[quote=BigBob]Rare and endangered in Mo Last I heard, likely extirpated.[/quote

I was bit by one near Columbia way back in the 1950's while a student at MU. Spent the night in intensive care, which was not necessary. It was the University clinic's first snake bite and they wanted to make a production out of it.

Jarhead

Protected in Ohio. Never had a problem with them except when trying to catch one. The big ones usually take off at the first sign of intrusion (unless cornered). The small ones have great markings.

My brother and I caught 2 on a weekend Boy Scout camp out back in the late 70’s at the Eldon Hazlet state park on the east side of Carlyle lake in southern Illinois. We took them home and had them in a Habitrail hamster cage on the kitchen table when our mom and little sister came in. Little sis ran up and pecked on the plastic with her finger and one of them snakes hammered it and Mom about had a heart attack! That was one of the worst butt chewins I ever saw my Dad get in my life. My brother and I still laugh our butts off about that one every now and then.

Wisconsin is doing a lot to try to manage & increase the massasaga population. I think there was already enough but they're really trying to increase the population, at least in 8 core geographic areas. Tonight I went to a presentation put on by Rori, the states Massasauga expert. It was interesting but the main reason I went was to learn more about where not to step.

Yeah I was surprised tonight to learn that they aren't as long as I would have thought, though they are fat in the middle. It's scary how well they blend in with their surroundings.

If you get some cool pics- they keep the anti-venom at the Milwaukee County Zoo.

Around here they are mostly in marshy areas that haven’t been developed, drained, sprayed, etc.
Seem to like crayfish holes for getting through winters. Not a very large snake but definitely a wide one relative to their length. The rattle is interesting. Not a constant buzz but more of a flip or flick of that tail I’d call it.
In early warm spring when they come out driving along old gravel roads through habitat in dark you find them once and awhile on the road. They really flatten out to hide, interesting snake.
Jim

There are some at Burchard Lake in SE Nebraska . Some University ppl know where a denning site is and they poke around there in the spring.

So the Wisconsin DNR is trying to increase their population. I guess I shouldn't be surprised. I hope some of the wolves get bit.

Massasauga bites are not like cottonmouth snakes, diamond back, prairie or timber rattler bites. More like copperhead bites. Not good, get so sick you wanna die maybe, but rarely cause death.

AJE and everybody that commented -

Thank you for the thread and the education. Excellent topic!

Jack

Loess Hills National wildlife refuge(formerly squaw creek) near Mound City, MO has some, they had to call off some controlled burns there in college due to them being present.

Seen a few in my lifetime. Have a few timbers around as well

From the various comments they sound to be similar to their pygmy cousins down here in being somewhat localized in their distribution.

While range maps show pygmies ranging statewide in Georgia you won't easily find them just anywhere. Or at least I've never found one in Central GA. But I'm told by those in the know that when found they can be locally common in those locations. I do know from experience that are more common in south Georgia and Alabama. I can only guess though as to habitat specifics.

They're here in Michigan too. I am kind of disappointed that I've never seen one. May have to make a trip south and do some wandering, I think there are more in southern MI

All over southwest Kansas. Find a prairie dog hole and you’ll find them. Multiple thems.

Yes, they sure are. Unreal, I know.

Coyote Clayton , you sure your not seeing prairie rattlers? Prairie rattlers get 2 1/2 - 3 feet long. i caught one once that was 4. A Massasauga rarely gets over 2.

My family had a farm that was infected with them. When we bailed hay we turned each each bail over before picking it up.
They would get picked up buy the baler and would be half in the bail and half out.