# Rockport Snakes



## jwalker (Jan 3, 2012)

Has anyone else been fishing from shore at Rockport lately? I've been there at least once or more times a week for the past 4-5 weeks. Every time I've fished there I keep running into these medium-sized brown snakes in the grass and rocks. They appear harmless and get out of the way. And more importantly they don't seem to have a rattle. But still, they have shown me that I have a strange new found fear for snakes that I've never had before. I've been through the DWR pictures to see if I can identify it but can't find anything that looks close to it. My guess is some sort of harmless water snake. 

Anyone else run into these lately? I didn't see a single one last year. This year I've seen several! Any idea what these snakes are?


----------



## LOAH (Sep 29, 2007)

Did it look like this?

[attachment=2:eobktswd]garter.jpg[/attachment:eobktswd]

[attachment=1:eobktswd]garter2.jpg[/attachment:eobktswd]

(Color can vary a bit on garter snakes. They're pretty slender. A pretty big one would be over 3 feet.)

Or did it look like this?

[attachment=0:eobktswd]gopher.jpg[/attachment:eobktswd]

(Gopher snakes are built heavy and thicker than garter snakes. They're a lot bigger. A big one would be 6 feet.)

Don't worry about the snakes. Just watch for them and try not to step on one. Most of the time if you see a rattlesnake, it will slither away just like most others. Don't mess with them and they'll try to stay away from you.


----------



## jwalker (Jan 3, 2012)

It looks like the second one, which means it's just a garter snake. Phew. I figured it was something like that. But for some reason, I've been very fearful of snakes recently. I've never had that problem before. And believe me, last thing I want to do is mess with any sort of snake, I leave them well alone!  

Thanks LOAH! I feel a bit better going back to Rockport now. I think I will be slightly less afraid now.


----------



## LOAH (Sep 29, 2007)

Well, let's be real about it; anywhere you see a snake in Utah, you could also see a rattler. Just watch out.


----------



## a_bow_nut (Feb 25, 2009)

I used to work for the historic railroad in Heber and we were working on the tracks down by the bridge in provo canyon.
Was walking along the rail when I noticed a snake streched out sunning its self right next to my foot. I was dancing andkillin all at the same time. when it was dead got to looking at it and it was a blow(gopher) snake but they look to muck like a rattler for me to take the time to find out first in that situation.

Ther are a fair number of rattlers aroung the west side of Deer Creek so watch your step over there during the summer.


----------



## Leaky (Sep 11, 2007)

Yea, they sound like garter snakes, I see them a lot and are about as harmless as you can get.  Luckily, Sparky doesn't even like these guys, and shies away. Makes me feel better with the more serious encounters, like rattlers,especially since a rattlers rattle, I can't hear, because of loss of hearing.


----------



## Critter (Mar 20, 2010)

There are rattle snakes all through Provo Canyon, not to mention how Diamond Fork got it's name.


----------



## Dunkem (May 8, 2012)

We live by a part of the canal off of the Jordan, and quite often in the spring we will have garters in our shrubs, they climb (slither)there way out on the branches and sun themselves.I have just let them be thinking that they are good for taking care of mice and bugs.Can cause a little comotion if they get on the sidewalk and my neighbor goes by :shock:


----------



## LOAH (Sep 29, 2007)

My closest encounter with a rattler, was on a hike with my buddies in Rock Canyon. We were hiking to the boulder, just south of the parking lot and I just about stepped on one that was coiled up and sunning itself between the rocks I was stepping to.

This was one of my ninja/jedi moments in life, where my reactions were perfect. I don't know what played a part in all of this, but I saw the snake while I had already committed to the uphill step I was taking. As soon as I saw it (and before I had even planted my forward foot), I jumped with my back foot, yelled "Rattlesnake", and was already up some nearby boulders and facing my group before I'd finished shouting.

It all happened so quickly that I watched the next guy in our line (Holdsworth) jump back in horror and fall into some bushes. Apparently, when my back foot left the rock it was on and I yelled, Holdsworth looked up (it was pretty steep terrain) and the snake was practically eyeball to eyeball with him. :lol: 

His reaction was to jump back, which led him into the scrub oak for a few scratches.

After all of that, we just circled around it and watched how docile it was toward the whole ordeal. It just sat and watched us for a bit before slowly slithering back to the scrub.

We were all pretty proud that none of us got hurt (minus a few scratches). We ninjas continued our hike. :lol:


----------



## dank80 (Oct 31, 2007)

Critter said:


> not to mention how Diamond Fork got it's name.


I've heard or read several conflicting stories about how it was named and am wondering if anyone can substantiate this?


----------



## Critter (Mar 20, 2010)

dank80 said:


> Critter said:
> 
> 
> > not to mention how Diamond Fork got it's name.
> ...


It is one of three stories that I have heard. One is that Spanish Fork Peak is shaped like a diamond and that is how it got its name. The other was that one of the first settlers in the area were named Diamond. So pick out which ever one you like and use it. Because this thread is about snakes and there are a lot of them up there I thought that it would be appropriate.


----------



## dank80 (Oct 31, 2007)

Yeah, there are a bunch up there.


----------



## blueshooter (Oct 10, 2009)

It's really funny how they Called Diamond fork after "Diamond backs" when the prominent rattler in Utah is the Great basin rattlesnake. Good luck trying to find a real diamond back in Utah

http://dwrcdc.nr.utah.gov/rsgis2/Search ... ecies=VERT


----------

