Reported rattlesnake bite is the first in Weiser this year

A man was reportedly bitten by a rattlesnake on Thursday near the campground at Mann Creek Reservoir and required medical attention.
 The Washington County Sheriff’s Office received the 911 call at 5 p.m. from the snakebite victim’s wife.
 She drove from the reservoir to U.S. Highway 95, where they were met by an ambulance and the victim was transported to Weiser Memorial Hospital.
 An effort to get information on the man’s condition was not successful.
 Sheriff Matt Thomas said there have been sightings of rattlesnakes in the county, with many of those out by the mercury mine east of Weiser.
 This was the first incident of someone getting bit by a rattlesnake that he could remember in many years.
 The Idaho Department of Fish and Game’s rattlesnake expert based in Nampa said he has not heard of any increase in the rattlesnake population this year.
 Rattlesnakes have been out since the first warm days of  April. There have been sightings of the reptiles reported elsewhere in southwest Idaho in May senior conservation officer Charlie Justis said.
 Rattlesnakes will create their dens in rock piles and cavities and also will sun themselves on rocks. They have left their dens for the summer and dispersed with the warmer weather, Justis said.
 “They are out. You find them where you always find them,” he said.
 The rocky, brushy area around Mann Creek Reservoir is rattlesnake habitat. The predominant species found in southwest Idaho is the western rattlesnake, which is actually docile in temperment compared to other rattlesnakes, Justus said, and is similar in appearance to gopher snakes.
 Anybody hiking in rocky areas should be careful about where they step and watch where they put their hands if they are climbing on rocks.
 When out in rattlesnake country, dogs should be kept on a leash, especially if they have not been trained to avoid a rattlesnake. A curious dog will often stick its nose in front of a rattlesnake and could easily get bitten.
 Western rattlesnakes are generally not aggressive and won’t strike unless they are surprised, threatened or provoked. Rattlesnakes will avoid humans, and it’s possible to walk by a rattlesnake and not get a warning rattle.
 Most snake bites occur when a rattlesnake is handled or accidentally touched by someone walking or climbing. The majority of snakebites occur on the hands, feet and ankles, according to the U.S. Forest Service.
 An estimated 25 percent or more of bites by western rattlesnakes are “dry” and do not contain venom, but they must still be treated. Older snakes are more apt to conserve venom with dry strikes than young snakes, Justus said.
 If a rattlesnake is encountered out in nature, Justus encourages people to leave it alone. It’s also possible to walk by a rattlesnake and they won’t always signal a warning by rattling.
 “If you see one on a trail and you’re hiking, just walk around it,” he said.
 If someone does get bit they should keep movement to a minimum, call for help and get to a hospital as soon as possible.