Species:
Pituophis catenifer
Gopher Snake
Some other names for this species:
Gophersnake
Subspecies I've seen:
Subspecies:
Pituophis catenifer catenifer
Pacific Gopher Snake
August 23, 1998
Pine Ridge Trail, Ventana Wilderness, Monterey County, California
This young gopher snake was caught in the act of descending a dead tree trunk. It froze still while I photographed it, nearly vertical.
April 10, 2000
Fort Ord Public Lands, Monterey County, California
Gopher Snakes are exceptionally placid, gentle-mannered snakes. Unless you're a gopher.
April 21, 2000
Elkhorn Road, Carrizo Plain National Monument, San Luis Obispo County, California
This beautiful and well-fed adult had been basking on the dirt road in the late afternoon, apparently sharing the myriad burrowing rodents with the local
Western Rattlesnakes.
May 7, 2005
Santa Teresa County Park, Santa Clara County, California
This young gopher snake was stretched across a hiking trail at this rural county park where we had stopped to stretch our dogs' legs. A man coming the other way on the trail had just walked over it without noticing its presence when the snaky shape caught my eye.
May 29, 2005
Coyote Creek Parkway, Santa Clara County, California
My friend Fred Harer found this attractively marked Gopher Snake under a fairly small rock. The top picture shows the snake in a typical semi-relaxed pose. The bottom picture shows this harmless snake flattening its head, possibly to look more like a venomous rattlesnake. Gopher Snakes are often mistaken for rattlesnakes, which is unfortunately not really conducive to long life in our snake-fearing society.
June 3, 2005
Coy Flat, Tulare County, California
This large gopher snake was lying partially across the trail in the shady woods. I had already passed right by when my wife spotted it. The day was pleasant but not too warm, and the gopher snake was in no hurry to get out of the way, even with our dog troop passing right by it.
August 5, 2006
San Mateo County, California
Gopher Snakes have a reputation for being nasty, but all the ones I'd ever come across were either calm and gentle or, occasionally, in a hurry to escape. This was my first experience with the legendary Dark Side of Pituophis catenifer. It performed a very respectable rattler imitation by coiling, vibrating its tail against the dry brush to create a nice rattling sound, hissing almost continuously, and striking repeatedly at anything within about a foot (my hand, a small stick, my shoe, my camera, etc.). This snake did not want to be messed with!
Subspecies:
Pituophis catenifer sayi
Bullsnake
June 26, 2001
Mammoth Hot Springs, Yellowstone National Park, Park County, Wyoming
This snake was apparently living in the nooks and crannies of a dried-out area of Yellowstone's biggest hot spring. Mammoth Hot Springs is crisscrossed with boardwalk trails, one of which passed within twenty feet or so of this snake's abode. When I came across it, there was already a crowd of 6 or 8 people oohing and aahing. "It's a rattlesnake!" declared one woman to her family.
