Apology to those that I promised Flint Rock

[chaos]

You aren't totally safe in Iowa. I believe there are 17 species of rattler there. I used to catch them, and sell the venom at the University in Iowa City way back when.

I guess you were once young and dumb too

[waksupi]

I guess you were once young and dumb too

Oh, I could tell you some stories.........

[tom threepersons]

This Sidewinder bit my bird dog. Sidewinders are small but mean. He died from a couple lead pistol slugs cast from WWs.

[Hamish]

Glad you posted the pics, took me back to younger days on the 74 Ranch south of San Anton. Made decent money, had to be quick riding around with the guy's trying to fill your snakebox for the next sale. I mess Texas in the Spring. Still have the skin off the first one I caught too high on the neck and he coiled up and broke his spine. Did I say I miss Texas and wild hog meat?

[chaos]

This Sidewinder bit my bird dog. Sidewinders are small but mean. He died from a couple lead pistol slugs cast from WWs.

That is a beautiful snake. Cant say that I've ever seen a sidewinder. Just a few timber rattlers when I lived in East Texas and piles Diamondbacks here. The timber rattlers are protected in Texas and cannot be touched.

Diamondbacks will flat run from you unless stepped on or cornered. Cottonmouth Water Moccasans on the other hand will actively come after a man at certain times of the year. I never had the guts to play with those jokers.

I've read a bunch as of late concerning "rattleless rattlesnakes". Aparently some California hippies are causing a stir with findings that Some rattlesnakes dont buzz a warning before biting a victim. I've even seen a TV documentary on the phenom. I truly believe this is complete Hogwash !
In my experience with the serpents, A rattlesnake will never rattle and give up his position unless he knows there is no other choice but to stand and fight because he is cornered. Still they will try and back away from you. Camoflague is their first line defense and it WORKS! Ever seen a Buck deer run out of hiding to show you his horns? Snakes are not going to give up their positions unless they feel a fight is the only resolution, this is not any new groundbreaking news.

I have a few friends that have been bitten. In every scenereo, they either stepped on a sanke that they didn't see laying in the scrub brush, or they put their hands under something where a snake was hiding and there was no place for the snake to go..... other than one man who has been bitten twice while fishing. Once in the Chest and the other in the top of the foot by Cottonmouths. He doesnt wade fish anymore.


My father has 3 dogs and all of which have been bitten by rattlers. He purchases the rattlesnake shots for them every year. Apparently it does some good as the dogs all swelled up to unbelievable proportions but pulled through just fine.

[felix]

I will attest to Cottonmouths being somewhat aggressive, or, at least inquisitive. That is the only brand of snake I will kill, but only in a people area, like at the riva' dump where I shoot. A moving target is my delight with the bench gun, and this kind of snake is ideal. I have only killed two snakes over a 10 or more year period. Positive identity is the problem. ... felix

[Skipper488]

I had to fight a water moccasin over a stringer of fish one day, I let him have the fish but I needed the stringer, it was the only one I had.

[bowfin]

I usually adopt a "live and let live" policy with snakes of all kinds.

However, I won't second guess anyone who kills a snake if they think they pose a danger. My brother emptied his Remington 1100 on a bull snake that struck at his young pointer when we were out hunting prairie chickens. Not enough time to make a positive ID, so err on the side of safety.

[arjacobson]

I guess you were once young and dumb too

Great. Now I Gotta worry about that!!! I knew Iowa had rattlers but I thought they were found more by the mississippi river.. I heard decorah had a few.. I think we are too far north to get many of them. We did have a pretty big bull snake in the yard last year though... he was not a happy camper and actually chased me down the sidewalk..may he R.I.P....

[excess650]

I've only killed a few venomous snakes, and all were with motor vehicles. I got (2) copperheads in the summer of 1989 as they crossed the road near our hunting camp and near another(central Pa). My brother got another in the camp yard that same summer with the lawnmower. In 2006 I got an eastern diamondback as I rounded a blind turn on the motorcycle.

The contractor killed a copperhead in the basement of our new house as it was being built. We've been out and about the property there a fair amount during warm weather, but haven't encountered another. Regardless, I DO wear snake boots when hunting there in the early ML deer season. The local folks seem to think it a good idea.

[Freightman]

[QUOTE=chaos;1209693]Blackwell is a good area for persuing snakes. Plenty of limestone.
May have been some of my kin that established Blackwell as that is my last name. I know that Blackwell OK. was established by a cousin several times removed a long time ago.

[tom threepersons]

Chaos ,every thing you said is dead on true. I have seen more than one rattler never make a sound even after he is attacked. Rattlers encountered near or in water cannot rattle when the buttons are wet. Just proves what we knew all along the California Hippie is a sub-species of a lower form of humans.

[mpmarty]

Years ago I worked as a surveyor north of Reno Nevada. Killed a lot of rattlers with a piece of wood lath or a shovel.

[lead-1]

No way, no how, I take a detour when they are the size of nightcrawlers. Snakes are mean, snake meat looks nasty not tasty and I do not blame you a bit for not wanting to go back there till they are gone but I still wouldn't go back then.

I about put my kids up for adoption for bringing a six inch garter snake in the house, lol.

[chaos]

Chaos ,every thing you said is dead on true. I have seen more than one rattler never make a sound even after he is attacked. Rattlers encountered near or in water cannot rattle when the buttons are wet. Just proves what we knew all along the California Hippie is a sub-species of a lower form of humans.

LOL, I dont like Hippies or Pinko Commie types no matter where they are from !

[chaos]

Regardless, I DO wear snake boots when hunting there in the early ML deer season. The local folks seem to think it a good idea.

I once purchased a pair of snake boots, but quickly retired them to the dumpster. Every couple of steps, I had to stop and pull them off to pour the sweat out of 'em . Hottest footwear on the planet!!!!

[tom threepersons]

Old timers would wear stove pipes tied to their legs. Now that would have been real uncomfortable.

[canyon-ghost]

I think the title of the picture tells it all. Shooting range over here by Pampa has them too.

Ron

[Down South]

I don't see that many rattlers near as much as I used to. I used to kill at least one or two big uns every year. We do have our share of what I call ground rattlers. They are a small species of rattle snakes and I usually kill several in the yard every year. They seem to like the wife’s flower beds.

[steg]

Last year a neighbor proudly showed me a "copperhead" he had killed, poor old Hognose snake didn't stand a chance against that shovel, I tried to tell him it was a harmless snake, and he looked at me like I was nuts. Just wondering when was the last time anyone saw a garter snake, or the little green grass snake?