# Blue Racer



## Oldgrandman (Nov 16, 2004)

Saw my first one in a long time today. Nice specimen, it was pretty large. Went to poke around for morels locally and came up on it as it slithered away when I neared it. So I headed after it to get a better look. True to form it turned back at me stopped and licked the air as if to dare me to molest it LOL! Strange how aggressive they are, I just moved on wishin I had a camera with me.....
No morels :sad:


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## outdoor junkie (Sep 16, 2003)

They are cool for sure. Have caught a few large ones over the years. I just can't resist picking up and examining every snake I come across. Have been bit by a couple of them, harmless though.


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## FishMichv2 (Oct 18, 2004)

its always cool to hear of people seeing them and not killing them. they are becoming pretty rare these days. i spend a lot of time in the field looking for snakes and ive come across more saugas in the last few years than blue racers.


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## Topshelf (May 24, 2005)

A few years ago one of our construction crews was digging with a backhoe in a sandy rocky area installing utilities. Well as the operator brought up a big scoop it opened up a big cavity in the rocks. There was 15-20 Blue racers all hudled up together getting ready for winter. The down side was the bucket killed a few as it pulled that rock out but most of them survived. pretty neat stuff for someone that had never seen one in the wild before.


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## toto (Feb 16, 2000)

I'm not a snake affecianado, but I will say the blue racers are a pretty snake, if thats a correct saying. Personally, I can't stand snakes, and down here, you don't want to go around picking them up. There are snakes down here, that if they bite you, it ain't gonna be good. The other nite I was watching some show about the snakes in the Everglades, and now they are finding some king cobras, nice, real nice.


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## Ladygill (Dec 28, 2002)

Yes the Blue Racer is becoming a rare snake to see now a days. I agree it is a very beautiful snake. Several years ago my spouse and I rescued two that had become entangled in the bird netting we used around our garden to keep rabbits and deer out. I was almost in tears as I held them and my spouse untangled them. I think that bird netting should be illegal or at least have some type of warning on the possible dangers to wildlife.


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## Oldgrandman (Nov 16, 2004)

Toto, I heard about the Florida problem with exotic snakes. What a shame that is. I used to see blue racers all the time shroomin but it is a rare sighting for me these days. I went back today with the camera (and rod) and looked for it, no such luck wouldn't ya know it. Did get these two pretty little darlings


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## Backwoods-Savage (Aug 28, 2005)

The blue racers certainly are not rare around here! I ride bicycle quite a bit and in the cool weather it is amazing sometimes how many I'll see on the roads. The blacktop roads soak up the heat so I imagine they are taking advantage of that. I even see them when riding the atv.


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## RDS-1025 (Dec 1, 2008)

FishMichv2 said:


> its always cool to hear of people seeing them and not killing them. they are becoming pretty rare these days.


We have one that lives under a concrete slab. It leaves sheds in the Lilacs that are over 6 feet long. It is not the least bit aggressive, and it is way cool.


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## qdmaer (Oct 30, 2008)

She must be ready to lay eggs, pretty cool stuff. I am gonna leave her alone and bring back the population.:coolgleam


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## outfishin_ (Jul 28, 2004)

I see em all the time around here (I can't stand em ..too curious :lol: )....As a matter of fact there are 3 dead ones on the road within a 1/2 mile of the house.


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## cakebaker (Sep 13, 2011)

This racer has been living next to my house for awhile lol.


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## Oldgrandman (Nov 16, 2004)

If you are seeing a lot of them, it isn't the norm.....probably the offspring of a few that are in your area. I have only seen one since I posted this, and it was in Northern Kent county 2 Spring's ago. Used to be an every year thing.

http://www.michigan.gov/dnr/0,1607,7-153-10370_12145_12201-61208--,00.html


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## Thirty pointer (Jan 1, 2015)

Oldgrandman said:


> If you are seeing a lot of them, it isn't the norm.....probably the offspring of a few that are in your area. I have only seen one since I posted this, and it was in Northern Kent county 2 Spring's ago. Used to be an every year thing.
> 
> http://www.michigan.gov/dnr/0,1607,7-153-10370_12145_12201-61208--,00.html


As I have stated a few times on M S look no further tan our little masked bandits .They are eating many species out of house and home . Someday we will pay the price of recovery programs for once common reptiles and ground nesting birds .If you get outdoors a lot as I do you probably know this . Wish the people that could do something about it would see it also .


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## ESOX (Nov 20, 2000)

Haven't seen a Racer in at least a decade. I have been seeing decent numbers of Hognoses though.


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## Thirty pointer (Jan 1, 2015)

I live on 30 acres with creek bottom winding all through it .When I purchased it in 1978 it was a real chore mowing my lawn as I was always stopping to move a turtle or frog and snakes . No more ....even the common black water snake is rare now .It was common to see 20 at a time sunning themselves on the concrete wall that borders the creek .Lots of ***** though .


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## cakebaker (Sep 13, 2011)

qdmaer said:


> She must be ready to lay eggs, pretty cool stuff. I am gonna leave her alone and bring back the population.:coolgleam


That is a great idea. It sounds like you know what you are doing when it comes to wildlife enhancements.


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## Trout King (May 1, 2002)

Ionia State Rec area is a hot bed for racers. I see quite a few on my hikes and explorations.

My property near Belding used to have a few also, pretty neat snakes, but one scared my son pretty bad. He likes to catch snakes and was pretty startled a couple years ago when one postured up instead of trying to escape.


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## Oldgrandman (Nov 16, 2004)

Thirty pointer said:


> As I have stated a few times on M S look no further tan our little masked bandits .They are eating many species out of house and home . Someday we will pay the price of recovery programs for once common reptiles and ground nesting birds .If you get outdoors a lot as I do you probably know this . Wish the people that could do something about it would see it also .


Raccoon's, back in the 70's my buddy would stop and pick up the roadkill for the pelt if it wasn't getting nasty. I cannot remember but wasn't it like $25 or something!? I couldn't believe how much one of those stupid critters pelts fetched. In the 80's another friend trapped them I used to tag along with him and fish or small game hunt as he checked his traps on the creek behind his house. He'd use my steelhead guts for his bait.

Then came the fur bust...stupid bleeding heart liberals! Not sure if it ever got back up that high or people just quit that kind of hunting/trapping. Too bad too, it was a genuine check/balance on them.

Here in GR them things is everywhere! One night after grilling I was awaken buy a noise on the deck and there were 4 of em all over the table and rails. I see em disappearing down the storm drains on the way to work in the mornings too. When I clean the leaves from the roof I see where something is crapping up there sometimes, I often wondered if it was them.


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