The snakes are out

Daytime temperatures are in the 90s now, and the heat is bringing out the snakes. Since I tend to be on the trail in the late afternoon, I have a better chance of meeting snakes. In the past week I've encountered a King Snake on the Lower Huachuca Trail, and two days ago a juvenile black-tail rattlesnake in Hunter Canyon. The black-tail seems to be rather prevalant here in the foothills.

King Snakes are constrictors and will leave humans alone, but its resemblance to the more deadly Coral Snake, with its similar color bands only in different order, is much more deadly. Here in the mountains and foothills we are more inclined to see King Snakes. The rattler hissed at Sadie but did not strike, which is so fortunate because Sadie came back to the same spot, got close to the snake again, and then darted under the fence to cross a cattle guard. Her behavior reminds me that I have got to get her to snake avoidance clasess. The encounter with the rattler could have ended in tragedy.