diamond back found in st augustine

[hiramesan]

15 ft rattle snake

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[NTD]

SCAM!!!! Yes, it's a big snake but it is not 15ft.  Camera angle and such are used to exaggerate the size.  These types of pics are frequently done and annoy the crap out of me.

[hiramesan]

got the news paper article for it now. was actually 7 ft 3in rattler. still a biggin

http://www.firstcoastnews.com/news/mostpopular/news-article.aspx?storyid=145897

[Irontom]

I see your rattle snake, and raise you a "55 foot" python.

[NTD]

Yep definitely a big un, no doubting that.  The record Rattlesnake in the U.S. was 8ft 9".

[sailordad]

you think the guy in the cage was the bait for that python 

[ken75]

i dont care how big it is i refuse to build a 7' 3" longbow to put it on  . damn if im gonna drag that thing around 

[Parnell]

You really think that python photo is real?

[Pat B]

I tanned an Eastern Diamondback skin years ago that came off of Osawbaw(sp) Island off the coast of GA. I tacked the skin on a piece of plywood that was 8" long and 18" wide. Parts of the skin hung off all 4 sides. Used to be lots of big D-backs in the low country and barrier islands of SC, GA and northeastern FLA.

[Justin Snyder]

You really think that python photo is real?

I think both of the pictures are real. The one the snake was in and the one the track hoe was in.

[NTD]

I tanned an Eastern Diamondback skin years ago that came off of Osawbaw(sp) Island off the coast of GA. I tacked the skin on a piece of plywood that was 8" long and 18" wide. Parts of the skin hung off all 4 sides. Used to be lots of big D-backs in the low country and barrier islands of SC, GA and northeastern FLA.

Pat, Skins can be 1/3rd longer than when they were on the snake.  For instance that 10 ft 8" boa I skinned up recently was just a tad over 8ft before skinning.  EDB's can get huge and are on average the biggest rattlesnake in the U.S. although the record size belongs to a WDB.  Unfortunately there are less and less grandaddy rattlesnakes around.  I personally think that's a shame. 

[Pat B]

I know they stretch. I purposely stretched this one to make it look big. The owner of the island had an artist and writer's retreat on Osawbaw Is and she wanted the gringos from the big cities to see what was out in her woods and marshes. I believe that skin still hangs over the mantle in the big house on Osawbaw. It was probably 1974 or 75 when I tanned it.

[NTD]

  LOL that's funny Pat.  I bet it worked!

[ken75]

dang pat thats when i was born

[Pat B]

Well, hang around son I'll teach you something!