Windwolf
Crex Meadows ... Wildlife on the Meadows ... Bullsnake
Bullsnake
Pituophis catenifer
NOTE: Bullsnakes are a Protected Wild Animal in Wisconsin. It is illegal for them to be possessed by people without proper permits from the Wisconsin DNR (department of Natural Resources). Bullsnakes in Wisconsin cannot be removed from the point of observation.
We came across this wonderful specimen on the north side of Crex Meadows. The Bullsnake was resting in the grass along a good sized Oak tree. I have not seen a bullsnake of this size for many years now.
The picture on the left was taken June 17, 2008
The Bullsnake did not like our approach, but did not show any agression as it moved towards and up its tree.
The diet of the Bullsnake is rodents, and other small mammals, small birds, other snakes, and insects.
The Bullsnake is a constrictor snake, killing its prey by suffocation. Interesting fact is the snake will also use its muscular body to suffocate a gopher or other ground mammal by simply pressing the rodent against the dirt wall of its own burrow until it is dead.
Bullsnakes are one of the largest snakes in the USA and can exceed 6 feet long (2 meters). This individual was near, if not at 6 feet long.
Picture on right taken June 17,2008.
Pictures below show this same Bullsnake after it had climbed part way into the tree and watched us for a while.
Bullsnake colors can vary across regions. This bullsnake has a typical color pattern. The head and first part of the snake has very dark patterns against the yellow-white background. Then looking at the picture on the right you can see how the color and patterns shift to larger, more red-brown patches against the more yellow-tan background. Then the Bullsnakes patterns shift again on the last 1/3rd of the snake to the darker pattern. Notice also the tail of the snake pattern shifts to rings rather than blotches.
The Bullsnake can be confused with a rattlesnake for the untrained eye. Bullsnakes can flatten their heads giving it a diamond shaped appearance. Bullsnakes can also strike their tail against the ground making a rattle type noise. This has resulted in their death by human hands due to mis-identification.
One partial way to make an ID is to remember the three separate color patterns. Notice the blotches are not diamond shaped. Also, and very key is the Bullsnake strikes its tail against the ground to produce the rattle noise. A rattlesnake holds its tail up or to the side to make the rattle noise and does not strike the tail against an object to produce a rattle.
Bullsnakes lay around a dozen eggs in late June to early July. Eggs will hatch in August or September. Baby bullsnakes are just over a foot at hatching (8 - 18 inches) and have an all around grayish coloration until after their first shed.
The Bullsnake enters typically enters into hibernation during October and can be found alone or with other snakes such as garter, hognose snakes, or other bullsnakes in mammal burrows.
After about 20 minutes our Bullsnake got bored with us and disappeared into a hole in the oak tree, just to the right of the snakes head. It was fun watching how fast the snake moved into this lair. The snake eventually pulled its tail in and just its head peeked out.
The picture to the right and above were all taken June 17, 2008 and are of the same snake.
The picture to the left was taken July 9, 2008 very near the oak tree where we found the Bullsnake in June. Its shed was laying on the ground in two pieces. The head part had shed accordian like and was rather crumpled. The second body part was around 5 1/2 feet long.