Man Bitten by Rattlesnake on Mount Davis May Lose a Finger
A Central City man may lose a finger after a timber rattlesnake bit him on Mount Davis on July 11 while he searched for venomous snakes, according to 814 Dispatch.
A 31-year-old Central City man may lose a finger after a timber rattlesnake bit him on Mount Davis on Saturday, July 11, according to 814 Dispatch.
The man had been searching for venomous snakes on the mountain, Pennsylvania’s highest point, when he was bitten. By his own account, he had been unable to coax the snake out with a snake hook and tried to move it by hand. That is when it struck.
After the bite, he and his brother walked roughly 900 yards to the nearest road while 911 was called. He was flown by medical helicopter to Conemaugh Memorial Medical Center in Johnstown and hospitalized for about a week.
The bite caused significant swelling in his hand and arm. He said doctors are concerned that his injured ring finger may ultimately require amputation.
The man acknowledged that he had disregarded a safety practice he normally follows. He was careful to add that the rattlesnake was only defending itself, that he does not blame it, and that he hopes others will learn from what happened to him.
Timber rattlesnakes are native to the mountains of Pennsylvania and generally bite only when handled or cornered.