Last August 1st I had a close encounter of the rattlesnake kind and ended up getting bit on left index finger right by the finger nail. It was slow in healing and it still looks like a mess but it is still there. I basically didn't use it for 3 monthes. The joints stiffened up and it wouldn't bend. The dr I was going to thought that the infection had settled into the bone in the joint areas. He said that if there was infection in the bone I would only be able to count to 9 rather than 10. Two weeks ago I went to an orthopedic dr and he ordered a bone scan. I went back to him a couple of days ago and he went over the bone scan with me. There is no infection but I discovered something else. I am getting quite severe arthritis in my hands. He said the stiff joints is just from non use and arthritis. He said that if I would take any of my other fingers and not use them for 3 monthes they would also stiffen up. Now I get to retrain my finger how to bend and flex. I have these rubber band/velcro things to wrap around my finger, force it into a bent position and then leave it that way for long periods of time. I then have to wrap the index finger to the middle finger when I am working to force my self to not hold it out of the way.

My only question to this dr now is, winter is here, where can I get a glove with a double finger for the two strapped together?

I'm not one that is really into tattoos but my daughter thinks I need to have a rattlesnake tattooed on my index finger with its mouth opened right at the point I got bit. I don't know about that one.

I was bitten on my left index finger just in front of my first knuckle toward the finger tip. Luckily there was a Hand Specialist across the street from the Hospital. They were going to remove my finger but the Hand Doctor saved it. I don't have all the feeling back even now, it's been over 13 years, but I can shoot left handed and have maybe 80% use and 80% feeling. You work your hand, it will take sweat and tears but you can get most of the use back if you keep working. After exercising your hand soak it in hot water or wrap it in a hot towel. It will help.
Try a mitten in that hand. You might have some pain as the weather cools, I do.

You guys need to quit putt'n your finger's in the mouths of rattlers!!!

You might try a glovemit...not sure who they're made by, but I love mine for hunting!
Glad to har you get to keep your finner

Mike--I bet we have twin bites. The fangs straddled my finger nail and sunk in about half way between the finger nail and the first joint from the top of the finger. I do the hot water soaking before and after the velcor strap thingy treatments. After a few days, I can already see improvements in the flexability.

Just stay after it. My finger still bothers me on ocassion and it's not 100% but I use it and am proud to still have it!

Boy... Glad we don't have rattlers up north. Thats the one thing I was scared of when I went out west. I didn't undertsand how you could walk or ride around without being nervous about being bit. But then the rancher expalined to me that when he goes up north he's scared of bears. So I guess its all what you grow up with.

Where "up North" are you that you don't have rattlers? I thought they were in all states of the US.
(or are you even further North?)

NW, Glad to hear the good news!

Here's some info on rattlesnakes in Canada - probably more info than necessary!

Four species are native to Canada: the western rattlesnake (C. oreganous) occurs in arid grasslands of BC; the prairie rattlesnake (C. viridus) lives in similar habitats in Saskatchewan, Alberta and BC; the timber rattlesnake (C. horridus; extirpated in Canada) and the massasauga rattlesnake (S. catenatus) are restricted to southern Ontario. Rattlesnakes often hibernate communally in rocky outcrops.

In ND and SD there are no rattlers east of the Missouri River as a rule. Occassionally a few get hauled across the river or maybe make it across a bridge, but the river acts as a natural barrier. I live east of the river but had my encounter west of the river.

Where we live we have our share of other dangerous biting critters; coyotes, wood ticks, mosquitos, wasps and bees. Every now and then we get mountain lions, wolves, and bears. I grew up with rattlesnakes, I would rather have them living on our place than woodticks and mosquitos.

As far as I know, here at the top of MN we don't have rattlers. Maybe further south.

I lived for years in Southern Alberta, and it was a reputed rattlesnake country. I heard several stories from others of encounters, fortunately, none of them approaching Mike's experience, but I never encountered them myself. Thinking back on it, I should have, I guess, but the opportunity just never arose. Hearing this, I'm glad now I didn't.

is the one that bit me. I used to kill the occasional Rattler for food but now go out of my way to kill'm. I have eaten every species of Rattlesnake found in Texas.

NW, I'm actually suprised they don't swim across the river. We do a lot of slow rafting and fishing, and often see Prairie rattlers out swimming...even had on wrap around our oar once...we threw the oar, lol. went back later to find it.

Mike, what, you stopped eat'n 'em? What is you favorite was to prepare and serve them?
I think I like butter fried best myself.

ND and SD is home to the Crotalus viridis varierty. The doctor that treated me has had 20-25 years experience with rattlesnake bites in ND. He told me that there has yet to be one person that has died from a rattlesnake bite in ND. The venom isn't as poisionous as soem other varieties of rattlesnakes. I am sure that I would have survived just fine without the antivenom treatments.

I won't stop eradicating them. I will however not get myself in a situation where two of us are involved with the same snake. The guy that was standing on it was in a position where he couldn't reach down and cut its head off. I went over to do it, he pulled his foot off too soon and I got bit. I have stood on hundreds of them in my lifetime and picked them up alive many times. I will continue but I will never allow somebody else to have control of the snake when I am near it.

The best way to cook rattler is fileted, coated in butter and pepper, and fried in butter. The problem is that it takes a whole pail full of snakes to feed a couple people.

I like'm chicken fried. It's not that I quit eating them it's that I used to just stumble across a stray, now I actively look for'm. Luckily Rattlers are cheap eating.

i really dont think that a snake is something i would care to taste. i dont like them alive and dont want to see one on my plate. but why should i? i'm a cowboy, i can afford chicken.
liam