How tough are rattlesnakes?

[historicfirearms]

We are moving to Arizona later this year. I know next to nothing about rattle snakes and am honestly scared of most any snake. If I see them from a ways off, I am ok. But I'd like a little reassurance for the up close encounters.

I've been playing around with a shot load from my 32 single six. Using a 30 cal gas check over the powder, followed by a 32 acp casing full of #8 shot, then topped off with another 30 cal check. I've been using 1.5 grains of Promo for a charge. The shot will go about 1/4 inch into a pine board at 5 feet, the gas checks go a little deeper. Shot spread is about 8 inches at five feet, and both gas checks go roughly to point of aim.

Is this good snake medicine, or am I going to just tick them off?

[jmort]

I have killed in excess of 50 around my house and if shot in the head they die easily enough. A shovel is easier but less satisfying. Watch where you walk and don't reach in places you can't see. Use a light at night. Your ammunition will work. My favorite was a single shot .22 mag rifle. Exactly enough power in my opinion.

[starmac]

Not tough at all, any snake will crawl off and die if you so much as step on it. I have kiled many rattle snakes with a piece of bailing wire. Just for fun if you want to, slowly wave your pistol or rifle back in forth in front of them, the snakes head will follow it and line up with it perfectly when you stop, Ya can't miss their head.

[GRUMPA]

Rattle snakes for the most part will try and get away from people if given the chance. Encounters are generally when people walk out in the wild like they're walking in the city without a care in the world. People get bit when they walk through bushes over logs and put there hands in places that most wont.

I've been around them most of my life, I see them where I live. If one comes around the house I pick it up and relocate it miles away from people. Remember I've been handling them since I was real young, so for me to relocate them is like folks putting on a pair of shoes.

People have a natural reaction of fear when it comes to snakes, that's understandable. I have never seen a trained attack rattle snake in all my life. If given the choice they'll go away from you.

[bayjoe]

I used to live south of Tucson, and in the summer time you could find bunches of them in the concrete culverts under the interstate.
Not to make you worry, but I was more Leary of scorpions than rattle snakes.

[TXGunNut]

Good sharp hoe or shovel works best, I thought this was a cooking thread. ;-) Not tough at all, just don't try to filet them. Fry them up like bluegill or perch, just don't overcook them.

[kweidner]

Good sharp hoe or shovel works best, I thought this was a cooking thread. ;-) Not tough at all, just don't try to filet them. Fry them up like bluegill or perch, just don't overcook them.


That is funny. True though they are bony. Tastes like chicken ......or does chicken taste like snake..... I wonder.......

[Del-Ray]

Where in AZ?

I lived by Yucca between Kingman and Lake Havasue.

The primary rattlers we had were side winders, whic I saw dozens of. They run and hide, and can't really get any height to pop you over a boot. Me and my dad went out looking for snakes every evening during the spring and fall. We had a neighbor he hated, and his plan may have been to release them all on his property as snakes "don't have no ballistics". But I can neither confirm nor deny that...

The other rattler was the Mohave Green. I love snakes. Always enjoyed them, even got over the shock of seeing side winders everywhere. But when I saw a green it was kill on sight. M dad still caught them, and resettled them allegedly. But I killed them. All four times I saw one, the little wankers popped right up, and took the "come at me bro!" position. Two actually CAME at me.

They may be tough. But a 250gr Keith drops em.

A gaggle of side winders before relocation:
http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g93/Long_Rifle_1999/imagejpg1_zpsa61f339d.jpg
You can tell they are sidewinders as they have the horns by the eyes, and the black before the rattles. And they are pretty small compared to diamond backs, or greens.


A green:
http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g93/Long_Rifle_1999/imagejpg2_zpsa137fbd8.jpg

They are much bigger then sidewinders, and have an olive green tint to em. We tossed one of my dads feeder rats in with one. Wham! One hit, and that rat was twitching on it's side. Greens have a venom that contains neurotoxins, and hemotoxins. Destroyes your nervous system, and your blood. You've got about 45 minutes to get anti venom. So in the desert you've got your lat and long for life flight. About 50grand, and need nine or ten units of anti venom. At I seem to remember 5 grand a unit.

Another green, the ONLY one I caught alive to prove to my dad I wasn't scared of em. And two; because it was twice as big as his biggest catch:
http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g93/Long_Rifle_1999/imagejpg1_zpsd7302b13.jpg
COME AT ME BRO!

[jaysouth]

Just don't play with them. Here is a list of fatal snakebites in the US since 2010. As you will see, very few people ever die from snakebite.

Getting bit is very expensive though. You can spend a week in the hospital and get multiple doses of anti-venom at 10,000 a pop.

A limber stick or hoe is the best snake killer I have seen. However, check your state laws, in most states now, it is illegal to harm ANY snake.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_fatal_snake_bites_in_the_United_States#201 0s

[HollandNut]

I use a load similar in the 480 , is perfect for rattlers .. My first rattler took five loads of 3" magnum 00 12 gauge buckshot to kill ..

Kill at least one a year around the house

[MostlyLeverGuns]

I don't hate or fear them, but I do kill them because of the damage and misery they can do to people and livestock. I've had two different horses bitten on the nose. Swelling is extreme and horse is really miserable. Takes about a week for swelling to reduce. The threat of suffocation of a horse is real, due to the swelling, A rattlesnake vaccine for dogs and horses has been developed and it does work. I have witnessed its effectiveness. My thick hided little chocolate lab took a bite to the face with just a small lump from the bite, she also grabbed one I had just shot and ran with it biting her. She showed no particular discomfort afterward. Thanks to the vaccine. A shovel or hoe is effective but a small handgun is usually more convenient. The CCI .38/.357 , .45 Auto, .44, and .45 Colt shotshells all work just fine, as does the .22 and .22 Mag shot. The CCI .45 Auto shotshell does cycle the slide but it does not feed in my 3 1911's. Solid bullets do work, a shot in the forward 1/3 of the body stops them, then you can get careful for the second shot. My wife and I kill about 4 to 6 each year around our buildings and pastures. I leave them alone out where there is nothing for them to hurt. They are good mousers.

[snappy]

Great post Del-Ray, and you are dead on re those Mojave Greens, at least from what I've seen. They'll crawl right at a group of people, stop to coil and buzz and then come at you some more. Avoidance is the best option.

[RobS]

I just don't like wild rattlers; behind glass fine, out where I don't encounter them fine but........ I have my limits. If around a house, near work, where kids play or people who don't know frequent I don't have tolerance. In such cases and if appropriate to use a 12 gauge with 4 or 6 shot aimed at the head works nice at about 10 feet.......as close as I prefer to get. Of course any well placed shot will work from just about any firearm 22LR and up but then again I tend to be theatrical at times so a 12 gauge. None the less, shot my first one with a Ruger 10-22 when I was just a little squirt sitting on my Mom's lap hanging out the cab window of our farm truck. We would see rattlers farming and my dad and I would kill them. Imagine greasing a farm implement to meet a Mr. Not So Happy or have one catching the shade under a tractor tire while you are walking around and getting into the cab out he comes all disturbed, again not happy.

[jmort]

We usually have a couple horses die in this area each year due to bites to the face. I have had dogs vaccinated and it seems to lessen the damage. Definitely worth it.

[Mk42gunner]

I don't have rattlesnakes around my place, but do have copperheads and other assorted snakes. I leave them alone, unless they are close to the house.

Inside of five feet the most effective thing I have ever used was a sharp garden hoe, (a dull one works too).

Past that range, the order goes like this:

Shotgun (any gauge) with smaller than #6 shot.
.22 shot- there are so many pellets of #12 that at least one of them will hit something vital and stop the snake, giving you time for another round.
CCI .38/,357 shot- not enough pellets for a good pattern.

I recently bought a ten pound bag of #12 shot from BPI, I figure I am set for home made shot loads for the rest of my life. I have cobbled together a way to make .45 ACP loads that work without buying the very expensive RCBS dies; but am working on making loads for the .32 S&W Long, since the I-Frame is so much easier to carry while mowing the yard.

I am working on using straws from McDonalds for the wad/ shot carrier. Tough thing is it is hard to get the ends to melt and fuse together without melting a hole.

Robert

[jaysouth]

18" stick:

Once upon a time, I was working on a timber cruising crew as the tally boy. We were working this river bottom which was still flooded in May. The water was ankle to chest deep and you had to follow the compass no matter what was in front of you. This being E. Arkansas, anything sticking out of the water had a cottonmouth draped on it basking in the sun.

I was in knee deep water trying to keep my course and tally all the logs called in by the cruisers, when I heard this god-awful yelling and thrashing around in the water. I turned and saw the crew chief dancing in the water. He had got right on top of a large cottonmouth draped on a bush sticking out of the water. He was so close that he started beating it with his Biltmore stick. A wooden scale about 18" long used to measure the diameter of a tree and the number of vertical logs. In about .25 seconds he hit the snake 78 times while dancing and yelling. I laughed at the sight so hard that I almost heaved lunch and earned my boss's stinkeye for a couple of days.

The moral of this story is that an 18" stick will kill large dangerous snakes but is not the optimum solution.

[jakharath]

I grew up in NE Arkansas. We had more than our fair share of snakes. Timber rattlers, copperheads and cotton mouths. Give me a timber rattler any day. They musk and rattle, both are saying: dude, leave me alone. I'd kill them if they were around the house, barns or animals. In the woods I'd leave them alone.

The Leatherman PST is 4 inches long:
103232

Those green rattlers sound like our cotton mouths, just plain mean.

[jmort]

Mojave Green is as toxic as it gets. Timber rattlers are similar. Serious serious creatures.

[Bullshop Junior]

I moved to texas not too long ago from Alaska so no experience with snakes at all. I had a copper head in my yard last week so went in the house and got my 20ga to deal with it. First shot at the head from the shoulder. Started to lower the gun and he moved and I touched off three more from the hip so fast I had all the emptys in the air at once. It did him in pretty well...wasnt much left to pick up.

I usualy carry my 20ga if I'm around snakes because it is what I have.

[steve817]

They will continue to move for a while even after a well placed head shot. The first copperhead I killed, I took of most of it's head and it squirmed for a while. After cutting off the rest of the head I picked the body up and started walking back to camp. About three minutes into it it struck the side of my leg with it's now headless body. Thank goodness nobody else was around because I let out a squeal that would put my daughter to shame.

[Lonegun1894]

They're easy to kill, and like has been said, a LOT of things will work. For the most part, just being careful and watching where you step and reach will keep you safe. Just follow the advice you've gotten so far and you'll do fine. Oh yeah, one thing I haven't seen mentioned yet, they're kinda like chickens with their heads cut off after you kill em. Ever see a chicken run after it's been beheaded? Same thing, except that the head can close the jaws still as a reaction for about an hour after death. It's not like the snake will pop up and chase you or anything, but just don't go sticking your fingers in it's mouth to take a look at the fangs or anything. I've dealt with a lot of snakes in various places over the years, and I would much rather deal with the occasional rattler I see here than the moccasins that we are pretty much over run with. I leave them alone if I find them away from the house, but any snake around the house gets taken care of with whatever happens to be handy, cause I'd rather take them out when I see them, than have to go looking for them and take a chance on one of my dogs getting bit.

[NavyVet1959]

Around here, we tend to only get the Texas Rat Snakes. They are a constrictor and as such are harmless to humans. I usually just pick them up and relocate them. I taught my daughter to not be afraid of snakes with one of them when she was young. I caught one and she would "take it for walks" around the local park (i.e. it was draped behind her neck). It would freak out the people walking / riding their bikes in the park. Some people are really afraid of snakes, even totally harmless ones. For the most part though, if you have snakes around your house, it's because their is a food source (e.g. mice) and if you get rid of the food source, the snakes will go elsewhere also. If you kill off the snakes, then you will have more rodents. A garden rake can be used to move a snake -- basically like a pasta spoon. A piece of PVC pipe with a loop of line running through it can be used to "lasso" the head of the snake and move it also. Usually though, if a snake is more than 4-6 ft away from you, he is not a danger to you and you can just leave him be.

[KYShooter73]

My wisdom on snakes: We have 2 venomous types in my area, timber rattlers and copperheads. I don't carry a special load for them because it isn't self defense. If I know it's there, I take my time and shoot it. If I don't know its there, there is nothing I can do about it anyway. Just try to be aware.

Now much fun can be had with non-venomous snakes, like in my buddies gun case...or cooler...etc. I can't figure out why I don't have many friends anymore.

[missionary5155]

Good morning
Benn since November 72 since I saw and heard any rattlers .. Ft. Hood.
But I would live with them 100 times faster than coperheads and moccasins. Those nasty two give no warning. Moccasins flat are agressive and once they take the notion to come for you it is time to fight. Lived in southern Tennessee for 8 years and I learned to be warry everywhere.
Venom snakes are fragile creatures. They are not designed to physicly fight large muscular creatures. They bite and back off then trail the victim. At Ft Hood I quickly learned to treat rattlers as any black or bull snake. Just give them a moment to move on. They only want to survive. But a quick swing of an entrenching tool will be plenty but the short handle sort of gets you a bit close. Amazing how fast you can swing one when you are "digging in" and there is that instant buzzing right close. Yep sleeping on the left front M60A1 fender is far better.
Now constrictors are another story. Especially the large ones. Their bone and muscle structure get so massive you best have a very sharp heavy cutting tool (long blade machette) or quick on the draw shotgun with heavy shot. Constrictors are hunters and once they set their eye on you they get agressive. Yep I would take a rattlesnake any day. Happily where we live here in Arequipa there are no snakes. Scorpians yes but no snakes.
So learn about them. Best way to defeat your enemy is to know them. And generally snakes are not our enemies. Except copperheads and moccasins... They are not good neighbors.
Mike in Peru

[Char-Gar]

They will continue to move for a while even after a well placed head shot. The first copperhead I killed, I took of most of it's head and it squirmed for a while. After cutting off the rest of the head I picked the body up and started walking back to camp. About three minutes into it it struck the side of my leg with it's now headless body. Thank goodness nobody else was around because I let out a squeal that would put my daughter to shame.

Snakes don't have brains are we think of brains. They have a number of clusters of nerve cells (ganglions) along their spine. This is why you can separate the head from the body and still have both active for a time.

[Bullfrog]

As Char-Gar said, and that is the reason why you bury a rattle snake head after severing it because they can still bite for a number of hours after they are dead.

[opos]

Heard a story when I was a kid (must be true because it was before the internet)..of a neighbor that was driving with his arm out the window and ran over a rattler in the road..the wheel threw the snake up and it's fangs grazed his elbow..didn't kill him but I guess made him pretty sick...would have been in a 40's or 50's era car with wheels that are much more "open" than now.

My biggest fear of rattlers in the spring is when they are shedding...the rattles are gone and they are in a nasty mood and don't see well...strike at anything that is close...we have rattlers in the canyons around San Diego but I'm too old to take walks in the canyons any more...seldom see them in the yards..but now and then one will show up.

[MBTcustom]

I used to be pretty scared of snakes. I didn't let on, but inside I was absolutely dealing with a phobia of snakes. I decided I was going to fix that once and for all, because I just push back against things like that!
So, middle of summer, I loaded up my Winchester 290 and drove out to the woods to a place that seemed like it would be "snaky": a simi-dry creek bed. I was not disappointed at all. I climbed down into the creek bed, and started walking. I knew there were snakes there because I could smell 'em. Cottonmouths for sure. That creek was the coolest place in a 10 mile radius because it was low, there was still a little water, and it was densely shaded from the sun. There was some sort of clover or something growing that made a carpet of foliage on the ground about 4" high. I couldn't see the snakes but I knew they were thick as bugs on a bumper.
As I would walk along, one would hiss, and that cotton mouth would just pop up out of nowhere right in front of me. Pap, pap, pap, pap, pap. Id just shoot from the hip.
Regardless of whether I hit him or not, once the snake went down, I could no longer see him and had to watch the carpet of foliage to see where it was moving.
I would clean one out, reload, and walk a little further.....very carefully. I went about 200 yards and decided I had had enough of this. I felt like I had a better handle on my fear (kind if like climbing a tree with a climbing stand and it takes you a while to settle down and get over the jitters) so I decided to go back.
That's when I found out just how many I had stepped over and around on my way in. Killed just as many walking out of that place as I did walking in.
So, am I cured? Well, pretty much, although that experience was about the dumbest and scariest thing I have ever intentionally done (other than starting a business that is) and it still gives me the heebe jeebe's.
I have since dispatched quite a few snakes being that we live in the swampy areas.
I can tell you the most effective tools for dispatching snakes though:
Shot loads in a handgun like the OP uses really have to be the most effective self defense load for snakes. I used to buy the CCI shotshells for my long slide 1911, which worked awesome.
Next would be a semi-auto .22 like I used in the creek bed. Nylon 66 is really hard to beat for this application.
Obviously a pump shotgun works too, but I don't think you need to pile on the whipped topping like bullshopJr. did LOL!
However, the easiest and most undramatic way to take care of snakes is to take a piece of PVC pipe about 1/2" in diameter and about three feet long. Go get a flat double wire power cord off of some appliance that bit the dust and cut the cord off of it. Fold the power cord in half and push the loop through the PVC pipe. You can simply put the loop over the snakes head and draw the cord up tight and you've got yourself a snake with a convenient carry handle!
You can then casually stroll to the tree stump you cut down five years ago and yank the rusty machete out of it. Stick the snakes head on the stump with the PVC pipe, slap the machete against the pipe and take one clean stroke downward.
If you cut behind the head, then the snakes body will fall off and go flopping around (to be skinned and/or fried later), and the head can be easily carried safely to a hole in the ground, or the trash can, or the toilet or however you like to dispose of such things.
Yeah it's boring, but it works good and there's no drama, nor powder and primer wasted.

[leftiye]

Sounds like there might actually be a use for them .45/410 revolters, eh?

[CastingFool]

Not to steal the thread, but I made a "catch pole" out of a 3-1/2' length of emt and a length of braided cable. Ran the cable ends through the center of the emt, leaving a loop on one end. Slide the loop over a critter's head, pull the ends tight, and the critter is caught and cannot get to you. works well with possums that would get into my garage, and inevitably would try to hide in tight spots.

[Hickok]

I can tell you what works for me when packing a .44 or .45 caliber hand gun with a good cast boolit. I just hold a little low on the middle of the snake, right at edge of the snake and ground and shoot. It don't have to be perfect to work. The boolit tends to roll or skid right into the snake. Also shrapnel from bits of rock, pebbles, dirt, blast the reptile. They will immediately roll up into a ball, and that is when you shoot five more dead center into the "ball" and dismantle the attached parts. Works for copperheads, timber rattlers, etc.

Ain't no way to kill a rattler wrong, Ain't no way to kill'em too dead!

[HollandNut]

Ain't no way to kill a rattler wrong, Ain't no way to kill'em too dead!

I like your thinking , it's right in line with mine

[youngmman]

When you shoot them make sure it's in the head. Thats where the nerves and brain is. If you cut the head off then you have to be careful also, a scratch from the fang is still loaded with poison.

I have also had a green actually persue me. They are very aggressive and I am told the poison is more lethel but I don't know that for sure.

[Del-Ray]

Another interesting fact:

Young rattlers are more dangerous then old ones.

Young rattlers are more prone to bite and dump all their venom. Which then takes several days to recharge.

Older ones learn enough to know its best when attacking defensively to not use any venom as it's a waste, and leaves them defenseless.

We had one dog bit by a sidewinder. Thankfully it was huge (for a sidewinder), and it was a dry bite. The only vet in the area with anti venue wanted 5 grand for it. But was "saving" it for their regular customers. Yes, there can be a shortage of anti venom!

Animals get bit on the nose, drunks get bit on the hand/arm. Or worse, depending on how drunk they are...

[Del-Ray]

When you shoot them make sure it's in the head. Thats where the nerves and brain is. If you cut the head off then you have to be careful also, a scratch from the fang is still loaded with poison.

I have also had a green actually persue me. They are very aggressive and I am told the poison is more lethel but I don't know that for sure.

They are the worst snake you can get bit by in the US as far as I know. Since it's venom is both hemotoxic and neurotoxic it's bite starts to destroy your blood, and your nerves. You've got 45 minutes to get anti venom before it's no longer an issue. Life flight. 50K!

[shootmore]

My father was crazy with rattlers when I was real young I remember him bringing them home alive in his lunch box. he would put them in the freezer lunch box and all. I can remember those damn things crawling around in the grass after they were dead.
one time along some railroad tracks we killed three small ones in less than an hours time I had snake nightmares that night.
People talk about being scared of mountain lions and bears when they are out in the woods they don't bother me but walking where I cant see the ground and there might be a snake there sure makes me nervous.
I have mostly used a shovel to kill them they cannot strike very far i believe half there body length so you are safe as long as you are three or more feet away from them.

[Wolfer]

Here in MO. it's illegal to kill any snake. Exception is if it is attacking you. I once had a female game warden say they were all attacking her!

[Jr.]

Different snakes in AZ depending on which area you're in.

Here where I'm at we have side winders and diamond backs, that being said I have lived here my whole life and run across maybe a dozen or so rattlers. We also have a lot of other snakes that are beneficial such as king snakes which are good to have around as they like to eat rattlers. Another snake that will keep rattlers away is the blow snake or gopher snake. They look a lot like rattle snakes but tend to be very mild tempered they are a constrictor and can't really bite. Around here we see a lot of these I generally leave them alone unless they try to come inside then I just pick.them up and move them to the barn.

[jmort]

The "theory" that young snake are more dangerous than the old/large snakes is an urban legend. The bigger the snake the more venom it has to inject. The young ones may be prone to wet bites, but the payload is much smaller.

[ammohead]

Young rattlers are more of a caution because of the lack of rattles. They have no way of warning you off.

[Boogieman]

Snakes aren't bad ,just too long. Cut 4" off the head end & they are all good snakes.

[Changeling]

I don't kill black snakes, unless they are in the house, because they will eat other small snakes (Including black) There are probably 5 or 10 in my barn right now, they just move out of my way, usually!
If I didn't see them in my barn I would get worried that a rattler or big copperhead had mooved in.

I have a Ruger BearCat I bought used years ago. In the spring and throughout summer I keep it loaded with CCI bird/snake shot. I have killed a lot of snakes with it and have no complaints, does a great job.
In the fall I'll sit on my deck and shoot low flying doves, great fun.

[RP]

It depends on how u cook them i deep fry and as soon as they float their done really kind of tasty if seasoned right, I say alot like froglegs.

[Bullshop Junior]

I killed a cotton mouth under my shooting bench today I did the four inches off of the head end truck but used the 20ga to remove it.

[TXGunNut]

Good job, Daniel. Cottonmouths are cranky & mean.

[TXGunNut]

I've posted this elsewhere but it bears repeating; if you're in an area populated by hogs and rattlers don't count on the rattler warning you. Hogs seem to love eating rattlers, they are immune or indifferent to the venom and apparently think the rattles sound like dinner bells. For the last several years I've been hearing from other folks who encounter rattlers regularly that a growing percentage no longer rattle. I can't hear them anymore but thought I might toss that out for those of you that still can.

[HollandNut]

I've herd that as well , and have seen it my self too

[Bullshop Junior]

Good job, Daniel. Cottonmouths are cranky & mean.

He didn't seem all too happy to see me.

[HollandNut]

cottonmouths are very short tempered , I sunk a canoe in a swamp with a 12 gauge to keep from gittin hammered by one that practically feel in my lap ...

They have no sense of ha ha whatsoever

[dragon813gt]

The only good snake is a dead one. I hate snakes. At home I only have to worry about northern copperheads. But they are really thick in some areas and I worry about my dog. I have him pretty well trained to avoid them but he's still curious and I worry. At my place in the Poconos we have to worry about the copperheads and timber rattlers. I've only seen two rattlers in my life but I have no desire to ever see one again. Most of my encounters are w/ ringnecks and garters. They like to lay under and in air conditioning condensing units. No matter the size, I kill them on site. There are few things that freak me out more then missing a 2' ringneck w/ the shovel while standing in a bed of pachysandra. Coming face to face w/ a water snake while swimming as a young child may have caused my fear of them. But I kill all on site if I'm going to be working in the area.

The only thing worse than snakes are spiders. Brown Recluse and Black Widows are all over. I always look in my shoes before putting them on. And while not poisonous, the varied Orbweavers just look nasty. Don't get me started on the Jumpers that seem to like laying their eggs underneath the seats of my tree stands :mad:

[jaysouth]

OK, one more snake story:

My father and I used to put out 100-300 hooks on trotlines in this one particular bayou. We would bait them just before dark and then run them before sunup and harvest the fish that got hooked on any of the dozens of baits that we tried. In this part of the country, any thing that stuck up out of the water had a cottonmouth draped on it basking in the sun.

One Saturday, there was me, my father and our neighbor out in the bayou. I was barefoot in the bayou trying to untangle some droppers that got fouled. My father and neighbor came around the bend to bring lunch and cold drinks. I heard some yelling, a large snake had dropped in the boat from an overhead limb. Quicker than you could describe it, they abandoned ship and were running on top of the water to get to the bank (you thought Jesus was the only one who could walk on water?)

Very gingerly they got the aluminum jon boat up on the shore and turned it upside down and were beating on it with sticks. After a few minutes, they righted the boat to see if the snake was gone. Uncertain that the snake was still in the boat, a couple of cups of gasoline were poured from the gas tank into the bottom of the boat. Then a match was tossed in. The flames lept up but no snake came out from under the seats. However, the styrofoam under the seats that provided floatation chambers did catch on fire. Nothing burns hotter than styrofoam. That boat was a mess, all the paint was burned off and the stench was horrible. Even worse, the cooler with lunch and beers burned up.

My father and neighbor looked at each other and realized what idiots they had been. They then looked at me. My father pointed his finger at me and said, "boy, if word of this ever gets out, your goose is cooked".

I kept my mouth shut and was rewarded with a Remington Pump shotgun for Christmas. I did not tell this story for over 10 years after my father died.

[Bullwolf]

The only good snake is a dead one. I hate snakes. At home I only have to worry about northern copperheads. But they are really thick in some areas and I worry about my dog.


I have uttered the same phrase more than once and I feel the same way about em.

The Ranch next to mine that my "neighbor" and I share a fence line with had his dog get bitten in the muzzle by a rattle snake. Long story short, the dog lived, but his face swelled up something awful. We found out after a harried trip to town that the local veterinarians do not carry rattlesnake anti-venom. The doggie was mighty uncomfortable for a long while but eventually turned out to be OK.

I recently killed a rattle snake right by my second gate... With a few well thrown sharp rocks. My shooting buddy who constantly gave me a tough time for carrying a snake load in my pistol witnessed the event. Now oddly enough he will often keep a snake load in his walk around pistol as well.

My gate was not a good place for a rattler to hang out at all. I would hate for one to catch me unaware some day while opening the gate. The snakes certainly keep me on my toes, and force me pay attention. I almost always keep a snake load (rat shot) under the hammer of a wheel gun when walking around the Ranch. If carrying an auto like a 45acp, I normally have a snake load in the chamber for the same reason. The snake loads sure are fast snake medicine.

Despite that, I've killed far more snakes in my life from the treads on the tractor (crawler) or the brush mower deck than from gunshots, shovels, or thrown rocks.



- Bullwolf

[Bullshop Junior]

I am really a idiot around snakes. I reached down to move a chunk of wood earlier and just about grabbed that cotton mouth by the head since he was under the board. I keep my 20 ga pretty handy, as I am used to having bears instead of snakes and do not believe in over kill.

[jmort]

One bite from a rattle snake will make your prior incident seem like a minor boo-boo.

[tunnug]

Different snakes in AZ depending on which area you're in.

Here where I'm at we have side winders and diamond backs, that being said I have lived here my whole life and run across maybe a dozen or so rattlers. We also have a lot of other snakes that are beneficial such as king snakes which are good to have around as they like to eat rattlers. Another snake that will keep rattlers away is the blow snake or gopher snake. They look a lot like rattle snakes but tend to be very mild tempered they are a constrictor and can't really bite. Around here we see a lot of these I generally leave them alone unless they try to come inside then I just pick.them up and move them to the barn.
The gopher snake will be missing the rattles, look at the tail before shooting.
If anyone missed it, here's what a cut off head can do http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MgUm_ZGJu2s

If you're moving to the Tucson area the AZ/Sonora Desert Museum is an excellent place to learn of the different critters/animals that you'll encounter.

[Mk42gunner]

Here in MO. it's illegal to kill any snake. Exception is if it is attacking you. I once had a female game warden say they were all attacking her!

I don't remember the bit about if it is attacking, not saying you are wrong, I just don't remember it. It has been a few years since I lokked at the regs for Mr. No Shoulders though.

Funny thing is every two or three years there is a picture in the local paper of someone that has killed a fairly large snake, usually a rattler; and no mention of them getting a visit from the game warden.

Robert

[Slow Elk 45/70]

rattle snakes aren't very tough , unless you over cook them :groner:[smilie=1:

[Murphy]

Right up front in the Bible it tells us what to do about snakes.

Genesis 3:15 "And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel".

God never said how bad the bruise was to be we deal the snake. That being said, I make my own snake loads for my handguns and don't mind emptying a cylinder full in a heartbeat on one. If it's merely crossing the road, I can't think of a better time to 'test my brakes' if there isn't anyone following close behind me (roll that sucker up, back up and run over it again).

And lastly, no snake is dead until it's in 3 pieces.

Murphy

[historicfirearms]

103331

I never thought I would get three pages of replies on how tough rattle snakes are. :mrgreen: thanks everyone.

The pic is of a blue racer snake. We have them in Michigan where I'm from. As a boy, we used to hunt Morel Mushrooms each spring. There were a pair of blue racers that must have had a nest in our favorite mushroom spot. They would get pretty aggressive and chase after us. They are a really fast snake, hence their name. They could even jump from tree to tree like a squirrel. They are not poisonous, but as a young boy they were pretty scary. Probably where my fear of snakes started.

We are moving to Prescott, AZ so this will be my first time living in an area with poisonous snakes. I spend a lot of time outside hiking and hunting, so I appreciate all the advice.

[bruce drake]

I don't like snakes, no sir, I don't.

I grew up in the state of Maine. No local poisonous snakes officially but my relatives on the western side of the state always said Timber Rattlers didn't know the difference between a New Hampshire hill and a Maine valley...

That said, I joined the Marines in 89 and was promptly stationed at Camp Lejuene for a little while for Infantry training.

About 2 weeks into the training when we started patrolling the area in squads. I was walking for what seemed like forever and when the Sgt told us to rest, I flopped down on the side of a log to catch a few breaths and a sip or two of water from a canteen on my hip. I reached down and WHAM! I had a Copperhead hanging down off my right hand a chewing and a wrapping. My Sgt (John Murray, a name I still remember after 25 years) immediately had his K-Bar knife and pried that nasty thing off my hand and dispatch it.

Yes, I got zapped with a full load of that venom. my hand and frearm swelled up, the venom gave the hand an appearance of extreme purple-gold bruising, It hurt to even move the fingers or turn the wrist. The Navy Corpsmen and Docs decided that I didn't need the anti-venom but it pulled me off training for several weeks. Lots of ibuprofen and changing bandages daily and eventually the bite healed and I was able complete my training with a new platoon of Marines. A nice offshoot of the 4 week delay in training was that I was assigned to a Marine Corps unit in Hawaii which at the time had zero poisonous snakes in their woods :)

Did I mention I was not a fan of snakes...

[9.3X62AL]

I live in the high desert, and have lived in rattler country for my entire life. I don't avoid the outdoors because of their presence, but I am mindful of their hazards and respectful of their potential to cause grievous injury and infrequent death. The species I have been around are most often Western Diamondbacks, and my experience is that these critters will retreat if able to do so. The least common for me have been the Mojave greens, and those I have seen come toward me a few times. Tactically unsound, Snake--their neuro-toxic/hemo-toxic combo venom causes severe injuries of many kinds. Sidewinders split the difference for me in terms of commonality and tendency to move toward people.

For my own part, I try not to dispatch them unless they are in areas used by kids, pets, or livestock. They serve a purpose--eliminating mice and rats very efficiently. Of course, so do the less hazardous snakes like kings, rosy boas, garters, and gopher snakes. These latter species are GREAT to have around a rural residence, and I enjoy their company very much. Rosy boas are a beautiful addition to a landscape, and make excellent pets. I haven't "kept" them per se, but surely did not discourage their presence when I lived in Cherry Valley.

These poisonous snakes are all illegal to dispatch in California, which is in keeping with the state's viewpoint on human venomous reptiles--to nurture and harbor the things, irrespective of the damage they cause to fruitful and productive citizens and entities. I surely haven't noticed any lack of the slithery things or a downturn in their numbers during my lifetime here. Probably the single-best countermeasure for one of these poisonous vipers that insists upon standing its ground is the 410 bore shotgun with #9 shot on board. My own view of snake "toughness" is that the critters aren't especially "tough", but just too stupid to know when to die. Here again, we see their parallels to the human predators that require ballistic intervention for proper management.

[Col4570]

We have two native species of snake here in the UK.The Adder and the Grass Snake.The Adder is venomous,the Grass Snake is harmless.Every now and again someone will get bitten and need Hospital treatment .There have been fatalities mostly in people with heart problems or from anaphalactic shock.

[Der Gebirgsjager]

Wow! There's nothing like a good snake story. As for rattlers usually going in the other direction...when I was about age 16 (long, long time ago now) one of my duties on my dad's cattle ranch was to travel a path through the forest and open a water gate on a reservoir in the late afternoon. On one such afternoon in the fall I had accomplished that task and was walking back down the trail, going crunch, crunch, crunch in the crispy fallen madrone tree leaves. After awhile I could hear a rustling of the leaves behind me, and stopped to listen. Nothing was visible. I started walking again and the noise behind me started again. This happened several times, and finally I jumped across the water ditch which the trail bordered to observe whatever might be on the trail behind me. I didn't have to wait long, as about 15 seconds later a 5 ft. long diamondback timber rattler slithered out of the leaves and crossed the ditch to my side. I ran a short distance and jumped back to the trail side, and when the snake reached the place where I had crossed it did the same. At this point there was no doubt in my mind that it was purposely following me and, being unarmed, I ran off to what I considered to be a safe distance. Thereafter I always carried a firearm when performing that assigned duty, and did actually kill a very large rattler on the trail one evening when it was almost dark. I absolutely hate the things and, as this occurred in California, if I lived there today would happily violate the law and kill every one I encountered. That ranch seemed to have more than a reasonable number of them, and I had too many close calls.

[triggerhappy243]

What about a spray shot of wasp and hornet spray to the head?

[Bullshop Junior]

I wouldn't trust that

[yoter]

I usually use a garden hoe to dispatch rattlers in populated/highly traveled areas. They are pretty fragile. Standard handgun shot loads are effective with head shots. Don't let anyone get around the head or bury it after the snake is dispatched. Hate scorpions more than rattlers because they are not as easy to see in the house.

[woody1]

I've been playing around with a shot load from my 32 single six. Using a 30 cal gas check over the powder, followed by a 32 acp casing full of #8 shot, then topped off with another 30 cal check. I've been using 1.5 grains of Promo for a charge. The shot will go about 1/4 inch into a pine board at 5 feet, the gas checks go a little deeper. Shot spread is about 8 inches at five feet, and both gas checks go roughly to point of aim.

Is this good snake medicine, or am I going to just tick them off? Snakes ... yeah ... I remember the time........ Oh,

Now, back to the original question: If you can get a little of that shot into the head you're going to be fine. They aren't hard to kill. I used to just use 22 ratshot and it would take 'em out just fine IF you were close enough. Think about this, are you really going to put aside your phobia and get the muzzle of that pistola within 5' of that snake's head? I thot not! Now, stand back 10' and shoot your shot load into a 9" paper plate with a snake's head/neck area drawn on it. How much shot did you get into the actual target? That'll tell you how effective your load is actually going to be. Do this several times. IMO, your load is probably good enough but I would want smaller shot if there was any way I could get some. Even a pound of #12 will load a lot of snake loads. I don't have any to spare but I do have some #10. PM me if you can't round up some smaller. Regards, Woody

[historicfirearms]

You are right, Woody, about that load. I had the same thoughts about the distance after my original post. At ten feet the shot spreads out enough that I don't think it would be reliable. Smaller shot would help, I will have to look around for some.

[jmort]

My single shot .22 mag with CCI shot ammunition makes a mess of a rattlesnake's head at 10 feet. Pattern measured in inches at that "range." That is #9 shot. I like # 7.5 in my .357s. Most like smaller shot.

[NavyVet1959]

I've used a .357 loaded with a tamped down wad of paper towel as the base and then filled with shot and topped with some pan lube / wax for vermin. The wax holds it in the cartridge until it is fired. Probably cheaper than using gas checks unless you are making your own. If you are making your own out of aluminum cans though, that would be especially cheap (assuming that you are already drinking things in can anyways).

[Changeling]

I don't know what are where you guys get your information about how far a dense pattern of shot (12) will kill, but I have shot plenty of snakes/birds up to 20 feet with few problems, even though 20 feet is about the max limit. At 10 feet it would be very hard to miss and not kill in 2 shots, usually 1 shot.
This is from a Ruger BearCat .22 with CCI bird/rat shot. Guys with 38/44/45 handguns can shoot a LOT denser paterns because they simply hold a lot more shot.

[Lee]

Hickok! Shhh! Be quiet!! Don't give all the secrets away!! My old eyes aim just below the beercan. The dirt, rocks, and detritus kick that can way up in the air. All to "Ohhhs" and "Ahhhhss" from the watchers who don't have a clue.! :kidding:

Actually good advice. Consider a low miss could be a sliding hit, but a high miss might just piss off whatever you are shooting at.... Lee

[MT Gianni]

What about a spray shot of wasp and hornet spray to the head?

Guaranteed to kill any wasps or hornets around it's head. It doesn't affect people so probably not snakes.

[triggerhappy243]

You have never had this stuff get into your eyes??????????????????????????????

Sure does incapacitate bears.

[Bullshop Junior]

Are we talking pepper spray or wasp spray?

[triggerhappy243]

Pepper spray does not have the distance that wasp and hornet spray has. Pepper spray 5-8 feet? Wasp and hornet spray is 20 feet solid stream..... Knock yo butt in the mudd if you get it in your eyes.

[Mk42gunner]

My take on the wasp spray is that it doesn't immediately kill the species it is designed for, so I am not going to trust or even try it on a poisonous snake.

My Grandma's garden hoe worked every time, but I prefer a bit more range myself.

As for skidding the tires over a snake, (very effective by the way), you can't do it with anti-lock brakes.

Robert

[Bullshop Junior]

My take on the wasp spray is that it doesn't immediately kill the species it is designed for, so I am not going to trust or even try it on a poisonous snake.

My Grandma's garden hoe worked every time, but I prefer a bit more range myself.

As for skidding the tires over a snake, (very effective by the way), you can't do it with anti-lock brakes.

Robert

I hated the anti lock breaks on my truck. I took the fuse out so dang fast...

I wont trust anything out of a can. My 20ga works quite well.

[dragon813gt]

Pepper spray does not have the distance that wasp and hornet spray has. Pepper spray 5-8 feet? Wasp and hornet spray is 20 feet solid stream..... Knock yo butt in the mudd if you get it in your eyes.

That's the effective distance for pepper spray designed to fend of humans. The ones designed for bears spray a lot further. Wasp spray is designed to dissolve the exoskeleton of insects. Snakes don't have exoskeletons. Besides possibly blinding the snake I don't think the wasp spray would have any effect on one.

[Bullshop Junior]

Ive had the bear spray in my eyes and my FIL shot himself in the face with mace that my MIL got from the state troopers. The way he reacted it hurt way more then the bear spray did. But he got a direct hit too at about a foot and a half.

[Three-Fifty-Seven]

http://i153.photobucket.com/albums/s220/ShawnVT/Guns/Hunting/EatenRattlSnake.jpg (http://s153.photobucket.com/user/ShawnVT/media/Guns/Hunting/EatenRattleSnake.jpg.html)

[Bullshop Junior]

I keep seeing people say skid over them. Just plain running them over wont work?

Why are rattle snakes the only ones we eat?

[woody1]

You are right, Woody, about that load. I had the same thoughts about the distance after my original post. At ten feet the shot spreads out enough that I don't think it would be reliable. Smaller shot would help, I will have to look around for some.
Like I said, I don't have any #12 shot to spare but I do have some #10 I could send your way if you don't find anything smaller... #10 will more than double your shot count over #8. I use it in my .410 for starlings as I can use a lighter load of shot and get the same shot count. Regards, Woody

[woody1]

I keep seeing people say skid over them. Just plain running them over wont work?

Why are rattle snakes the only ones we eat?

Daniel, IME just running over a snake won't always take him out, ie they'll crawl off. I suppose they'll later die. Giving them the old skid if you can will usually anchor them pretty well. Just my experience. Regards, Woody

[Three-Fifty-Seven]

away! :lol:

[Bullshop Junior]

http://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/04/29/na7yvaju.jpg

This one was cooled up when I shot it with my 20ga. Everyone said it was a copperhead so I shot it but the color looks wrong to me.

[FrankG]

When I was in high school in early 70's and worked at a service station after school one of the duties was fixing flat tires . When the tire was dismounted from wheel and there wasn't an obvious reason for it going flat I was told to feel the interior wiping with a shop rag and not my fingers . The station owner had gotten 'bitten' by a rattler that left fang in tire.

[StromBusa]

They do not have any superpowers, I say leave them alone if you can...I never understand grown men peeing themselves over a ringneck snake.... just wrong. I used to find timber rattlers often, scarce these days. I rescued a couple of snakes, carpet python & Boa constrictor.. they have more personality than I expected.

[Pinsnscrews]

I keep seeing people say skid over them. Just plain running them over wont work?

Why are rattle snakes the only ones we eat?

Depending on what your driving, just running it over, bam, it's done, 1/10 of a second contact or less, with an Atv/Dirt Bike with low pressure tires, minimal actual pressure at the point of contact. Even a Full Size Bronco running 10psi in its tires can do minimal damage when running it over. Now when you skid across it, it's like Sandpaper. Your tire grabs it, and drags it across the ground. This adds friction to the equation, opens it up. Oh and btw, a snake is very flexible. The only limit to how small a hole a snake can get into is its head. Its skeleton is able to collapse pretty well without taking any internal damage.

As for cooking. Meat is meat, some snakes have a lot, others don't. Rattlesnakes, tend to have a decent amount of meat on them.

[Lonegun1894]

Bullshop,
That is a copperhead, but that is going by the skin pattern, as the colors vary somewhat depending on season and area you're in. As far as cooking them, well, as Pinsanscrews said, meat is meat. I was always taught to not kill anything unless it is either to eat or defense. Well, Rattlesnake is tasty, moccasin is too but has a hint of a fishy flavor. I love fish though so they get eaten too. Don't see too many copperheads, but they taste good too, just most are kinda small so get ready to do a lot of picking to get the bits of meat off. About the only snak eI go out of my way to avoid is a Brazos River Water Snake, which we have a few of around here, but they're non-poisonous, non-aggressive, but have the terrible luck of looking A LOT like a moccasin. Imagine a Moccasin with round pupils and a slightly more rounded head but almost identical markings otherwise to a moccasin. I was lucky enough that an old friend was a very good teacher and outdoorsman when I was young and taught me to take that extra second to identify exactly what animal I am looking at, instead of just shooting all of them--obviously this doesn't apply to anything that tries to strike. But these are passive enough that the last one I saw was at a swimming area on the bank, and the other people thought I was completely out of my mind when I walked over, picked up the "moccasin" with my hands, and swam it across the river and released it on the other side. All it did was wrap around my arm like a pet boa or something of the sort would, and just stayed there, I didn't even bother holding the head cause there is no concern of a strike as long as you're gentle and don't scare or hurt it while moving it. They're endangered, and I definitely don't see as many as I used to, but have never harmed one and won't unless it is the only food I can find. And I try to not run over any animal, regardless of if it is a snake or anything else.

[douglasskid]

Ran over my first rattler of the year yesterday while entering a pasture gate. Skid the tires is a sure method of ending the situation!

[BAGTIC]

Snakes don't have brains are we think of brains. They have a number of clusters of nerve cells (ganglions) along their spine. This is why you can separate the head from the body and still have both active for a time.

Kind of like some politicians.

I the last six years I have had two dogs bitten, a cocker spaniel on the thigh and a Pyreness on the face. The cocker went into a coma for about an hour and I honestly thought it was dead. When my wife came home about three hours layeter I took her to see the body abut It had arisen. He showed up later that night and was stiff and sore for 4-5 days but eventually recovered. The Pyrenees was lethargic but able to walk. Found her in the driveway next morning dead.

Cottonmouth are the ones that scare me. Was fishing a stock tank in Texas once and a pair swam about 75 yards from the other side of the tank straight to us. WE beat them off with cane poles and they went back. About 15 minutes later they came again. Beat them off again and moved to other side of tank. Within about 15 minutes here they came again so we left.

[BAGTIC]

Are they kosher?

[GREENCOUNTYPETE]

Ya'll keep making 10 below zero sound better and better , say what you will about snow but there are no snakes to worry about in snow

we supposedly have timber and Mississauga rattlers but never seen one outside the zoo apparently the fellas did a real bang up job of hunting them back in the 60s and they haven't made much of a come back

[Pinsnscrews]

Are they kosher?

Leviticus states that every creeping thing that crawls the earth is unclean, therefore, is not Kosher. ;-)

[NavyVet1959]

Leviticus states that every creeping thing that crawls the earth is unclean, therefore, is not Kosher. ;-)

Interesting point... I had always suspected that liberals were not Kosher, but I guess this proves it.

[Dhammer]

Think they said this one was killed in Texas, stuck its head in the blind two hunters were in. I've encountered rattle snakes and a few other venomous types over the years but have been wondering myself how many more I'll see once we move out to AZ ourselves. Ive got little ones and they are already being endoctrined on snakes and scorpions.
104018

[jaysouth]

Ya'll keep making 10 below zero sound better and better , say what you will about snow but there are no snakes to worry about in snow

we supposedly have timber and Mississauga rattlers but never seen one outside the zoo apparently the fellas did a real bang up job of hunting them back in the 60s and they haven't made much of a come back

Have you ever heard of a snow snake. When I was in the Army in Germany we were warned about them when on winter manouvers. They are white with white eyes and black pupils. You cannot see them in the snow. They are not poisonous but will attack you by crawling your your sleeping bag. They then crawl up your backside and freeze you to death!!

[tygar]

When I was young & foolish I would look for rattlers with nothing more than a stick & a pocket knife. I once found a sidewinder under a rock, used my little knife to poke at it until it came out & chased it down the mountain until I caught it & killed it with a rock. That SOB was over 7" stretched. My mom saw me from a 1/2 mile away carrying that rattler over a stick & locked me out until my dad came home, like at midnight.

One of my sons killed one with his BB gun when he was 8 or 10 that was trying to get into our garage.

Now we kill Copperheads. Usually 6 or so a year around the house.

After VN & the 2 steppers, I pretty much kill all of them unless I can tell there a black snake or similar. Just like with flying, after 2 shootdowns & a crash I pretty much don't like them.

By the way, the sidewinder, going down hill was as fast as I could run. Would not want it to be the other way around with him chasing me.

ps I keep a 3" 44mag loaded with snake shot for my executions

[tygar]

Think they said this one was killed in Texas, stuck its head in the blind two hunters were in. I've encountered rattle snakes and a few other venomous types over the years but have been wondering myself how many more I'll see once we move out to AZ ourselves. Ive got little ones and they are already being endoctrined on snakes and scorpions.
104018

HOLY SHT that's a big one! Puts my sidewinder to shame.

[tygar]

http://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/04/29/na7yvaju.jpg

This one was cooled up when I shot it with my 20ga. Everyone said it was a copperhead so I shot it but the color looks wrong to me.

Copperhead, shoot it again!

[NavyVet1959]

HOLY SHT that's a big one! Puts my sidewinder to shame.

Just remember, many of these "game photos" use camera perspective to make the animal appear larger than it really is. If you place the animal closer to the camera than the person, the animal looks larger. In this photo, the guy is apparently using something to hold the snake and it could be such that the snake was quite a bit closer to the lens than the guy.

[BAGTIC]

GOD says everthing is food for us. Who is this Leviticus nut everyone keeps babbling about?

Genesis 9: Then God blessed Noah and his sons, saying to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number and fill the earth. 2 The fear and dread of you will fall on all the beasts of the earth, and on all the birds in the sky, on every creature that moves along the ground, and on all the fish in the sea; they are given into your hands. 3 Everything that lives and moves about will be food for you. Just as I gave you the green plants, I now give you everything.

[NavyVet1959]

GOD says everthing is food for us. Who is this Leviticus nut everyone keeps babbling about?

Genesis 9: Then God blessed Noah and his sons, saying to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number and fill the earth. 2 The fear and dread of you will fall on all the beasts of the earth, and on all the birds in the sky, on every creature that moves along the ground, and on all the fish in the sea; they are given into your hands. 3 Everything that lives and moves about will be food for you. Just as I gave you the green plants, I now give you everything.

Obviously written before poisonous plants and animals were discovered.

http://www.discoveryuk.com/web/survival-zone/plants-and-Animals/dangerous-animals/poisonous-animals-you-cant-eat

Or maybe it just lost something in the translation over the years.

[gwpercle]

The older ones are a bit chewy and somewhat tough but OK if cooked in a liquid like a sauce piquante or etouffe. The young ones are tender and can be chicken fried or grilled...not tough at all.
Gary

[Three-Fifty-Seven]

...!)

[Dhammer]

I agree they do the camera trick but the official article has the Texas snakes weight and overall length. It was frigin hughe any way you look at it. We saw one at Benning thst was stretched out acorss the width of the road and that rattler looked looks small compared to that pic. Girth was night and day diffence. We also had a guy take a number two one one.. Never knew a person n could run that fast with their pants around their ankles.. He said it chased for 30 yards too. His battle verified that part, he was running with snake chasing.

[kawasakifreak77]

Man I have been thinking about relocating to Az but after all these stories I might not!

[Lead Fred]

We dont waste ammo on snakes, hold their head in place with a stick, and use a blade to cut of the head

[snaketail]

I just escaped from Tucson, after two years of it I'd had enough. I hiked every week, climbed in the mountains, walked in the desert, and generally spent a lot of time "outdoors."
My total encounters with rattle snakes was Zero - not a one. I saw a Gila Monster, some small water snakes, coyotes galore, bob cats, evidence of bears, and heard a mountain lion. Never saw a rattle snake, never saw a scorpion or saw a javelina (not alive anyway).
However I did see a boat-load of two-legged snakes tramping across the desert with back-packs. I saw a lot of people who had drunk too much. And I saw a lot of people who simply didn't care if they drove over you or not.
Arizona is beautiful. The southern mountains are great. The northern forests are a sight to behold, and there is the Grand Canyon and Monument Valley. But the biggest danger in Arizona is the two-legged snakes running drugs up from messico.
Arizona is a "open carry state" you can wear it on you hip, and it's OK.
In the winter the state fills up with old people from northern areas, Alaskan and Canadian plates are common.
If you are from Texas DO NOT mention it to anyone - or they will spend 10 minutes telling you what's wrong with Texas (happened to me twice).
You can dispatch a rattle snake with a .22, but you'll need more firepower to defend yourself from the illegal aliens running drugs up from the border (little hint - they come across the border at the Indian Reservations, because the reservations don't allow law enforcement on "their land.")
And you'll have to pay state income tax.
Sure makes Florida and So. Texas look better doesn't it?

Glad to be out of there,
M

PS: Don't like drones watching you...you won't like Arizona. Border Patrol uses them, so does the Army because of "Global Logistics" (we know what that means) and so does the USAF who is everywhere in 'zona.

[Hamish]

[QUOTE=BAGTIC;276328the last six years I have had two dogs bitten, a cocker spaniel on the thigh and a Pyreness on the face. The cocker went into a coma for about an hour and I honestly thought it was dead. When my wife came home about three hours layeter I took her to see the body abut It had arisen. He showed up later that night and was stiff and sore for 4-5 days but eventually recovered. The Pyrenees was lethargic but able to walk. Found her in the driveway dead the next morning..[/QUOTE]

Interesting. If you or your wife were rattler bit, would you go to the ER?

[Katya Mullethov]

would you go to the ER?

Snake bite serum is a real racket dude . DO NOT GIT BIT .



Totally freaked out- adult language warning .
"Is that , Is that a snake ? " lol
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EpcDZbXslfw

Hot POME sister & the $ bill @ 2:30

[Love Life]

Snake bite serum is a real racket dude . DO NOT GIT BIT .



Totally freaked out- adult language warning .
"Is that , Is that a snake ? " lol
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EpcDZbXslfw

Hot POME sister & the $ bill @ 2:30

My buddy got bit during a booze fest in our high school years. We were in Lampasas, TX. He died for a bit, but he came through just fine...minus the ridiculously huge medical bills. Man, that was a wild party!!

[Pb2au]

One of the pharmacists my wife works with picked up a cottonmouth, didn't believe that it was one, put it down, then picked it back up, and proceeded to get hit on the thumb.
He learned very quickly how expensive anti-venom was.

[LeftyDon]

I hate snakes. Saw quite a few out in California when fly fishing and heard many more. Sometimes find one sun bathing on our concrete patio or driveway. But I'm now back in prime Lyme Disease Eastern NY state and getting it from a tick I don't see on me scares me even more.

[gwpercle]

Snake killing seems to generate a lot more interest than carpenter bee extermination. Those are some great stories and photos.
Gary

[Lonegun1894]

Hamish,
At least I wasn't the only one who thought the same thing. Thank you for saying it first. A dog is family to me, and more important to me than some people that I keep being told I am "related" to, so you know my opinion.

[RogerDat]

That tip about rattle snakes lining head up with the thing closest to them when in a coiled position is true. If the thing closest to them is the barrel of the gun they will aim their head at the barrel. Just remember a coiled rattle snake can strike easily 1/3 it's own length 1/2 being common and up to 2/3 of its length have been reported. On a 6 foot snake that is 2 to 4 feet of range it can strike faster than the human eye can see.

Give them some space and respect. Anti-venom for dogs is a good idea. Dogs just are not fast enough to avoid being bitten and will tend to go in places the snakes are.

[tygar]

Kind of like some politicians.

I the last six years I have had two dogs bitten, a cocker spaniel on the thigh and a Pyreness on the face. The cocker went into a coma for about an hour and I honestly thought it was dead. When my wife came home about three hours layeter I took her to see the body abut It had arisen. He showed up later that night and was stiff and sore for 4-5 days but eventually recovered. The Pyrenees was lethargic but able to walk. Found her in the driveway next morning dead.

As you can see from my picture I'm a dog guy & like them way more than most people, up to & including most of my kids. I have spent thousands to save a dog & feel they are part of my family & would care for them just like anyone else in my family. Mine will protect anyone in the pack, never complain, always there & happy to see you & be with you. They will die to save you. How many people do you know that will do that?

That field behind me is our police dog training field, so you better believe mine will eat you.

If your not willing to care for your dog, don't own one. Also feel almost that way about my horses, but not quite. But have spent some pretty big bucks to fix them up also.

People like Michael Vicktheprick should have their balls nailed to a stump & pushed over backwards.

Letting your dog die from a snake bite when remedies are available is just plain wrong.

[Lonegun1894]

I am more likely to take my dog to the vet than I am to go myself, and this has gotten me in trouble in relationships, with parents, with bosses, etc. I don't care. I have a lot of medical training, and use it, but we all have our limitations, and I don't have anti-venom, so that is one place where I just have to draw the line and admit I need help. I have been bit by moccasins twice now, and haven't been to the doctor for it yet. Wasn't fun, but I made it. But I also have more body weight to dissolve the venom in than my dogs do, so if bitten, they WILL be taken to get treated, regardless of what else is going on.

I knew I wasn't the only one here with my head screwed on straight.

[RogerDat]

.....The pic is of a blue racer snake. We have them in Michigan where I'm from....
We are moving to Prescott, AZ so this will be my first time living in an area with poisonous snakes. I spend a lot of time outside hiking and hunting, so I appreciate all the advice.

Michigan is home to the Eastern Massasauga rattle snake. Typically found in marsh areas. Mathias botanical garden outside Ann Arbor had some living in it when I was younger. Had a friend who went there to try and catch one, got bit and ended up in ICU at UofM Hospital for about a week. Second time he was bit he just told them in the ER "give me some Demerol and a script for Percodan because this is going to hurt like a bitch for the next few days". Once bitten he knew his body had developed anti-venom.... even if his brain had not developed good judgment.

[Docjames]

I agree with most here, its not about how much it takes to kill em, you could kick once and it would probably kill it, even stepping on its head or neck will keep it from biting you. The rattlesnakes in Arkansas are small and we don't even bother killing them or copperheads most of the time because they don't bother you until its too late and you step on its tail or pick up the wrong log.

[Dhammer]

Saw my first snake in AZ. She's got a nest next to our future back patio. Big Gardner of all things. Real estate agent and I agreed that's a good to have around for pest control.

[Cactus Farmer]

While going to collage here in the desert, I found a 4 1/2 footer that was just the right size for a school buddy to make a belt with. 45 Colt thru the head and into the truck bed. Found Bob and as we skinned the legless beast seemed a waste to not use the meat. We steamed it to tender and made "Snake Salad" with sweet relish, onion, Miracle Whip and pimento. Now, his housemate was from PA and a devout Yankee with all his Yankee ways (Not making the reference to rile anyone) and was a mooch. He helped himself to anything in the fridge whether he bought it or not. A couple days later, Bob came running up to me in the hall and was all excited. It seems if "Kevin" had helped himself to the "chicken salad"? Of course I asked if he told him what it was? No he said, I'm waiting until tomorrow. Needless to say, after being informed of the makin's in the salad
"Kevin" never helped himself to any of Bob's stuff again.

[azchisum]

Growing up in Tucson and loving the desert rattlers are always around.. I have jumped over many and thankfully never been bit. I NEVER let one get away but never follow them..
I figure I will walk back that way and get bit by the one I let go. Usually see Diamondbacks, Mohave's are rare but are aggressive.
What sucks is that as I get older (I'm 59) I can't always hear them.. Almost got bit at my dads when I thought it was an air leak.. Silly me.

Usually carry a shotgun, but a 38 with shot capsules in the head work great.

[Bullshop Junior]

I just acquired some 460 brass and am gonna turn the rims down and shorten them to just feed in my rossi 92 to make some shot shells out of. The 454 rossi is my favorite gun and I prefer to carry it over my 20ga.

[Three-Fifty-Seven]

,,,,,,

[bayjoe]

Years ago me and another cowboy were riding pastures and came across a rattle snake. All we had were our ropes, so we got off and killed the snake with our ropes.
We get back on our horses and rode awhile. I think we both had the same thought at the same time, that we might have a fang in our ropes.
Tossed the ropes and didn't do that again.

[Bullshop Junior]

A fellow i work for now got "bit" by a fang in a round baler belt. He said he finds them fairly often in the belts.

[lancem]

Chippewa snake boots are my daily wear, get some of them and remember to never reach into something you can't see into and you should be pretty good to go.

[DLCTEX]

Dead rattlers can bite! I shot one through the top of it's head 7 times with a 22 when I was a kid. My uncle, who is three years older, wanted it's rattles and reached inti the sticker bush where it lay, but his rack came up a few inches short due to the thorns impeding him. He picked up a stick about a foot long to rake the snake closer and when it touched the snake it turned and bit the stick in a split second. I also cut the head off one while mowing hay with a sickle mower. About an hour later a dog found the head and began yelping with the snake head attached to it's lower jaw. The next day the dogs head was
swollen as if he had been bitten by a healthy snake. Those stories of people being bitten by a fang in a boot, tire, etc. Are bogus, as there would be no venom present, or at least not enough to have an effect greater than a minor irritant.

[bedbugbilly]

My wife and I have a place in Sahuarita - south of Tucson and north of Green Valley where we winter. Normally, since we're there when it's colder - we don't see too many. I have killed one in our driveway with a shovel.

If you are ever near Tucson, take some time and go to the Sonora Desert Museum. They have a excellent display of AZ native snakes. We've gone a number of times and it's a good "refresher" to see what you're looking for. There are more than just one type of Rattlesnake in AZ - and with the territory and lay of the land, they are often hard to see as they blend in very well.

If you have dogs - you might want to run them through "rattle snake aversion training". We have run our dogs through it. They put a shock collar on the dog and have a live snake with the mouth taped that an individual is controlling with a snake stick. As the dog approaches the snake, they get the scent and as soon as they notice it, they shock them. It's not dangerous to the dog but it does work.

Rattlers are not something to "make light of". Normally they don't wan;t to be disturbed anymore than humans do so they will try to evade. Cornered though, they can and will strike. We had friends who had a small dog that discovered one in their back yard and ended up getting bit. They were able to get the dog to the vet in time but it cost them over $3,000.00 in vet bills.

Like anywhere . . . you just need to be "alert" and "your eyes open". In our area, the FD will "relocate" snakes if you call them. On an average year, they relocate well over 3,000 rattlers.

Another critter you need to be aware of is (I believe it's called) the Rocky Mountain River Toad. These are the toads that people were "licking" to get high (I might add, very stupid people). When the monsoon rains hit, it will drive them out of the dry waterways, gullies, etc. that drain off the monsoon rains. If a dog licks one, it will affect their central nervous system and can easily kill them. And, let's face it, dogs are curious critters who will "sniff". If that happens to a dog, you need to get to a water hose as soon as possible and continuously rinse it's mouth with the hose - no guarantee the dog won't die but it's their best chance of pulling through - and then notify your vet to see what they suggest.

Not trying to alarm or scare anyone - every environment has it's threats and thus stay alert and try to avoid problems.

[Lonegun1894]

Not rattlers, this time, but I went fishing for two hours Friday. Just picked a quiet spot on the bank, didn't catch any fish, but it was relaxing. Oh yeah, and watched 5 moccasins swim by within 20yds or me, most inside of 10 yds. The only one that was swimming toward me got a rock thrown at it and that was enough to make it change direction, this time.

[Bullshop Junior]

I wanna make a key chain out of a rattler if I ever see one.

[Finarfin]

I make snakeskin pencils. Been doing it since I was a kid. Just get a pencil sized snake, skin it, and then reverse the skin back over the pencil.

My uncle was bitten by a rattlesnake a long time ago. It swelled up something terrible, his leg was split from the toe to his crotch and he was in the hospital for a long time, maybe a few months.

I had one go between my legs once when I was taking a leak. Nearly jumped out of my skin. Think I floated backwards in the air about 15 feet.

[crawfobj]

They're not that tough if you cook 'em right.

[GOPHER SLAYER]

It is probably true that few people, at least adults die from rattlesnake bites but from what I have seen on the TV, they can make you wish you were dead and you can certainly be crippled or even loose limbs. I used to spend a great deal of time in the California desert and killed both diamond backs and Mohave Greens. Only one diamond back gave me a courtesy rattle and no green ever did, even though they had plenty to rattle. One good thing about the green, they don't get very big. Biggest I ever saw wasn't over three feet. One final word of caution. A poisonous snake bite here can easily run over a hundred grand depending on your weight.

[johnestmon]

This thread reminds me.... does anyone know where I can get some elk jerky? The kids are wanting some and I can't find it anywhere........

[NVScouter]

This thread reminds me.... does anyone know where I can get some elk jerky? The kids are wanting some and I can't find it anywhere........


Down to my last 25-30lbs of the stuff and I'll save that for hunting season if the kids dont beat me to it. Its kind of sad day when all thats left of your game is some stew meat and a couple packages of ground. But I got two elk tags this year so if I do my part I'll have a bit more next year.

[Lonegun1894]

Last place I saw some elk jerky was a truckstop in Centerville, TX, but I can't remember what it was called. They had so many different types or jerky that I am definitely stopping there next time I pass through. They also said you can order it from them and they will ship it to you.

[crawfobj]

Last place I saw some elk jerky was a truckstop in Centerville, TX, but I can't remember what it was called. They had so many different types or jerky that I am definitely stopping there next time I pass through. They also said you can order it from them and they will ship it to you.

Woody's smokehouse. Great stuff. Good BBQ too.

[triggerhappy243]

Elk jerky? Try cabelas or there is a jerky place south of albuquerque, maybe 30 miles. They sell all kinds. You would be drooling for sure.

[UBER7MM]

This thread reminds me.... does anyone know where I can get some elk jerky? The kids are wanting some and I can't find it anywhere........

There's a truck/road side stand outside of Flagstaff, AZ on I-17 that advertises elk jerky. I don't know any thing else about the operation. Sorry, not much help.

[UBER7MM]

We are moving to Arizona later this year. I know next to nothing about rattle snakes and am honestly scared of most any snake. If I see them from a ways off, I am ok. But I'd like a little reassurance for the up close encounters.

I've been playing around with a shot load from my 32 single six. Using a 30 cal gas check over the powder, followed by a 32 acp casing full of #8 shot, then topped off with another 30 cal check. I've been using 1.5 grains of Promo for a charge. The shot will go about 1/4 inch into a pine board at 5 feet, the gas checks go a little deeper. Shot spread is about 8 inches at five feet, and both gas checks go roughly to point of aim.

Is this good snake medicine, or am I going to just tick them off?

Why not just stack a bunch of gas checks over some powder in a case and work up a load?

[Grizzly Adams]

They will continue to move for a while even after a well placed head shot. The first copperhead I killed, I took of most of it's head and it squirmed for a while. After cutting off the rest of the head I picked the body up and started walking back to camp. About three minutes into it it struck the side of my leg with it's now headless body. Thank goodness nobody else was around because I let out a squeal that would put my daughter to shame.




Steve817, Sorry but I had to laugh out loud and I am all by myself, but I can relate, I was with a friend when we came upon a 6' rattlesnake in his cattle pen, one lucky shot from a Ruger 44 mag. took it's head clean off. We got a shovel and buried the head, and through the body in the bed of the truck so I could skin it for the hide. As my friend was walking around to the door of the truck the headless body coiled and followed his pace and as he reached for the door handle it struck leaving a bloody print on the side of the truck bed. I can only assume that part of it's heat sensors were still working, but probably would not have believed it had I not been standing there and seen it with my own eyes.
I think the best thing to kill a snake with is an 11' pole because I wouldn't touch a live one with a 10' pole.

[UBER7MM]

Snakes are just plane evil....

Genesis 3

[Grizzly Adams]

Around here, we tend to only get the Texas Rat Snakes. They are a constrictor and as such are harmless to humans. I usually just pick them up and relocate them. I taught my daughter to not be afraid of snakes with one of them when she was young. I caught one and she would "take it for walks" around the local park (i.e. it was draped behind her neck). It would freak out the people walking / riding their bikes in the park. Some people are really afraid of snakes, even totally harmless ones. For the most part though, if you have snakes around your house, it's because their is a food source (e.g. mice) and if you get rid of the food source, the snakes will go elsewhere also. If you kill off the snakes, then you will have more rodents. A garden rake can be used to move a snake -- basically like a pasta spoon. A piece of PVC pipe with a loop of line running through it can be used to "lasso" the head of the snake and move it also. Usually though, if a snake is more than 4-6 ft away from you, he is not a danger to you and you can just leave him be.




When I'm in the woods (500 yds from the house) I let snakes be, I'm at there house. But at my house I don't try and relocate them. There has been a lot of snake bites this year, either snakes are getting more aggressive or people are getting dumber (my vote is on the later).
I'm not sure that I can determine whether a snake is poisonous or not, but I Know that God Knows which are poisonous and which are not, so I kill them all and let Him sort them out.

[Digital Dan]

Sometimes a bit of discrimination is a useful thing. King snakes kill rattlers and other poisonous peers, so do Indigo snakes. If you have those things around the neighborhood you'd do well to let them continue to do what they do best.

[UBER7MM]

Why not just stack a bunch of gas checks over some powder in a case and work up a load?

Something similar to shooting dimes in a shotgun:

http://www.thehighroad.org/archive/index.php/t-656.html

[Grizzly Adams]

As you can see from my picture I'm a dog guy & like them way more than most people, up to & including most of my kids. I have spent thousands to save a dog & feel they are part of my family & would care for them just like anyone else in my family. Mine will protect anyone in the pack, never complain, always there & happy to see you & be with you. They will die to save you. How many people do you know that will do that?



That field behind me is our police dog training field, so you better believe mine will eat you.



If your not willing to care for your dog, don't own one. Also feel almost that way about my horses, but not quite. But have spent some pretty big bucks to fix them up also.



People like Michael Vicktheprick should have their balls nailed to a stump & pushed over backwards.



Letting your dog die from a snake bite when remedies are available is just plain wrong.




You have your opinion, other people have theirs, doesn't make either one of you right or wrong. Some people don't go to Dr.s when snake bit what makes you think they would take their dogs. Some dogs are family, some pets and some are working stock, different people have different levels of involvement with their animals. My dog is family, but that being said, I don't think any animals life should be put above a humans pain and suffering.

[Grizzly Adams]

Sometimes a bit of discrimination is a useful thing. King snakes kill rattlers and other poisonous peers, so do Indigo snakes. If you have those things around the neighborhood you'd do well to let them continue to do what they do best.




Yes Dan I do agree with you somewhat, if I see a black snake cross the road, I won't chase it down an kill it, but one across my door step might be a different story. I know he won't hurt me, but he'll make me hurt myself 😊.

[Bad Water Bill]

EEKS

A snake is on my computer

[tygar]

http://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/04/29/na7yvaju.jpg

This one was cooled up when I shot it with my 20ga. Everyone said it was a copperhead so I shot it but the color looks wrong to me.



Well, I almost had a chance to spend several thousand $s or bury a dog.

Copperhead right at the bottom of the front door steps.

Good thing I take Gunny out on a leash & use a flashlight at night when I take him out & then let the other dogs out off leash after doing a snake search.

I hate those GD things. He's in a trash bag now, well perforated by 44Mag shotshell.

Shot him 3 times just for GP.

I hate those GD things!

I hate those GD things!

[35 Whelen]

As you can see from my picture I'm a dog guy & like them way more than most people, up to & including most of my kids. I have spent thousands to save a dog & feel they are part of my family & would care for them just like anyone else in my family. Mine will protect anyone in the pack, never complain, always there & happy to see you & be with you. They will die to save you. How many people do you know that will do that?

That field behind me is our police dog training field, so you better believe mine will eat you.

If your not willing to care for your dog, don't own one. Also feel almost that way about my horses, but not quite. But have spent some pretty big bucks to fix them up also.

People like Michael Vicktheprick should have their balls nailed to a stump & pushed over backwards.

Letting your dog die from a snake bite when remedies are available is just plain wrong.

We had a dandy little Border Collie bit on the shoulder and ran her to the vet. His exact words were "I have an anti-venom, but it might not save the dog, and I can't even afford it myself.". It was a tough choice. Sadly, she died a few hours later. He then told us when dogs are bitten forward of the shoulder, not to even bother bringing them in because they'll recover on their own. Well, my knot-headed bird dog bird dog has proven that true three times. Yep...three bites to the nose on three different occasions and she's still with us.


http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h6/308Scout/Snakes/P1010003_zpsba22fd62.jpg (http://s60.photobucket.com/user/308Scout/media/Snakes/P1010003_zpsba22fd62.jpg.html)

Same with a mutt my daughter brought home only she was bitten once in the nose.

I've killed a few dozen here at the house and they're really not too hard to kill. The only thing that has failed me miserably were CCI 22 LR shotshells out of a handgun. Something like a .38 Special does the trick with room to spare.

I kill rattlers on sight around the house but let any non-poisonous snake go. About a month ago I was walking the creek about 1 1/2 miles from the house and came across Mr. Grumpy Pants here:

http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h6/308Scout/Snakes/Rattler-1_zps760d953c.jpg (http://s60.photobucket.com/user/308Scout/media/Snakes/Rattler-1_zps760d953c.jpg.html)

I was wearing one of my .44 Specials and had a shot load in the cylinder, but decided to let him go. On the other hand a couple of weeks ago as I walked in to my shop, I saw a rattler dart behind the gun safe. I DIDN'T let him go:

http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h6/308Scout/th_Rattlerinshop_zps5dfc1e97.mp4 (http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h6/308Scout/Rattlerinshop_zps5dfc1e97.mp4)

That was a 3" .38 and a handload of #9's in a Speer shot capsule.

35W

[smilin jack]

Been making snake loads for the 44 mag. Add 4 gr Bullseye to primed/sized case, DIY card wad over powder (7/16 inch gasket punch and cereal box cardboard), fill case nearly full of small shot (#8 or 9), card wad on top of shot and a light crimp. I even put a little lacquer or finger nail polish on top the wad to keep things together.

An empty 357 case works well to seat the over powder wad. So does a new pencil with eraser down.

The gasket punch has a steel base plate with 7/16" hole and slot in the clear plastic top plate for the card stock. The punch is a tight fit into the plastic top piece hole. A sharp rap with a soft blow hammer punches crisp edged card stock wads. Think it was purchased at Harbor Freight.

One shot at a few feet and the snake doesn't move. Works about like a Judge with 2 1/2" shot shells but much quieter.

More powder seems to blow apart the pattern. Several snakes have met their maker with this load in my 4" Taurus Titanium.

Dave

[Lonegun1894]

What size punch do you use? Just asking so I know if this is something I can go buy or if it's a home made item. I don't have much use for shot loads in a handgun, but have been thinking I should reconsider them cause my experience is mostly limited to the .22 shot loads, and they weren't very impressive, but the larger calibers should work. I have .357, .40, .44, and .45 options now.

[Redhawk500]

I met my first rattle snake just a month ago. It was 60 inches long (estimated 2 inches for head as it was headless) and 7.5 inches in circumference. One of our group was on the dirt road doing some mowing around a deer hunting property. He had showed me his .22 LR pistol, a baby 1911 style single stack magazine but don't remember the maker. I wasn't too impressed with his choice of firearms but he was accurate enough for head shots from the seat of the tractor. I vote for snake shot in my .45 ACP pistol or similar load in a .44 Magnum 4" revolver. Mostly I have a live and let live policy with snakes, moving them out of the way with a walking stick in the woods. If they are poisonous and in the vicinity of my kids, dogs and horses, they get no second chance. A hoe is the perfect walking stick while walking the fence line in thick brush. Biggest snake I've seen was a black snake long enough to block the driveway just after we had moved onto our "ranch" (gentleman farmer) a decade or so ago. Called wife on the cell phone so she could see it and was almost late for work. Big excitement on small farm.

[Rufus Krile]

An interesting development in South and West Texas is that, due to the proliferation of feral hogs, rattlesnakes are not rattling as much. Seems to sound like a dinner bell to the hogs who relish them. Don't count on any warning. Friend got bit on the leg and thought he'd gotten a mesquite thorn until the snake, having made his exit, rattled at him from cover. Probably complaining about the taste...

[opos]

Just don't play with them. Here is a list of fatal snakebites in the US since 2010. As you will see, very few people ever die from snakebite.

Getting bit is very expensive though. You can spend a week in the hospital and get multiple doses of anti-venom at 10,000 a pop.

A limber stick or hoe is the best snake killer I have seen. However, check your state laws, in most states now, it is illegal to harm ANY snake.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_fatal_snake_bites_in_the_United_States#201 0s

May be "illegal" to harm any snake..but you can bet if one comes in our yard as they have been known to do on occasion..they are toast...too close quarters in a big city for rattle snakes...lots of kids and pets and old people...no room for rattle snakes.
I was driving up and over a hilly open space area near our home and a woman was out in the middle of a major 4 lane street trying to catch a snake that was crawling across the road..she had a stick and a can...I stopped..yep, a rattler...I suggested she might just let it crawl across the road and into the brush and leave it alone...she was determined to "save it" from traffic so I simply cautioned her and left...she wants to hug trees...she can do it without me.

[auto5man]

http://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/04/29/na7yvaju.jpg

This one was cooled up when I shot it with my 20ga. Everyone said it was a copperhead so I shot it but the color looks wrong to me.

Sure looks like a copperhead to me, good shoot! It's the pattern that is so distinctive.

[auto5man]

You have your opinion, other people have theirs, doesn't make either one of you right or wrong. Some people don't go to Dr.s when snake bit what makes you think they would take their dogs. Some dogs are family, some pets and some are working stock, different people have different levels of involvement with their animals. My dog is family, but that being said, I don't think any animals life should be put above a humans pain and suffering.

well said,,,I didn't agree with the judgemental posts. My dog is family too, but for my parents it was different. My Pop loved his hunting dogs dearly, but he grew up in the depression era and I guess he considered it financially reckless to incur large vet bills. They got basic vet care but that was about it...no heroic efforts to stave off death with a major illness or health problem, nature was allowed to take its course.

[auto5man]

Been making snake loads for the 44 mag. Add 4 gr Bullseye to primed/sized case, DIY card wad over powder (7/16 inch gasket punch and cereal box cardboard), fill case nearly full of small shot (#8 or 9), card wad on top of shot and a light crimp. I even put a little lacquer or finger nail polish on top the wad to keep things together.

An empty 357 case works well to seat the over powder wad. So does a new pencil with eraser down.

The gasket punch has a steel base plate with 7/16" hole and slot in the clear plastic top plate for the card stock. The punch is a tight fit into the plastic top piece hole. A sharp rap with a soft blow hammer punches crisp edged card stock wads. Think it was purchased at Harbor Freight.

One shot at a few feet and the snake doesn't move. Works about like a Judge with 2 1/2" shot shells but much quieter.

More powder seems to blow apart the pattern. Several snakes have met their maker with this load in my 4" Taurus Titanium.

Dave

i definitely need to try that load. Sounds like just the ticket for an annual problem our duck club has in NE Arkansas. We pit hunt the rice fields....getting the pits cleaned out and ready for hunting season is hot miserable and frequently exhilarating work. The pits are always about 3 ft deep in vile water with all manner of living and dead things inside. We pump the pits out but have to bail the last 12 inches or so with pickle buckets. There is always at least one cottonmouth in there but usually MORE, which makes bailing the last 12 inches right sporty (the snakes don't always show themselves cuz they know their time is short). Anyway the #9 shot would not harm the steel plate of the pit and might be just the ticket!

[lbaize3]

My loving wife is not a person to get in a hurry. I could be bleeding to death and she would walk to the first aid kit and then walk back to me....

However, when she sees a snake, all you can see of her is heels and elbows. Woman would put the Flash to shame. She does have a huge fear of snakes. So, I bought her some 38 shot loads for her .357 and told her to carry that when she was working in the yard. The next thing I heard was bang! bang! bang! bang! bang! bang! bang! (Taurus 7 shot...)

I went to the door and asked her how many snakes she just killed with that ridiculously expensive ammo. She said she was not sure as she had to work in a high grass area, she was simply checking for snakes by firing the pistol in the grass... Took her to the gun store that evening and got her a Judge to carry around the property. Making a holster and buying 410 shells was going be be cheaper than keeping my love in factory .38 shot loads. :mrgreen:

[MT Gianni]

Recent information of a personal nature shows that a 4 1/2' rattlesnake will not stand up to a canoe paddle hit to the head.

[bruce drake]

Heck, most men don't stand up very well after a canoe paddle is swung with some effort to their head!

[35 Whelen]

Heck, most men don't stand up very well after a canoe paddle is swung with some effort to their head!

Yep.

Several years ago while returning from a rather lively and well stocked party late one night, there lay a rather large rattler across the road just shy of our gate entrance. My wife was driving as I was full to the brim of spirits, so I instructed her to run over the ol' boy. As is usually the case, this didn't do the trick, but rather caused him to beat a hasty retreat to the ditch. I then instructed my maiden to stop the car so I could get out and check the status of the serpent. Using my best inebriated judgment, I retrieved one of the cloth folding chairs from the back of the car, you probably know them as soccer chairs. You know, the type you see folks sitting in at their kids soccer games... Anyhow, again, using my best inebriated judgment I sought out the now angry reptile whose location was fairly easy to determine, even in the dark, by his incessant rattling. Upon locating the now coiled and prepared to strike snake, I proceeded to beat him to death with, yes, a soccer chair all the while my wife is screaming something about me being an idiot and I was going to get bit....or something along those lines...

35W

[Rufus Krile]

35W... At least you had pre-treated with the prescribed antivenin. You can't be too careful....

[Garyshome]

"trained attack rattle snake" New Movie?

[Bad Water Bill]

How about rounding up a bunch and depositing them in the sand box.:evil:

[Weaponologist]

A good healthy fear of any thing will keep you safe. Knowing that you will be moving to a place that has poisonous snakes and learning from what others have posted here as to what to look out for will help you get a long just fine.
I've been lucky in that in my state and adjoining SC where I would hunt,, Copper Heads and Cotton Mouths grow big and plentiful. Because of that we are taught from a young age what to look for and in time you get a sense of were to look for them. Snakes have never scared me because they will move out of your way given the chance but Spiders are another topic. I would say like Scorpions will be were your going. Insects are harder to watch for.. I've never been spider bit. However I always seem to get closer than I would prefer before I see them...

[USAFrox]

I have a family member that would see snakes on the road, and slow down to a stop right in front of them - then PEEL OUT right over them. They were usually in pieces after that. This would also work for those who can't skid over them by slamming the brakes because of having anti-lock brakes.

I've killed many snakes over my time. I've killed them with everything from a BB gun to a .22 to a hoe. .22 LR is more than enough medicine for a snake, if you hit them in the head.

Last one I killed was on my front walk. My boys and I were returning home, and my oldest walked up to the front door, apparently not noticing and stepping right over the snake (it was dark). My middle son starts in the same direction, but then jumped back like he'd been struck by lightning. He stammered out that there was a snake there, so I took a look, and sure enough, there it was, right on my walkway. So I went to the garage around the corner, and got a hoe, and proceeded to chop its head off. As has been mentioned, snakes still move for a bit after they're dead just because of reflexes, and when the body whipped up against the head (they were separated), the head bit its own body. Kind of creepy. I then got a plastic Wal-Mart bag, and scooped both head and body in, tied it up, and chucked it in the trash.

I'm not so good at identification of snakes, so even if it doesn't have rattles, if it's not faster than I am, any snake I see is dead. I'm also of the previously-mentioned opinion that the only good snake is a dead one.

[6thtexas]

I don't kill non-poisonous snakes unless they get in the house. Just out in the field I won't kill a rattler unless he is close enough to worry about. When they are that close, bullets work fine. I don't shoot shotshells. BTW, Skeeter Skelton's old .45 colt load- 454424 with 9.0 gr. Unique- works great!

http://i1229.photobucket.com/albums/ee461/6thtexas/20120824_092946_zps5783e19e.jpg~original

[Steve E]

The only one I have ever killed was back in Mississippi and was 56 inches long with 9 rattles and a button as they call it, an old man there called it a velvet tailed Timber Rattler, about the last 6 inches of his tail was as black as it could be. A 285 SWC out of my 45 Blackhawk took care of him.

Steve.............

[Bullshop Junior]

I have a family member that would see snakes on the road, and slow down to a stop right in front of them - then PEEL OUT right over them. They were usually in pieces after that. This would also work for those who can't skid over them by slamming the brakes because of having anti-lock brakes.

I've killed many snakes over my time. I've killed them with everything from a BB gun to a .22 to a hoe. .22 LR is more than enough medicine for a snake, if you hit them in the head.

Last one I killed was on my front walk. My boys and I were returning home, and my oldest walked up to the front door, apparently not noticing and stepping right over the snake (it was dark). My middle son starts in the same direction, but then jumped back like he'd been struck by lightning. He stammered out that there was a snake there, so I took a look, and sure enough, there it was, right on my walkway. So I went to the garage around the corner, and got a hoe, and proceeded to chop its head off. As has been mentioned, snakes still move for a bit after they're dead just because of reflexes, and when the body whipped up against the head (they were separated), the head bit its own body. Kind of creepy. I then got a plastic Wal-Mart bag, and scooped both head and body in, tied it up, and chucked it in the trash.

I'm not so good at identification of snakes, so even if it doesn't have rattles, if it's not faster than I am, any snake I see is dead. I'm also of the previously-mentioned opinion that the only good snake is a dead one.

What should I do with my truck, that has antilock, and anti burnout control?

[crowbuster]

They're not that tough........if you dont over cook em.

[Jtarm]

Good sharp hoe or shovel works best

That's what my Granny used when she found em in her flower bed.

[NavyVet1959]

What should I do with my truck, that has antilock, and anti burnout control?

You should be able to remove one of the fuses to fix a vehicle with that sort of defect. :)

Seriously though... I doubt that a snake is going to be doing all that well even if you just drive over him. Not that you should just indiscriminately kill every snake you see.

[Bullshop Junior]

I haven't found a fuse for the burnout control. Bugs me. A 325 HP engine should peel out. I did unplug the sensors at the wheels for the antilock and it is much better now.

[CplOswald74]

Arizona diamondbacks are not that tough. One late summers evening I encountered a 3 footer in my front yard jousting with the barn cat. A straw broom was handy for both shooing the cat away and beating the snake into submission. Once the snake was sufficiently broomed he was decapitated with my Benchmade switchblade. I would have preferred to use my trusty 12 guage snake charmer but courtesy to ones neighbors is important.

[USAFrox]

What should I do with my truck, that has antilock, and anti burnout control?
Turn it in for a REAL MAN's truck. ;-) :-D

[Bullshop Junior]

Turn it in for a REAL MAN's truck. ;-) :-D

If I knew how it would be done.

[NavyVet1959]

If I knew how it would be done.

What year, brand, and model is it?

[Bullshop Junior]

01 gmc sierra 1500 5.3 4x4

[drinks]

#97, the picture is obviously staged.
#138, Cabela's has elk jerky, the drive in at Centerville has a lot of things and there is a place on IH 45,about midway between San Antonio and Houston that has even more and they make theirs on site.
My paternal GM, in N.E. Tx said the natural match was snakes and hoes, the maternal GM in far S. Tx. preferred her '92 with .44 IXL shells.
Both carried break action .38s in their apron pockets up through WWII, just in case of 2 legged snakes in the rural areas they lived in.

[NavyVet1959]

01 gmc sierra 1500 5.3 4x4

On some of the GM trucks, they have a button for disabling the traction control system. You press the button once to turn off traction control, wait until the indicator light lights up on the dash, then press the button again for 5 seconds and it shuts off Stabilitrak.

GM was also one of the ones who thought that having a button to change from 2WD to 4WD was a good idea. I prefer a manual lever that you engage. This same "logic" has now given us vehicles where the emergency brake is controlled by a button on the dash, thus converting it from an emergency brake to just a parking brake that only works when all the other electronics are working. Then again, I was driving a rental car the other day and although it had a foot operated emergency brake, the only way to disengage it was to press it further with your foot. I don't think that would be a good thing if you were actually using it as an emergency brake. At least it seemed to be entirely mechanical even though it was basically just a parking brake.

[Hickok]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wSS5MfJiGyo

[Ramslammer]

G'Day Here's one of our locals here in Tasmania. The Tiger snake is no 4 in the world. Had a love bite off one myself.

118896

This one is unusually BIG the bloke is about 6'4" tall. It was killed with a log skidder.
Juddy

[jmort]

You all have us beat six ways from Sunday when it comes to nasty critters. But, a bite from a Timber Rattler or Mojave Green is way below average. That is a really scary looking snake.

[Bad Water Bill]

Did they BBQ that one when they fed the whole crew?