which average about 3 feet in length as adults, live about 15 to 20 years in the wild.In the summer months rattlers spend most of their time hunting and basking, Jardine said. Rattlers consume prey about once every two or three weeks."A clearing in the forest is a good foraging area for Eastern timber rattlers," he said. Blodgett said the presence of timber rattlers this far north is testimony to the snake's sheer willingness to survive."We need to embrace this animal, rather than persecute it or destroy it," he said.

People who study the lives and habits of Vermont's rattlesnakes are reluctant to talk about what role humans play in the destruction of these animals, but it is clearly a factor in their decline."If one person takes out one female rattlesnake, that can have a detrimental effect on the entire population," Boedecker said."If you are one of the few people who are lucky enough to see a rattlesnake, go home and feel proud about it," she said. Vermont homeowners or farmers will sometimes find a rattlesnake on their property. Blodgett said that killing a rattler is not only against the law, it is pointless."Occasionally, a snake will ramble on to a nearby farm or yard," he said.

"Rather than kill it, we have a team of trained volunteers who will come and safely remove and relocate the snake."Since the Eastern timber rattlesnake in Vermont is an endangered species, the penalty for killing one is a $1,000 fine and restitution of $1,000. Jardine, who returned to Vermont last October after a yearlong tour in Iraq, has been studying Eastern timber rattlesnakes for years."I spend a lot of time in the woods, looking for foraging areas and birthing areas," he said. Boedecker, Blodgett and Jardine were delighted and surprised about finding a rattlesnake in the Vermont countryside."Looking for a rattlesnake is like looking for a needle in a haystack," Jardine said.

Rattlesnake Removal Program: If you find a rattlesnake on your property, do not handle it or try to move the snake yourself. Call one of the following people; they are trained to safely remove rattlesnakes: Rob Sterling, Vermont Fish & Wildlife, 773-9101 Paul Jardine, Fair Haven, 579-0058 Mike Horner, Hubbardton, 273-3530 David Fedor-Cunningham, Benson, 537-4461 Mary Droege, West Haven, 265-8645Contact Dennis Jensen at dennis.