# got a bunch of tree's 2 climb..but dont want 2



## jar1zx (May 30, 2009)

ok i found out snakes climb tree's. is any thing made for face and neck and upper body protection. I looked a rattler dead in the face today at 1 foot away from my face. its a big job...30 mins from town. if i was to have got bit not sure if i would have made it. i seen a flash looked up seen an open mouth 1 foot from my face. really sucked. any ideas any 1? do they make anything that would help me with this job.


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## jar1zx (May 30, 2009)

the job is out in the woods. up on a hill with creek and a pond close by
was told there was a lot of snakes on this place. being the 5th tree i climbed on the job that had the snake in it. guessing 200+ more tree's to go. i bet i will find more snakes. and i could not see the snake till it moved. i got real lucky today. need help on what i can wear to make this job safer


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## yooper (May 30, 2009)

how about packing a .22 with bird shot? I am glad all we have to deal with here is the elusive snow snake!


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## jar1zx (May 30, 2009)

yooper said:


> how about packing a .22 with bird shot? I am glad all we have to deal with here is the elusive snow snake!



i have thought on the gun idea. but it will not work. you cant see the snake till it moves. and i got really lucky today. some how it missed me. i seen the flash then i looked up......chills


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## ropensaddle (May 30, 2009)

jar1zx said:


> i have thought on the gun idea. but it will not work. you cant see the snake till it moves. and i got really lucky today. some how it missed me. i seen the flash then i looked up......chills



I have climbed a lot of trees in snake country and while snakes do climb I have seen personally eight or ten in 25 years in trees they are likely after baby birds and squirrels this time of year many young are in nests. I would talk to the owner to reschedule for a latter date if you are too spooked or carefully examine with bino's before climbing. It is my bet you would not see another but just my opinion.


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## Happy trees (May 30, 2009)

*Are your safety glasses polarized?*

Sounds odd, but I have noticed that some types of polarized sunglasses make it harder to see snakes. Happened to me while hiking around here. I saw what I thought was a snake den, took off my glasses, and bam-there was the snake.


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## treemandan (May 30, 2009)

Happy trees said:


> Sounds odd, but I have noticed that some types of polarized sunglasses make it harder to see snakes. Happened to me while hiking around here. I saw what I thought was a snake den, took off my glasses, and bam-there was the snake.



I know what you mean, those glasses are funny. But anyway I got the chills now. Please, let there be no snakes, anything but.


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## tree md (May 30, 2009)

Never saw an actual snake while working in a tree but I have found shed snake skins. Pretty spooky...


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## TreEmergencyB (May 30, 2009)

slice that snake with your hand saw man just chop its head off.
my handsaw is like an extension of my hand i can pull it, kill the snake, and re sheath it in like a sec.
anyway snakes really dont bother me at all but posionious snakes im chopping them up

or climb with a hatchet!


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## ropensaddle (May 30, 2009)

TreEmergencyB said:


> slice that snake with your hand saw man just chop its head off.
> my handsaw is like an extension of my hand i can pull it, kill the snake, and re sheath it in like a sec.
> anyway snakes really dont bother me at all but posionious snakes im chopping them up
> 
> or climb with a hatchet!



Lol hatchet jack whatever you do do not try to cut it with a chainsaw don,t ask how I know but it will throw TICKED OFF COTTONMOUTH RIGHT INTO YOUR MIDSECTION:JAWDROP:


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## pbtree (May 30, 2009)

ropensaddle said:


> Lol hatchet jack whatever you do do not try to cut it with a chainsaw don,t ask how I know but it will throw TICKED OFF COTTONMOUTH RIGHT INTO YOUR MIDSECTION:JAWDROP:



:chainsawguy:


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## tree md (May 30, 2009)

ropensaddle said:


> Lol hatchet jack whatever you do do not try to cut it with a chainsaw don,t ask how I know but it will throw TICKED OFF COTTONMOUTH RIGHT INTO YOUR MIDSECTION:JAWDROP:



:chainsawguy:


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## Fireaxman (May 30, 2009)

yooper said:


> how about packing a .22 with bird shot? I am glad all we have to deal with here is the elusive snow snake!



Yep. Thats my solution. They cant stand it. However, if you think "Bigger is Better", be warned. I figured if .22 rat shot was good, .44 mag would be better. Until the severed head of a cottonmouth landed on my shoulder still snappin. Kinda like ropensaddle's advice on chainsaws I guess. Thanks for the warning. I might have tried it.



ropensaddle said:


> I have climbed a lot of trees in snake country and while snakes do climb I have seen personally eight or ten in 25 years in trees they are likely after baby birds and squirrels this time of year many young are in nests. I would talk to the owner to reschedule for a latter date if you are too spooked or carefully examine with bino's before climbing. It is my bet you would not see another but just my opinion.



True, and good advice, but snakes do climb trees more than you would think. Especially in spring when birds are nesting, as ropensaddle says, but I have seen a copperhead climbing a mature pine tree that had no branches for 40 feet in late summer. Someone told me they climb trees in late summer to get cicadas.

Fascinating to watch. He didn't even bother to climb around the trunk, he was climbing as streight up the tree as I could have on rope. He was able to wedge himself between the bark plates. Copperheads, like your rattler, are almost impossible to see against pine bark. When I first noticed him it was like a shimmering on the bark, like the bark was moving. I thought I was hallucinating from the heat.

Last week, I also pulled a 4 and 1/2 foot rat snake out of one of my wood duck nesting boxes. I had a 4 foot piece of PVC pipe around the base of the mounting bracket for a predator guard, thinking it would be too slick for the snakes to climb. Nope. I watched him climb it. Never even slowed him down.


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## pdqdl (May 31, 2009)

Your standard issue PPE hardhat with earmuffs and face shield should have been more than enough to keep the snake out of your face. (Done nothing for your neck, of course).

Rope: I laughed good at that revelation about chainsaws and snakes. I personally would use the top of the bar to throw it away from me.


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## TreEmergencyB (May 31, 2009)

ropensaddle said:


> Lol hatchet jack whatever you do do not try to cut it with a chainsaw don,t ask how I know but it will throw TICKED OFF COTTONMOUTH RIGHT INTO YOUR MIDSECTION:JAWDROP:



plus i would imagine i would make quite a mess all over you, if you see on come down or up a good cpl feet away and call for a pole saw or pruner, i wounder if you could just clip its head off?


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## ropensaddle (May 31, 2009)

pdqdl said:


> Your standard issue PPE hardhat with earmuffs and face shield should have been more than enough to keep the snake out of your face. (Done nothing for your neck, of course).
> 
> Rope: I laughed good at that revelation about chainsaws and snakes. I personally would use the top of the bar to throw it away from me.



Yup a new kick back thread


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## LTREES (May 31, 2009)

Never saw a snake in the tree I was climbing. Frogs, groundhogs, no snakes thank you. I guess winter time would not work for you? I'd have a 20 ga. with me, and try to clear out a section at a time. Can you run a skid in between the trees and push out any possible nest in the ground and chase them out? I don't know dude, good luck to you.

LT...


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## jar1zx (May 31, 2009)

Happy trees said:


> Sounds odd, but I have noticed that some types of polarized sunglasses make it harder to see snakes. Happened to me while hiking around here. I saw what I thought was a snake den, took off my glasses, and bam-there was the snake.



weird but i was using polarized glasses. i might have to try a different kind of glasses. I am not able 2 postpone this job. there going to build a house there and want the land cleared and tree's trimmed before drawing up the house plans. i don't look forward to going back out there tho.


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## jar1zx (May 31, 2009)

come to think on it my helper could not see the snake till i pointed it out.
he was not wearing glasses. but after i showed it 2 him he seemed able 2 see it better than me. becuase when i went 2 get the pole to hit the snake with i had 2 ask him where it was again.



LOL on the chainsaw kickback and pull thing

guess i will go back 2 the job but i will have face protection. but if i look 1 more snake in the eyes at 1 foot away from my face............
some times i want a new line of work lol


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## adamc (Jun 1, 2009)

jar1zx,

Tree work or ground work, if I was in venomous snake country, I would brush up on my snake bite first aid and know which local hospitals specialize in snake bite care and stock anti-venom.

Anti-venom is species specific, so being able to identify the snake is important.

Your local Zoo (if you have one) can often be helpful for finding the above info since they often house a variety of venomous animals.

Adam


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## TreEmergencyB (Jun 1, 2009)

adamc said:


> jar1zx,
> 
> Tree work or ground work, if I was in venomous snake country, I would brush up on my snake bite first aid and know which local hospitals specialize in snake bite care and stock anti-venom.
> 
> ...



hey pittsburgh where abouts town are ya


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## adamc (Jun 2, 2009)

TreEmergencyB said:


> hey pittsburgh where abouts town are ya



Cranberry Township, which amusingly just had a major development held up because they found ONE massassauga (dwarf rattlesnake) on the site. I certainly don't feel like I have to worry about them when I am out cutting!

Where are you located?

Adam


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## tree MDS (Jun 2, 2009)

Just grab the snake with a pole saw, slash it up a little and then huck it at the groundman!


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## Sc0 (Jun 2, 2009)

Does anyone bang on the tree trunk to alert the critters inside that your about to climb or would it be enough to piss them off and get a scaley object with fangs to drop on you? 

Guess climbers could carry a C02 repeater pistol in a tactical thigh rig, or a full auto Drozd version because the pucker factor doesn't allow you to aim...


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## tree md (Jun 2, 2009)

Sc0 said:


> Does anyone bang on the tree trunk to alert the critters inside that your about to climb or would it be enough to piss them off and get a scaley object with fangs to drop on you?
> 
> Guess climbers could carry a C02 repeater pistol in a tactical thigh rig, or a full auto Drozd version because the pucker factor doesn't allow you to aim...



Believe me, some of the neighborhoods I've worked in the critters in the tree are the least of my worries...


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## akon (Jun 2, 2009)

*Anti venom*

Try that!


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## TreEmergencyB (Jun 2, 2009)

adamc said:


> Cranberry Township, which amusingly just had a major development held up because they found ONE massassauga (dwarf rattlesnake) on the site. I certainly don't feel like I have to worry about them when I am out cutting!
> 
> Where are you located?
> 
> Adam



live in tarentum work in gibsonia

yea i heard about a couple rattlers here and there


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## toddstreeservic (Jun 2, 2009)

Move north.


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## fishercat (Jun 2, 2009)

*fly me down there.*

i'll climb them.

Rattlers are damn good eatin' !


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## jar1zx (Jun 3, 2009)

fishercat said:


> i'll climb them.
> 
> Rattlers are damn good eatin' !



u could be hired... but health plan sucks.



i am waiting on a face shield and a long sleave shirt 2 get in. then i will try 2 man up and do this f job

health plan= digging a hole in the ground lol


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## jar1zx (Jun 3, 2009)

Sc0 said:


> Does anyone bang on the tree trunk to alert the critters inside that your about to climb or would it be enough to piss them off and get a scaley object with fangs to drop on you?
> 
> Guess climbers could carry a C02 repeater pistol in a tactical thigh rig, or a full auto Drozd version because the pucker factor doesn't allow you to aim...



yes i allways knock on the door 1st guess that rattler was asleep when i knocked
so ur saying if knocking on the door dont work shoot em with a bb gun? lmfao

ok but for real joking aside. i talked to alot of people who works with tree's loggers tree trimmers. most of the loggers have seen snake's in tree's. but only 30% of tree trimmers have seen snakes in tree's. ok im calling this a fluke. i will do the job but i will be carefull. but next snake i see in a tree i will walk off this job and be done with it. money is not every thing


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## plowboy (Jun 6, 2009)

don't know but how about checking out a welders jacket


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## K5krawler (Jun 8, 2009)

TreEmergencyB said:


> live in tarentum work in gibsonia
> 
> yea i heard about a couple rattlers here and there



Do you have any work in Gibsonia? I might be looking for some for a week or so if you are busy.


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## SINGLE-JACK (Jun 8, 2009)

*Depends on the snake*



plowboy said:


> don't know but how about checking out a welders jacket



I've got a welder's jacket and don't think it's thick enough for a rattlesnake - probably ok for copperhead. They've got smaller fangs. Any way welder's jackets are hot as :censored:.

You could 'sweep' the branches you're approaching with the backside of a pole saw. But consider, you don't want a snake bailing out of the tree and landing on your shoulder!
:jawdrop:


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## smokinj (Jun 8, 2009)

jar1zx said:


> ok i found out snakes climb tree's. is any thing made for face and neck and upper body protection. I looked a rattler dead in the face today at 1 foot away from my face. its a big job...30 mins from town. if i was to have got bit not sure if i would have made it. i seen a flash looked up seen an open mouth 1 foot from my face. really sucked. any ideas any 1? do they make anything that would help me with this job.



not sure I could handle that!


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## TreEmergencyB (Jun 8, 2009)

K5krawler said:


> Do you have any work in Gibsonia? I might be looking for some for a week or so if you are busy.



sry bud im just one of the army of ants, ive been trying to get my one buddy in he working his ass off for pocket change at a different company but they aint hirring now pm your qualifications i do a good bit of side work and some of my friends really dont know the runing end of a rope if you get my drift

unless you dont wanna do ground work everyone i talk to wants to just be 'the' climber and do nothing else


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## jar1zx (Jun 13, 2009)

well i went started back on that job. been working it for a few days no snakes all is fine. today i got swarmed by bee's. i dont get it i was not close to there nest or anything. they just came out of nowhere.
well im done with this job


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## pdqdl (Jun 14, 2009)

adamc said:


> Cranberry Township, which amusingly just had a major development held up because they found ONE massassauga (dwarf rattlesnake) on the site. I certainly don't feel like I have to worry about them when I am out cutting!
> 
> Where are you located?
> 
> Adam



If a they held up the development because of a massassauga (_Pygmy_ rattlesnake), it was probably because they are a protected species (in only a few states) that lives in swamp areas. Then add the Federal wetlands protection laws...not much building going on for a while.


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## ropensaddle (Jun 14, 2009)

pdqdl said:


> If a they held up the development because of a massassauga (_Pygmy_ rattlesnake), it was probably because they are a protected species (in only a few states) that lives in swamp areas. Then add the Federal wetlands protection laws...not much building going on for a while.



The pygmy is separate though very similar to the massassaugua.


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## TreEmergencyB (Jun 14, 2009)

bunch of yuppies in cranberry


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## K5krawler (Jun 15, 2009)

TreEmergencyB said:


> bunch of yuppies in cranberry



For the longest time Cranberry used to be a big mud bog redneck hangout place because that was the only place to go for it. I was told it was a huge swamp back in the day.


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## TreEmergencyB (Jun 16, 2009)

K5krawler said:


> For the longest time Cranberry used to be a big mud bog redneck hangout place because that was the only place to go for it. I was told it was a huge swamp back in the day.



thats what i heard too, nothing but forest and swamp
its like that all over you know where treesdale is, use to be apple orhards now its yuppie houses


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