Yup. They all over Madison co.
Wi transplant
PMA Member
They can stay over there!!!
Sent from my SM-G996U using Tapatalk
Sent from my SM-G996U using Tapatalk
I’ve always heard they were through that area and some old timers say it is because of the rock ledges in that area that give them a place to hibernate. Thoughts?
No. I’ve heard of copperheads but I’ve never seen one or 100% seen proof of one. Even in Madison - there’s a lot of rattlers but they are very timid & most people don’t see them.
Would have to step on one or surprise it. Which can happen.
I carefully caught Fer-de-Lance when I was younger & traveled to South America in Amazon. Now that’s a nasty deadly snake!!! Locals were freaked out & if u got bit- deep trouble. Or a few I ran into when lived in Australia.. taipan or brown snake- crazy deadly. Rattlers in iowa are no where near the toxicity of snakes like in those areas. Get to hospital within say, 30 mins…. Be just fine. Not fun but death rate is tiny & would take days untreated in most cases.
tall@wide
PMA Member
tall@wide
PMA Member
I grew up in Georgia and we had a lot of poisonous snakes. You could not go out in the warmer months doing deer related work without wearing snake boots or being extremely careful. I always found Timber rattlers to be less aggressive and they would just lay there till you got right on top of them. Diamondbacks were much more aggressive and would rattle when you were a good ways from them. Lots of copperheads and cottonmouths out everywhere as well.
When I was a kid- I wanted to be a herpetologist. Loved snakes. Been around every type & had tons as pets until late high school - then I got hooked on hunting 
. Still to this day I do like seeing them & do my best to go around them at farm. I would avoid rattlers but I don’t think I’d kill one. Cool critters… at a distance . Those cottonmouths sure are aggressive!!!
. Still to this day I do like seeing them & do my best to go around them at farm. I would avoid rattlers but I don’t think I’d kill one. Cool critters… at a distance . Those cottonmouths sure are aggressive!!!
hillrunner
PMA Member
Yuck
Gamekeeper 69
Member
I never saw a poisonous snake when I lived in Iowa, but I know of a few rattlesnakes being killed in Allamakee County near Waterville. I know reside in GA and they are a fact of life down here. You have to watch where step and he very careful. My experience has Been that timber rattlers and copperheads are pretty passive but moccasins are aggressive and pretty territorial. Thankfully I don’t run up on them often (knock on wood) I hunt in the northern zone in GA and cottonmouths aren’t as common up my way. Here are some pictures of a few copperheads I came up on back in 2019.
Attachments
Matthewfox_45
Well-Known Member
I’m almost 100% sure that neither are found in Iowa. Northern water snakes are commonly confused as water moccasins.
Matthewfox_45
Well-Known Member
I believe there’s 3 species of poisonous snakes here, timber rattler, massasagua, and prairie rattler. The second two are only found in a couple of specific spots, so the odds of encountering them are pretty remote.
sep0667
Land of the Whitetail
Came across a small timber rattler closer to Earlham than Winterset in a gravel road when I was a kid. Thats the only one I have seen. Iowa populations really fascinate me. Timber rattlers can be found in Madison county area both north and south of 92 and from western side of the county to eastern side near st charles. I dont live to far away and will occasionally go for a drive on the gravels just seeing the country side and try to keep an eye out to see one crossing a road. I'd really love to see one again and watch/take some pictures. Through different posts on different platforms I have learned of a couple specific spots that definitely have a den nearby and would be a great spot to find one. That said, snakes creep me, I just want to know its there, I have no desire to be hiking around in the brush/grass trying to find one on my own. I'd love to go with someone that knows a specific spot and they lead the way just so I could see one.
I've about scoured the internet in regards to timber rattlers in madison county, have found several good articles. Back in the 1800s when the area was being settled there use to have round ups and there was a lot more than there is today. I also found an article about snake bite deaths in Iowa and in the 1800s to early 1900s there were a handful in both adair and madison counties, among other counties. There use to be a bounty for them in Allamakee county as late as the 1960s. There are known populations in obviously madison and Allamakee, but also Winnieshiek, Clayton, Dubuque Jackson, Jones..i think maybe even Linn..really just about any eastern edge and northeast county ...and im not sure, but some sources show pops in monroe and marion, must be small in those if there are, ive not seen any confirmed photos from those, it would not surprise me as they are native to IA and use to be found throughout the state, obvioulsy as the state became settled and farming practices went into effect it destroyed the majority of habitat.
There are a few websites you can find some great documentation, herpjournal.com is one. iowaherps.com. If you google around you can find some great information on Iowa information and also the facebook page 'reptiles and amphibians of iowa'
-The Massasgua rattler can be found in just a few knows spots in southeast IA that are closely monitored.
-Prairie rattlers are knows to remain on just one small area that is in northwest IA north of Sioux City.
-Copperheads, There are a couple very small known areas that do have some copperheads in extreme southeast IA.
I've about scoured the internet in regards to timber rattlers in madison county, have found several good articles. Back in the 1800s when the area was being settled there use to have round ups and there was a lot more than there is today. I also found an article about snake bite deaths in Iowa and in the 1800s to early 1900s there were a handful in both adair and madison counties, among other counties. There use to be a bounty for them in Allamakee county as late as the 1960s. There are known populations in obviously madison and Allamakee, but also Winnieshiek, Clayton, Dubuque Jackson, Jones..i think maybe even Linn..really just about any eastern edge and northeast county ...and im not sure, but some sources show pops in monroe and marion, must be small in those if there are, ive not seen any confirmed photos from those, it would not surprise me as they are native to IA and use to be found throughout the state, obvioulsy as the state became settled and farming practices went into effect it destroyed the majority of habitat.
There are a few websites you can find some great documentation, herpjournal.com is one. iowaherps.com. If you google around you can find some great information on Iowa information and also the facebook page 'reptiles and amphibians of iowa'
-The Massasgua rattler can be found in just a few knows spots in southeast IA that are closely monitored.
-Prairie rattlers are knows to remain on just one small area that is in northwest IA north of Sioux City.
-Copperheads, There are a couple very small known areas that do have some copperheads in extreme southeast IA.
Last edited: