SNAKE BOUNTIES

My oh my, it was a glorious day out there. This was a fun edition to put together for you all — Hope you enjoy and I’ll see ya out there.

As the sun warms the rocky ledges of Overlook Mountain, one of our quietest neighbors has emerged from a long winter slumber — Timber Rattlers (Crotalus horridus) — the only rattlesnake found in the Catskill Mountains.

They’ve spent the last 6 months in winter dormancy (brumation), balled up in communal dens that often hold 30 to 40 snakes, while some have been discovered to hold hundreds. Often a lineage of rattlers will return back to that same den each winter, for centuries.

These creatures are ambush predators that reach up to 6 feet in length. Their thick muscular bodies are covered in keeled scales, each with a small ridge. Between the eyes and nostrils sit heat-sensing pits, capable of detecting a candle flame 30 feet away.

With sheathed fangs that can inject one of the most potent venoms in North America, their strike is fast enough that the bite, envenomation, and release happen in a split second. Often they target small mammals such as chipmunks, voles, mice, and rabbits. Gray squirrels, however, have fought back — through the coevolutionary arms race, they’ve developed blood serum proteins that offer meaningful resistance to the venom.

The Lenape lived alongside the timber rattler, viewing them as “man-being” — a grandfather spirit embodying both lethal force and shamanic medicine. Rattles were used in curing ceremonies and archaeological discoveries have found rattlesnake remains in medicine bundles dating back over 2,800 years.

When European settlers arrived, they heard exaggerated tales of Indigenous remedies but rarely learned the actual plants and protocols — such as "snakeroot" plants that were chewed, swallowed, or applied as poultices. This led to the spread of folk cures that took root through the 18th and 19th centuries: fresh-killed chickens applied to bites (yup…) and traveling snake-oil salesmen hawking worthless tonics — many of them fraudulently claiming "Indian secrets."

On December 27th, 1775, an anonymous essay ran in the Pennsylvania Journal signed by “An American Guesser” (later attributed to Benjamin Franklin) arguing for the rattlesnake as the symbol of American colonies. The 13 rattles on the snake’s tail were described as “distinct and independent of each other" yet "firmly united together," symbolizing the original 13 colonies.

A century later, that same animal was systematically hunted and nearly wiped out from the Catskills. In the 1890s, New York counties paid 25 cents per dead snake, and hunters would dynamite entire dens, cutting off snake tails as proof and bringing them to town halls to collect their bounties. By 1971 the bounty program (which had climbed to $5 a tail) ceased, and in 1983 rattlers were listed as a threatened species.

Today the largest reported population in the region lives close to the ruins of the old Overlook Mountain House — 7 dens, home to an estimated 700 snakes — with smaller populations across the Catskills.

There has not been a fatal bite from a wild timber rattler in the Catskills in over one hundred years. Even when provoked, they may bite, but opt to not inject venom (aka a dry bite). So if you come across one of these creatures, give them their space and the respect they deserve — let’s keep that 100 year plus streak going.

Bonus Reading: While I did just mention no fatal bites in quite some time, as I started combing through old newspapers from the Catskills I came across a chilling story of the death of Kitty Hontsberger who passed in September 1819 from a rattler bite. It’s the third column on the page: link

PROPERTY: 1900 Farmhouse

PETS: Cogsworth the dog, Giblets the cat, and Yoshi our first monitor.

SKY: The Eta Aquarid meteor shower peaks on May 6th from 3-5 AM. The meteors are debris from Halley’s Comet, which has been observed by humans for over 2,000 years. Expect 10 to 25 fireballs per hour despite moonlight.

SIGHTINGS: Northern Parula Setophaga americana

Let’s get our next Dinner Club locked in. Let me know what town we should pick — remember that we need a bunch of restaurants in a single town and a spot that can host 100+ people for the afterparty.

Turn the screens off, take a seat and enjoy some snail mail. The Spring Quarterly is shipping out — directly to your mailbox. You can order yours here.

P.S. one tree planted for every letter mailed

It’s been awesome getting all the photos of everyone rocking their Big Bug Energy Hats out in the wild.

There are still a few left from the limited batch we made with our Chief Bug Officer, Ivy. Each one features 6 local arthropods → Planthopper, Milkweed Bug, Yellow Garden Orb Weaver, Caddis, Damselfly, and the much-loved Pillbug.

SPRING EDITION OF THE CATSKILL CREW QUARTERLY: ORDER YOUR SNAIL MAIL

MOUNTAIN MEMORY GAMES: TEST YOUR SKILLS

CATSKILL PUZZLES: HAVE SOME FUN

OPEN CALL TO PRESENT AT SOCIAL STUDIES: APPLY HERE.

LAST WEEKS SCRAMBLE: KNOTWEED

Your contributions go directly toward keeping Catskill Crew alive and well so we can have more fun and build a stronger community. I appreciate any and all support my friends! - Michael

ADD AN EVENT

Kingston Library – Intro to Composting at 6:30PM good stuff

Tubby's, Kingston – Live tunes with Exek at 7PM tix

West Kill Supply, Kingston – Blue Grass Jam at 6PM

Bushel Collective, Delhi – Publication Party for SUNY Delhi Agate 2026 at 6PM nice

Hudson River Maritime Museum, Kingston – Rondout (Revisited) with Stephen Blauweiss at 7PM looks very cool

Left Bank Ciders, Catskill – Northern Spy Reading Series at 6:30PM help wanted

Minnewaska State Park Preserve, Kerhonkson – Bee the Solution at 1PM citizen science

Assembly, Kingston – Knorrwood: Tribute to Lord Of The Rings & Led Zeppelin at 8PM you shallll not passss

Saltbox, Kingston – Cunth Night at 6PM show up

Rose Hill Farm, Red Hook – Boreal Brazilian Music n’ Burgers from 3-8PM

The Print House, Fleischmanns – Wax and Wild Flower Workshop at 6PM join us

Jacob Burns Film Center, Pleasantville – Filmmaker MeetUp at 6PM tickets

Opus 40, Saugerties – Tree ID and Spring Ecology Walk at 5:30PM be part of it

Stoneledge Farm, Leeds – Annual Organic Plant Sale with Cornell Master Gardeners multi-dates

Glen Falls House, Round Top – Spring Thaw Weekend sup harlan

Tenth House Health, Athens – Restorative Yoga at 6PM pigeon pose

Unicorn Bar, Kingston – Bad Bunny Dance Party at 8PM see here

Wiltwyck Spirits Company, Kingston – Trivia at 6:30PM

Wild Hudson Valley, Cairo – How to Take a Leek: A Ramp & Foraging Workshop at 10AM details

Creative Legion, Hudson – Forage Fest: A Wild Food Gathering at 12PM looks good

Basilica Hudson – Spring Farm & Flea Market 2026 at 10AM get out there

Darlings, Tillson – Mothers Day Flower Shop Pop Up at 12PM info

Stone Ridge Orchard – 2026 Spring Wassail at 2PM take a gander

Dette Flies, Livingston Manor – Dry Fly Fishing 101 Class discover

Cornell Cooperative Extension, Acra – Exhibition Opening Reception: Here For You see dates

Spruceton Trailhead, Westkill – Barefoot Hike Up Rusk Mountain at 9AM see you there

Morton Memorial Library, Pine Hill – The Art of... Banjo at 3PM feel the vibe

MTC Community Room, Margaretville – Art Auction at 5PM be part of it

Mountain Top Arboretum, Tannersville – Fairy Garden Freshening Up Day at 10AM kids kids kids

Happy Mother’s Day to all you mothers out there

Andes Hotel – Mother's Day Brunch at 11AM have fun

Pearl Moon, Woodstock – Mothers' Day Brunch with Jay Collins' Gravy Train at 11AM enjoy

Sullivan Public, Eldred – 4th Annual Mother’s Day Celebration at 10PM have fun

Hotel Lilien, Tannersville – Stick Around Sundays: Jazz Night at 5:30PM

Shandaken Inn – Mother's Day Brunch from 8AM-2PM details

Spiral House Park, Saugerties – Garden Tour at 1PM take a stroll

Catskill Brewery, Livingston Manor – Mother’s Day Paint n Sip at 12PM cheers

Athens Cultural Center – Needle Felting: Birds at 11AM bird stuff