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Inspector #20

Inspector #20

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My wife and I vacation each year in Arizona. Recently, I was on a hilltop overlooking Peoria, searching for whatever species of rattlesnake I could find, when I noticed something under a rock. Turned out to be a little notebook and pencil in a plastic bag. It has been signed by people from all over the world...

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It used to be Geo Caching back in the early 2000's. People would hide a can with small items in it and leave GPS coordinates online.
When you found it you would sign a log book and take one item and leave one item. I accidentally found a Geo Cache out in Barstow
near one of my remote radio sites...
 
Next time in Az I'll take you geo-caching.

I was a land surveyor for over 30 years, lots of cool toys we can use to find those little devils lol.

Also, historic data/ notes on certain corners of mining claims, I've seen notes way back before Az was a state!

Great way to be outdoors, I know lots of cool outdoorsy type of things to do.

Geo-caching is like hunting, only you don't kill anything. I know of a place not far from Peoria, we can actually find remnants of old mining camps- towns, Bald Eagles etc..

Sorry we missed each other this year, but I won't let that happen on your next trip out here. Us Zony's are a friendly bunch of r-n-r peeps.
 
guitarweasel said:
Very cool! But I have to ask, why were you looking for Rattle Snakes?
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It's when you're not looking for them is when you see them! As soon as you let your guard down, or not being noisy in the high grass, that's when they pop out.

I had a piece of gear that I left in a road ditch to collect data for a few hours, when I came back the ground was covered with 'em. Apparently they were attracted to electrical impulse- signatures from the observation equipment.

Had to use a shovel to toss them away, and until I killed the power, they would slither right back under that tripod, I mean had to be ten? twenty? Just know it gave this Midwest boy a little pause for concern.

Just don't get me started on scorpions or Javalina's lol.
 
Sp8ctre said:
Are they green? I shot a couple of really nice green ones back when I lived in Tucson. I used to hunt them every weekend and sell the skins to the
craftsmen at the swap meet who made belts and wallets and things from them...
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Panamints are more grayish. I'm also seeking the rare Speckeled variant, which are white with black specks, looking a lot like granite...
 
Sp8ctre said:
Are they green? I shot a couple of really nice green ones back when I lived in Tucson. I used to hunt them every weekend and sell the skins to the
craftsmen at the swap meet who made belts and wallets and things from them...
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Some varieties of the Mojave are greenish in color...
 
I've seen the top one many times around my sheds when I lived in the Valley.

Haven't encountered any since moving to the mountains.
 
steveb63 said:
@Sp8ctre, are those what you were hunting? Lol.

What was your weapon of choice?
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I hunted Mohave Rattlers almost exclusively. They were very common and I could always get 3 or 4 every time I went out.

I always carried a .22 rifle and a .357 or .44 Mag with shot shells. You really have to be careful and not damage the skin when
trying to sell them. Many Times if they were not coiled for a strike I place a stick on their neck/head and just removed it with
my Gerber Boot Knife.

Early in the morning they are quite lethargic due to the temperature and the fact they are cold blooded...
 
Righton,

I worked with a field partner he used "the judge" lol.
Never got to see ith in action. Working in the desert our goal was to scare them off, but there's always one curious Diamondback, used to see them in the middle of the roads early a.m. trying to warm up using the asphalt as a body heater.
 
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