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Snakes in WI?

Steve'sMom

Steve'sMom

New member
Obviously it's not possible anymore this year, but is there anyone in WI (Fox Valley) that knows a good place to find snakes? I've lived here my whole life and never seen a single one! (well, I almost ran over one with a horse once....but was more worried about keeping the horse from seeing it!) Lots of people tell me they see them. Usually they're just freaked out, most often ending in the snake's death. How come people who don't appreciate anything have good things happen to them and they don't even care????

My fiance's sister-in-law was telling me about the snakes she sees on her property all the time. Sadly, she usually kills them. (she thinks hognose are poisonous and wouldn't listen to me!) She said she found an adult pine snake in her garage and killed it. Then found her clutch of eggs in the middle of hatching and killed them too!!!! I was EXTREMELY infuriated, but had to be nice. She had the excuse "well, you don't have kids, I do, you don't understand". Kids? They're 13 and 11!!! And guess what? They kill everything that moves for no reason. I told her if she ever finds anything again she wants out of her yard, to PLEASE put a bucket or something over it and call me. I will drive 45 minutes, I don't care. I'll pay her for them if she needs that much of an incentive to do it! See? People like that get to have expensive houses in the woods, and I'm stuck in the stupid city where all I get to see is stray cats and squirrels.
 
I no longer live in Wisconsin; however, I grew up in Waukesha Co., Wisconsin. I used to encounter snakes all the time, I lived near a huge field which surrounded a forest. Fox Valley is in Waukesha County, correct?

I used to see a lot of Garter snakes and Ribbon snakes, but then again, I lived in a smaller village where there wasn't a lot of people. Unfortunately, many of these wild snakes are now endangered.

Wisconsin's Department of Natural Resources has an awesome webpage which lists the variety of snakes which can be found in Wisconsin, with photographs and information about each wild snake. They also offer a printed version of the information.

As for seeing snakes, it's becoming more and more difficult. Your best bet is to take a lot of time on nature preserves, or take a trip farther north into the state. The best opportunity to see snakes is late spring and throughout summer.

I don't like to hear stories about people (especially children) who kill snakes and any other wild animals. It's very unfortunate. If you do happen to find a wild specimen, you should try to hand it over to wildlife officers. They will treat injured animals and find a more suitable place to release them.
 
Hebi said:
I no longer live in Wisconsin; however, I grew up in Waukesha Co., Wisconsin. I used to encounter snakes all the time, I lived near a huge field which surrounded a forest. Fox Valley is in Waukesha County, correct?
Click to expand...
I'm just into Jefferson County from Waukesha County...you're thinking of the Fox River, which runs through the city of Waukesha....but there's a different and larger Fox River which begins in Green Bay and extends through the Appleton/Neenah/Menasha area down to Oshkosh, and empties into Lake Winnebago....that whole area is known as the Fox River Valley, A.K.A., "Paper Mill Valley".

I used to see a lot of Garter snakes and Ribbon snakes, but then again, I lived in a smaller village where there wasn't a lot of people. Unfortunately, many of these wild snakes are now endangered.

Wisconsin's Department of Natural Resources has an awesome webpage which lists the variety of snakes which can be found in Wisconsin, with photographs and information about each wild snake. They also offer a printed version of the information.

As for seeing snakes, it's becoming more and more difficult. Your best bet is to take a lot of time on nature preserves, or take a trip farther north into the state. The best opportunity to see snakes is late spring and throughout summer.
Click to expand...
The booklet created from that "Snakes of Wisconsin" page is AWESOME, along with the corollary "Amphibians of Wisconsin".

The park where I run my dog is right on the Jefferson/Waukesha county line. I've seen many a garter snake there.

regards,
jazz
 
I grew up in Waukesha too.

I never saw many snakes in the wild - lots of turtles in the Fox River though!

There was a garter snake den nearby one place we lived and I remember seeing a jillion of them in April. I would guess that going out on some of those first warm days in the spring would be the best bet. If you see any then, there are probably lots of them nearby.

I know some collectors go to the rocky areas in central and western Wisconsin, but I never had much luck in the state. Florida is much better for catching snakes, lol!
 
Steve'sMom said:
Obviously it's not possible anymore this year, but is there anyone in WI (Fox Valley) that knows a good place to find snakes? I've lived here my whole life and never seen a single one! (well, I almost ran over one with a horse once....but was more worried about keeping the horse from seeing it!) Lots of people tell me they see them. Usually they're just freaked out, most often ending in the snake's death. How come people who don't appreciate anything have good things happen to them and they don't even care????

My fiance's sister-in-law was telling me about the snakes she sees on her property all the time. Sadly, she usually kills them. (she thinks hognose are poisonous and wouldn't listen to me!) She said she found an adult pine snake in her garage and killed it. Then found her clutch of eggs in the middle of hatching and killed them too!!!! I was EXTREMELY infuriated, but had to be nice. She had the excuse "well, you don't have kids, I do, you don't understand". Kids? They're 13 and 11!!! And guess what? They kill everything that moves for no reason. I told her if she ever finds anything again she wants out of her yard, to PLEASE put a bucket or something over it and call me. I will drive 45 minutes, I don't care. I'll pay her for them if she needs that much of an incentive to do it! See? People like that get to have expensive houses in the woods, and I'm stuck in the stupid city where all I get to see is stray cats and squirrels.
Click to expand...

Just tell her its against the law and she has problems with snakes call animal control. :shrugs:
 
Ive lived in Milwaukee all my short live yet to see any wild snakes. ive always wanted to move To more of the country side of wisconsin. I love nature and not much of Real nature in the city.
 
green bay

petco has corn snakes and ball pythons
there is a place in appleton called 'just pets' on north richmond i believe.
they have a bunch of snakes
im from green bay
so if you ave any questions e-mail me at [email protected]
 
Snakes in the Wild

Oh, Wisconsin. Beautiful place.

I lived in Seymore (just west of Green Bay) from 1980 to 1982 and for a short time owned some undeveloped land in Dunbar, up in the penisular. I was sitting on the steps of the trailer in Dunbar when I heard some leaves move under me. The steps were the wooden type where you can see the ground below. Well, I told my dog to "Stay" (which she did) when I saw the snake's head come out from the bottom stair. The snake came and came and came and came. It wasn't until it got to the dirt road that I had a good view of it. It was as thick as a person's arm and about 8 to 10 ft long. As I remember it was dark brown. I wasn't into snakes them so I don't know what type it was but I always respected animals in their element.

This was the same place that I watched a snake eat a frog and I caught sight of either a Milk Snake or Coral Snake sunning itself on a big flat rock; so, I have some fond wild snake memories from Wisconsin.

Just a short story to let you know that, at least at one time, there were snakes in the wild in Wisconsin.
 
Finding snakes in the wilds of Wi is hit or miss. You will have to either do alot of looking or get lucky. Its not that thay arent out there just that their numbers are much lower then elsewhere. Your local marsh area should have ribbons and garters "be sure to check the laws as some of these are protected species" Hit up barns abandoned buildings and the like for your ratsnakes, bulls, fox etc etc
 
Kettle moraine

friend of mine that goes to Kettle moraine to hunt said he seen a few snakes there hopefully i can a hike around there this summer and check it out....
 
I live in Eau Claire and this am about 7:00 I saw a long 4-5 ft snake attempting to cross Hwy 37. We stopped and pulled over to take a good look at it. It was stunned by the quick moving traffic so it turned around and headed back into the woods. It had a pattern that I've never seen before. It was light grey with black "checkers". It was very large and extremely interesting!
 
Well folks, here is a great book I recommend if you live in Wisconsin.
Snakes of Wisconsin available via your DNR.
snk_book.jpg


It goes for about $3 at


I got to do some field herping with the photographer, Allen Blake Sheldon aka Blake, of that book. It was a great experience and an all round great guy. the Wisconson's DNR web site
 
veeronni said:
I live in Eau Claire and this am about 7:00 I saw a long 4-5 ft snake attempting to cross Hwy 37. We stopped and pulled over to take a good look at it. It was stunned by the quick moving traffic so it turned around and headed back into the woods. It had a pattern that I've never seen before. It was light grey with black "checkers". It was very large and extremely interesting!
Click to expand...
I know this is a small picture but did it look like a bull snake?
BullSnakeFigure2c.jpg


It could have been a bull, fox or a eastern Milk.
If you think it was a bull, contact the DNR. This is a rare snake in Wisconsin. Go to the following site and read the instructions.
http://dnr.wi.gov/org/land/er/herps/snakes/bullsnake2.htm
 
I had to reply when I saw "snakes in Wisconsin". I am 36 and currently live in Manitowoc County.

I was a TOTAL TOMBOY growing up and spent a majority of my time gathering some sort of reptile or other creature for MOM! LOL she hated my behavior and just wanted me in a dress. Right B4 my 1st Communion I got huge scratch marks on my left cheek from chasing down a snake through a raspberry patch! Oh gosh she loved that!

In Door County I had the privilege of finding a baby timber rattler. It was near some cliffs on a golf course that had cherries in the name. Don't even know if golf course is there anymore. Anyway, my father killed it and I live to this day with that very horrible and vivid memory... and that was when I was 11.

Locally I find many baby-adult garter snakes at Cato Falls, Maribel caves, and a swampy area behind my house. It is a large area of swampland and once I came across a pine snake. With the HOT weather we have been having my "pet" garter is out in my garden again. He/she has a bright aqua blue stripe down its back. I get SO EXCITED everytime I get to see him/her. I have large terra cotta pots upside down, and lots of flat rocks stacked around my home, so I am sure there will be more. I certainly have a LOAD of black toads! If I could just get that many snake buddies around my home!

Well I've babbled enough. I always mean to get to Pet Co near the Fox River Mall for a meeting. The Northeast Wisconsin Herp Club meets there every 3rd Sunday I believe from 6 - 8 pm. Glad to hear more Wisconsin Herpers are right here in the Valley!

Heather ([email protected])
 
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