copper heads are out!

[nekshot]

Needed to do some field work with the tractor out back and on the way out I grabbed my one daughters carry handgun(a rossi 357 bobbed) and threw 4 shot loads in it. Nekshot jr was picking up rocks and he started dancing and waving his arms indicating a snake so I cranked the throttle up and headed his way while drawing a fistfull of gun and by golly a copperhead was scurring for cover but the cover was 20 yards away. I had a disc on my tractor. I went to aim and nothing to aim with(no sights) so I left a round fly and noticed a 6 inch pattern in the fresh dirt slightly behind the slithering devil and I must throttle back or I am going to end up in the cover so I left another round fly and quickly double actioned another and we scored! All is well but so much for these buggers staying away from tractor noise!

[xacex]

I am so glad we don't have snakes like copperheads in western Oregon. The only poisonous snakes we have here call Salem home.

[jcren]

Bagged a nice 30"er with the truck, sunning on our drive last week.

[merlin101]

We have a lot of snakes here in NY, mostly they stay in Albany.

[nekshot]

forgot to add, this snake load was made with speer plastic caps and using a 45-70 cartridge minus primer(drill hole a wee bit bigger) with handle soldered on then fill with lead and using butane torch to keep lead hot and flowing let it dripple into little cup of tranny oil. nice tear shaped shot!

[FergusonTO35]

We have timber rattlers and copperheads in the Bluegrass but I can count on one hand the number I've seen in the wild. We do have lots of beneficial snakes like blacksnakes and rat snakes.

[pls1911]

ALL RIGHT, ... ONE MORE SNAKE STORY....BUT I HAVE PLENTY.

Last week I was un-crating a piece of equipment in the barn and needed a utility knife.
So I saunter iver to the tool chest and open the storage drawer...Dang it! knife isn't there.
Hmm must be in this top tray...rummage rummage rummage....
Why is that 2" rope in my toolbox? WHOA!!! YEHAAAAA!!! HOOOEEEEE!!!!

A lemon sized snake head at only a few inches staring back through my eye glasses somewhat got me levitated and considering the full depth of my vocabulary ....

Neatly resting in the top of the tool box and threaded among the wire strippers, wrenches, markers and timing light that really belong elsewhere was a 5 foot Mama Ratsnake.
Oh yes, they are harmless and do a good service to us all, but I absolutely HATE it when I don't see them first. Surprises like this, my nerves can do without.
Once I gathered my wits and released my grip from the roof timbers of the barn, I found my snake hook, gently grabbed the last 8" of tail, unthreaded Mrs. Ratsnake from her bed and returned her to the woods.
I don't mind snakes, but I hate surprises.

[dragon813gt]

Haven't seen any out here yet. It's usually around this time they start sun bathing on the banks of the reservoir. My dog still doesn't quite understand why he's supposed to stay away from them. Luckily I might come across five in a year so they aren't much of a problem.

[TCFAN]

Couple years ago I killed six copper heads just mowing my yard over a period of a few weeks.After the first two I started carrying a 45 with shot loads so I wouldn't have to run them down with the mower...........Terry

[buckwheatpaul]

In East Texas we like to play "Skin the Snake!" The rules are simple....when you see a victim you maintain your speed and just as you get to them you slam on the brakes and peel the hide off of them....then the buzzards clean up the gooy mess and the game begins again.....so far Home is 1 and the snakes are 0!

[TXGunNut]

Flooding around here has pushed snakes and toads to higher ground. I saw a couple of snakes last time I mowed but they were not poisonous so I slowed down to let them get to cover. Friend has a farm near a creek and he's lost track of the water moccasins he's killed the last few weeks.

[DR Owl Creek]

There are quite a few snakes of various kinds here in my neck of the woods. In all my tramping through the woods and fields over the years though, I've never actually seen a live copperhead or rattler. A buddy of mine lives even farther out in the sticks than I do, and copperheads are fairly common there, and he even had a momma rattler with some little ones a few years ago.

Dave

[oldblinddog]

If I go off trail in the woods I will generally walk directly to the nearest copperhead. I once came to the top of a bluff and sat down to survey the territory. Directly I realized that I had sat about 15" from a dark phase copperhead (looks like a water moccasin, but isn't one). My son (that's him on the left with the Axis buck) and I both have been bitten by baby copperheads (about 6" ones). They are harder to spot. That was in Deep East Texas. Up here in Wyoming where I work they have rattlers. Haven't seen any yet this year, but it's still snowing.

[Ramslammer]

G'Day
Down here we have Tiger Snakes which are somewhere in the top five for venom i think. I had a love bite from one 30 yrs ago and it was the sickest a bloke can get. Usually one six foot is considered a biggun but this ones the largest I've seen (the bloke is about 6'4"), he ran it over with a log skidder. The location was a area called Black Bobs in central Tasmania.
139037
Juddy

[leeggen]

NOTE TO SELF; do not go to Austrailia! We have the same as Ky here in Tn., killed a copperhead last week. Both dogs ran within a foot of it. Long stick and a whack on the head things return to normal. My son and I have stepped on rattlers,trust me you know when you do, and you just freeze til you get composure back then break camp quickly. You get big stick and pulverize the snake, helps get nerves back to normal. First time I did it I must have stood there for 6 hrs, well seemed like that, only a minute or so. Most each time we have lucked out and stepped directly on their head, they get real confused by that evidently and they want to run from us as bad as we want to run from them. Just remember don't go same direction. I hate snake surprises makes one want to releive themselves.
CD

[nekshot]

G'Day
Down here we have Tiger Snakes which are somewhere in the top five for venom i think. I had a love bite from one 30 yrs ago and it was the sickest a bloke can get. Usually one six foot is considered a biggun but this ones the largest I've seen (the bloke is about 6'4"), he ran it over with a log skidder. The location was a area called Black Bobs in central Tasmania.
139037
Juddy
Geeez, muskrat slide time if you run into one like that!!!!!

[hornady308]

139053
I almost stepped on this 'ol boy the other day in my yard. The good thing about copperheads is that they are usually quite docile. If you don't step on them, you probably won't have a problem. I hate mice more than I hate snakes, so this guy went into a 5 gallon bucket and then into some nearby woods. Hope he eats lots of mice.

[AZ-JIM]

139056

This one got cranky with my dog a month or so ago while out hiking. I sent him a dinner invitation by way of a .40 slug to the head. Yes the head is mostly intact, the side you can see anyway, the shot was just a hair low but it certainly took care of business. Skinned, soaked in salt water for an hour, cut into 6" pieces, dunked in milk, rolled in cornmeal like you would do for fish with a little cayenne pepper mixed in, and deep fried.....pretty tasty :grin:

az-jim

[Artful]

I am so glad we don't have snakes like copperheads in western Oregon. The only poisonous snakes we have here call Salem home.

Uh, dude you got Timber Rattlers - I know I lived there.

[w5pv]

I kill all snakes but a king snake,and a king snake will kill other snakes.

[waksupi]

One time a member told me they didn't have rattlesnakes in his state. It only took me a couple minutes on Google to show him not only did they have ratttlesnakes, they had 17 species!

[drinks]

They do make nice hatbands.

[jmort]

"One time a member told me they didn't have rattlesnakes in his state."


Only if you live in Hawaii or Alaska. The rattlesnake is everywhere.

[oldarkie]

A neighbor killed a big timber rattler in his back yard year before last,and got a write up in the local paper. The next day the game warden gave him a ticket because its illegal to kill any snake here in Missouri.Everyone does just don't tell.

[jmort]

Shoot, shovel, and shut up

The "3S's", or "Shoot, Shovel, and Shut Up", is a term commonly heard among many rural ranchers. It is becoming even more common among those situated near habitats of predatory animals such as wolves, mountain lions, and bears. It's a motto that generally captures the rural attitude of self reliance and independence. The policy of "shoot, shovel, and shut up" is very often attributed to the Endangered Species Act (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Endangered_Species_Act)(ESA) of 1973.

http://legalruralism.blogspot.com/2011/11/shoot-shovel-and-shut-up.html

And the laws of Missouri.

[madsenshooter]

Yea, a fellow here in SE Ohio did some serious jail time after accidentally killing a timber rattler while logging, then showing it off. They are endangered here in Ohio, hope they stay at that population level!

[jmort]

North American would be a far better place if there were no venomous snakes. Let all the other snakes proliferate and take up the slack.

[mold maker]

I won't ask a rapist what his intentions are, as he breaks into my house, and I don't check the pedigree of snakes. The same dose of serious lead poison fixes both.
All dead snakes are good ones, and if I get a chance, I'll help them acquire that statis.
Now don't start telling me how some of them are beneficial. I really couldn't care less. If they can't stay away from me, I'll clear the path.

[sparky45]

100% agree!



I won't ask a rapist what his intentions are, as he breaks into my house, and I don't check the pedigree of snakes. The same dose of serious lead poison fixes both.
All dead snakes are good ones, and if I get a chance, I'll help them acquire that statis.
Now don't start telling me how some of them are beneficial. I really couldn't care less. If they can't stay away from me, I'll clear the path.

[opos]

we got our share in the hot and dry regions around San Diego...and they are out and about now...when they shed they don't rattle and can't see well..not a good thing. Not a fan of rattle snakes.

[WRideout]

we got our share in the hot and dry regions around San Diego...and they are out and about now...when they shed they don't rattle and can't see well..not a good thing. Not a fan of rattle snakes.

When I was a kid in So Cal, I used to hike in the Coast Foothills a lot. Frequently I heard a noise that I attributed to grasshoppers, or some other bug. When I was grown, with kids of my own, I had them to a campfire show given by a park ranger. He brought out a glass cage with a rattler in it, and did something to make it rattle. Suddenly I realized that I had been hiking through meadows filled with rattlesnakes much of my life, and never knew it!

Wayne

[DR Owl Creek]

The local newspaper around here had a photo on the front page a couple of weeks ago of a rattlesnake coiled up on a tree limb along one of the bike paths, where the railroads used to be. I think the photo was taken by one of the spandex urban yuppy joggers/bikers using the bike path. I'll bet they're still having nightmares. :lol:


Dave

[Geppetto]

I grew up in northern wisconsin, where there are really not much for snakes to speak of. I have recollection of seeing one snake that was longer than about 10". I walk bare foot where ever I want to up there, crawl under any building at any time, reach into rock piles, and don't hardly give it two thoughts. Then I went pig hunting in Mo, and saw a big **** "something" swimming across a pond on the way out after the hunt. It was either a copper head or water moccasin. If I would have seen that thing when I was sitting, there probably would have been some -06 holes in the ground around it, that's for sure.

I don't know how you guys in snake country do it. I'll take -40*F any day over the venomous reptiles.

[Pilgrim]

Rattlers are strange...I live right on the north side of the Yakima river. My south property line is the river in fact. On the south side of the river (Horse heaven Hills) there are a fair number of rattlers (2' is about normal length). About 5 or so miles north of me is the Rattlesnake Mtns, aptly named as there are quite a few rattlers up there. Strangely enough, in 36 years I have not seen a single rattler on my property, nor have I heard of any around here on this side of the river. Only cifference I can tell is this side of the river is mostly irrigated and neither the Horse Heavens or Rattlesnakes are irrigated. Strange...lots of mice & whatnot for them to eat, and I know they are found around water in other locals, but not here. Not ******** understand, just observing...Pilgrim

[Snow ninja]

Shot 6 earlier this week when cleaning up our range... That was all one day.

[tygar]

I've been on Copperhead watch for several weeks here in VA. That's just around the house. Usual kill is 6 or 7 within 20yds of the house.

When I let the dogs out at night, I take my hi lumen light & search closely before I let them out & still go out with them with my 44 w/snake shot, & daylight, I'm looking at the ground like I was lookin for punji's or B-traps.

Have killed 5 or 6 either on the front porch area or within 10yds.

I used to hunt rattlers for S&Gs when I was a kid, but after the 2 steppers in Nam, if I can't tell instantly they are good ones like black snakes, they are DEAD! & to bad, so sad, if I get a non poisonous one by mistake.

I've got 35ac of trees & 2000' of riverfront, & you better be lookin out or your az can be grazz.

I hate the #^& dam things! Kill them all, kill them now!

[xacex]

Uh, dude you got Timber Rattlers - I know I lived there.
Maybe in the cascades, but no poisonous snakes here on the coast range. I was surprised that there were any rattlers near me, but apparently they can inhabit the lower Willamette valley. They like the oak habitat. From what I found there were some rattlers here in my county, but were extirpated long ago.

[novalty]

Guess I should be happy that I only have to worry about black flies and mosquitos in Maine. Have yet to see one or hear of anyone reporting Timber Rattlers in my area as long as I've been here--and okay if it stays that way.

[Ole Joe Clarke]

We have all 4 poisonous types in Bama. Copperheads, Cottonmouths, Coral and Rattlesnakes, both Timber and Eastern Diamondback. I've seen rattlers swimming and they do not try to escape. They just stop and give you that look: "If you feel froggy, just go ahead and jump."

I put the rattlers in my guitars and some folks put them in their fiddles. I'm not sure why we do that, I guess because Bill did.

[SCHUETZENBOOMER]

Thanx Hornady308 and pls1911 for doing the right thing and understanding how beneficial snakes actually are. I'll shoot a threatening viper as fast as anyone but certainly not "just because its a snake". I for one am thrilled that most reptiles are now protected in some fashion.

[nickeda85]

Got to try out my Heritage Rough Riders 22mag cylinder last week. Big 'copperhead' sunning itself on the dirt road just down from my place. Thought it was already hit but when I ran over it with car it twisted around and curled up.
Pulled off the road, grabbed the pistol, and went to take a look. Keep first two cylinders w/ snake shot.
Drew bead on its head and....snap....nothing. Dang manual safeties on a SA.
So as its slithering off I unload and it winds up dead. (Now carrying 3 cylinder w/ shot.)
Next day checked on it and hold up to examine. Oops...pointed tail, not blunt, still looked like a copperhead otherwise. Father-in-law driving by said it looked close enough for him. T
old later it may have been a cow snake. I said that it was the snake's fault then for looking so much like a copperhead.
I don't mind snakes if I know they are there but after killing a copperhead within about 10ft of where my daughter was playing a few years ago I am inclined to shoot first if it looks like another. Got that one with a hoe I was using at the time.

Be safe out there fellas.

Dave

[CLAYPOOL]

I'm up set with you people, I"V been to Springfield, Illinois AND Chicago, Illinois and I never seen any thing crawling that was a snake.... people told me they were there...HMmmnnnnnnn...?

[Bad Water Bill]

The Illinois D N R has decided to repopulate the Massasauga rattle snake in many undisclosed locations.

For more info go here.

http://www.dnr.illinois.gov/OI/Documents/March10Massasauga.pdf

[luvtn]

You can be thrilled all you want. People will do what they want with vermin, and not have a second thought.
luvtn

[xacex]

The Illinois D N R has decided to repopulate the Massasauga rattle snake in many undisclosed locations.

For more info go here.

http://www.dnr.illinois.gov/OI/Documents/March10Massasauga.pdf

I though all of the rattlers were in Springfield? Oh well, maybe they would be best served if they let them go all over Chicago.

[rancher1913]

around here all the rattlers that rattled got shot so its been bred into them NOT to rattle, you can walk right up on one and they won't make a sound.

[mold maker]

I'm sorry, the only benefit to a poisonous snake is the hat bands and belts that can be made with them. It's kinda like Poison Ivy. You can leave it alone, or get rid of it, but you can't coexist with it .

[hornady308]

I love statistics. The Uni. Of Florida claims "The chances of dying from a venomous snakebite in the United States is nearly zero." Meanwhile, about 10,000 people a year are killed by drunk drivers (MADD). As Swede Nelson is fond of saying, more people die from WORRYING about getting ate by a bear than from actually getting ate by a bear. Two-legged snakes are more dangerous than the one's that slither.

[Treetop]

I've only killed 3 copperheads so far this spring, but I haven't been up to our family ranch very often, yet. I usually kill copperheads and water moccasins, because they are so common. But I will just relocate coral snakes and the very occasional rattler. All other snakes are safe around me... Tt.

[762 shooter]

I understand and appreciate the benefits of snakes.

I also kill 4 or 5 Copperheads around the house every year.

This is because I understand and appreciate the benefits of grand kids.

762

[thompsonm1a1]

we are lucky as we have no dangerous snakes in nova scotia. I have lots of snakes around my home, green, black and brown garder snakes. they eat up all the bugs in my yard and garden and make life a bit easier for me.

[BAGTIC]

You don't have copperheads in Western Oregon but you do have rattlesnakes. Here we don't have rattlesnakes, at least since I have lived here, but copperheads galore. About a week ago my wife killed one 10 feet from our back door on the parking pad. I have had two dogs bitten, one a Pyrenees was bitten on the face a died. Last week Missouri recorded its first recorded human fatality by copperhead. Usually it is just loss of finger, toes or damage to body limbs.

[BAGTIC]

The snakes in Illinois all live in the Mayors' offices and City Councils.

[BAGTIC]

Copperheads and pine snakes bear a close resemblance. Differences are that copperheads have prominent triangular head with conspicuously narrow neck Pine snakes have slender oval head. Copperheads, rattlers, cottonmouths have vertical pupils lie a cat. The diamond shaped patch along center of copperheads back only extends about half way to belly. On pine snake it goes all the way down to belly plates and ground.

I ignore ones in pastures and woodlots but not one in immediate vicinity of the house for protection of little tykes. Realistically flies, mosquitoes, ticks. bees & wasps each individually kill far more people that snakes. I could live in a world with occasional venomous snakes by why oh why did God create mosquitoes.

[Bad Water Bill]

The snakes in Illinois all live in the Mayors' offices and City Councils.

There is a BIG den of them sitting in chairs in the Capitol building and most of them are from Crook Co itself.

Sure wish we could have open season on those vermin.

[Crusty Deary Ol'Coot]

Say what you want, but snakes are a lot like cats. There are good ones and live ones!

In their great wisdom, there has been a law passed here in Ideeeho to protect rattle snakes.

Shoot, shovel and shut up. Same goes for wolves!

To hear that some states "great Wisdom" has brought venomous snakes back to repopulate an area with venomous snakes shows their mental capacity to be equal to those bring back wolves.

They are a few bricks short of a load!

Crusty Deary Ol'Coot

[TXGunNut]

With all the rain and resulting tall grass a lot more than copperheads are out here in TX. I don't like copperheads or water moccasins and can't hear rattlesnakes or remember what they smell like. Thank goodness I have only non-venomous snakes (so far!) around here but I may just bring a shotgun along if I ever get to mow again.

[woodbutcher]

:holysheep A friend of mine called me on the phone last night.Had fun mowing his lawn yesterday morning.Turned the front 3 feet of a Burmese python into snake burger.The intact part was appx 10 feet long.Neighbor lady about browned out.Hehehe.NYC transplant.
Good luck.Have fun.Be safe.
Leo

[cainttype]

Cotton-mouths (Water Moccasin), Copperheads, Rattlers (Eastern, Timber [Canebreak], and Pygmy), and Coral snakes pretty much fill out the venomous list here in SW Louisiana. That list is in the order of my encounters from most frequent to rarely.
Of those species, the only one that has aggressively approached me is the Cottonmouth... I kill every one that gives me the opportunity.

If I recognize a non-venomous species he is safe from harm... If there is any doubt in a fast encounter, it had better be quicker than me or I will dispatch it first and identify it later.
I've had many close calls. I have dogs that are occasionally bitten... A poisonous snake is my enemy if he can't avoid my home vicinity.

[Tristan]

:holysheep A friend of mine called me on the phone last night.Had fun mowing his lawn yesterday morning.Turned the front 3 feet of a Burmese python into snake burger.The intact part was appx 10 feet long.Neighbor lady about browned out.Hehehe.NYC transplant.
Good luck.Have fun.Be safe.
Leo

Leo, that didn't happen in La Follette, did it?

[superior]

I spotted what I thought was a rubber snake in a garage in Zephyrhills Fl. about 6 months ago. I remember thinking I could scare the heck out of someone with a rubber snake that large and realistic looking.... Then, it's tongue came out!! I was grossing out as I turned to my gun safe, desperately punching in the combination. I quickly unboxed my Ruger mk2. 5.5 bull bbl and loaded a cci .22 shot she'll load. When I turned around, the snake was gone. I found him (or her) in the opposite corner of the garage, poised and looking like a cobra.. He definitely knew I was onto him. I shot him in the face at about 8 feet away and the results were spectacular. He lay there wriggling for about a minute and expired.. It was a water mocassin , about 4 ft long and very big around.. He had wandered over from a nearby pond. I make my own snake loads in 45 colt as well as 40sw, but I have a tremendous respect for the cci. 22 load now.

[Shooter6br]

I am told copperheads and water mocassins swim with head up...Good thing ..................... make better targets

[GOPHER SLAYER]

In the Mojave Desert here in California there is a rattle snake called the Mojave Green. Even though it rarely gets over three feet in length, it is bad news. I was told it's venom attacks the nervous system rather than the blood. In any case a rattler bite can now cost you over 100 K if you don't have insurance. Cost depends on your weight. Bigger you are the more you pay.

[jmort]

"I was told it's venom attacks the nervous system rather than the blood."

The Mojave Green has the ne plus ultra of rattlesnake venom. It does both.

[tygar]

Well saw my first copperhead today - just after he BIT a friend who was working with me on my bushhog.

He's off to the hospital - after we forced him to go. Another tough az biker!

So, to all you who disagreed when I said, "KILL THEM ALL - KILL THEM NOW" I'll say it again!

Looked all over for his head so the dogs wouldn't get to it, but the .44 shot shell at 2' made it completely disappear!

GD snakes! KILL THEM ALL NOW! (except good ones

As I said, as long as they are obviously "good" snakes, I let them alone, but when in doubt.....

[sparky45]

Recent news story out of northern California of two young kids being bitten by Rattle snakes (two separate incidents). I hate snakes!! I live where we have two or three (probably more) varieties of Rattle Snakes and copperheads and reports of CM Moccasins. I definitely carry bird shot loads when I'm out brush/pasture cutting.

[John Allen]

I thought I would share this one. I went to open my barbecue and .... 141879

[Bad Water Bill]

That one should make a good hat band.

[Boogieman]

The big problem with snakes is they are all too long . Cut 4 " off the head end and they are all good snakes.

[JonnyReb]

I just pulled the 8th blacksnake in two weeks outta the roof of my chicken coop. They come to it like flies to chicken turds. I take them on a long 4 wheeler ride in a lidded bucket and throw em in the "big" creek. I've often wondered if the 1\2 mile trek back is no big deal to them and their are really only 4 or 5 repiticious visitors. We used to see occasional copperheads here and funny as it sounds..they got relocated too. Since getting chickens (and loads of blacksnakes) i haven't seen one of those beautiful rascals since. And am glad.

The only 2 snakes i killed was a 7+ft blacksnake that had somehow gotten IN the coop and was wrapped up with the hens..and a hognose? about 5 feet long that reared up like a cobra (spread head and all) and struck at me repeatedly. For all i know it WAS a cobra someone released, i plugged them two. The rest go free.

[nickeda85]

John,
You didn't plug a hole through your grill did ya?

Was sitting with the kids at their sandbox last fall and had a small green snake drop out of a locust tree right in my lap. Saw it fall then looked down and came about half up before my brain grasped that I would be ok. And my wife says I can't move fast. :roll:

Forgot to add that Dad got bit on the middle and ring fingers of his hand last fall while picking tomatoes. Came out of it fine but it said it sure hurt. Thought something had stung him until he saw the copperhead slithering off. Went inside and told Mom he had been bitten, real calm like. When asked about it later he just said had always heard you should try and be calm if snakebit....but heart was still poundin'.

[winelover]

We have six venomous snakes in Arkansas. Copperheads are they most prevalent. Been here almost four years and spend a lot of time outdoors maintaining the 26 acre homestead. I have yet to encounter a copperhead. Although, I did inadvertently kill a pygmy rattler while weed wacking.

This 6' Black Rat Snake was a recent visitor. I carry snake shot in my 642 but will only use if threatened.

141912

141913

Winelover

[Crusty Deary Ol'Coot]

If your home is on that 26 acres, and you have family, pets or livestock there, well you have been threatened, know it or not, if there are venomous snakes around your house or out buildings.

The only "feeling" of threat you get may well be the sting of a bite.

Let them slither else where, but no venomous snake would be welcome around my home.

Crusty Deary Ol'Coot

[45-70 Chevroner]

I do have to tell you this was a long time ago. We had a cotton farm near the small town of Bouse Arizona. The year was 1957. It was about a month away from picking time. We had 600 acres in cotton and a big patch of water Mellon's mostly for the cotton pickers. The Side Winders were thick as fleas, we needed to thin them out before the cotton pickers showed up. My self and my two brothers ( we were 15 16 and 18 ) would go out at night with our trusty swords ( shovels ) to use for the thinning process. Most people won't believe this but we chopped up over a thousand of these little critters along with over a 100 Diamond backs. Side Winders only get to about 14 to 16 inches long full grown most of them were less than a foot long, the rattlers are real small, about 1/2" long and smaller than a pencil, you can hold a hundred of them in one hand. Diamond backs are a different thing, I have killed D-backs as Long as 5 feet. The ones we killed that year were in the 3 to 4 foot range. None of us boys ever got bitten but we were surprised a number of times. We always wore cowboy boots which afforded a little protection.

[45-70 Chevroner]

I do have to tell you this was a long time ago. We had a cotton farm near the small town of Bouse Arizona. The year was 1957. It was about a month away from picking time. We had 600 acres in cotton and a big patch of water Mellon's mostly for the cotton pickers. The Side Winders were thick as fleas, we needed to thin them out before the cotton pickers showed up. My self and my two brothers ( we were 15 16 and 18 ) would go out at night with our trusty swords ( shovels ) to use for the thinning process. Most people won't believe this but we chopped up over a thousand of these little critters along with over a 100 Diamond backs. Side Winders only get to about 14 to 16 inches long full grown most of them were less than a foot long, the rattlers are real small, about 1/2" long and smaller than a pencil, you can hold a hundred of them in one hand. Diamond backs are a different thing, I have killed D-backs as Long as 5 feet. The ones we killed that year were in the 3 to 4 foot range. None of us boys ever got bitten but we were surprised a number of times. We always wore cowboy boots which afforded a little protection.

[Crusty Deary Ol'Coot]

Congratulations 45/70, you just killed the last of species. :kidding: :kidding:

But seriously, with all the snakes you boys killed, there are still more then enough to go around! Not then, not now, any shortage.

Then we have states like here in Idaho which has made it a no no to do as should be done, kill them when you see them. Misplaced tears of a bunch of greenies.

To hear of some places that have repopulated an area with venomous snakes is as stupid as bringing wolves back to an area that has gotten along quite well with the remainder that still populated the back country, And yes Idaho still had wolves in spite of the official government line of bull.

Crusty Deary Ol'Coot

[cainttype]

The only 2 snakes i killed was a 7+ft blacksnake that had somehow gotten IN the coop and was wrapped up with the hens..and a hognose? about 5 feet long that reared up like a cobra (spread head and all) and struck at me repeatedly. For all i know it WAS a cobra someone released, i plugged them two. The rest go free.

The Hognose also sometimes hisses very loud in an effort to dissuade any confrontation.
If all else fails, they will usually turn belly-up and play dead. Hoping nothing is interested in a dead snake, they will dislocate their jaws, flop the tongue out, and turn their rectum outward (to stink up the area)... They will often insist on playing dead until the perceived threat passes. If you turn them upright too early, they will usually immediately flip back to "dead snake" position.
They are the only snake I'm aware of that display that behavior.

[45-70 Chevroner]

Congratulations 45/70, you just killed the last of species. :kidding: :kidding:

But seriously, with all the snakes you boys killed, there are still more then enough to go around! Not then, not now, any shortage.

Then we have states like here in Idaho which has made it a no no to do as should be done, kill them when you see them. Misplaced tears of a bunch of greenies.

To hear of some places that have repopulated an area with venomous snakes is as stupid as bringing wolves back to an area that has gotten along quite well with the remainder that still populated the back country, And yes Idaho still had wolves in spite of the official government line of bull.

Crusty Deary Ol'Coot
I am quite sure that we did not caues any effect on the next years population. We must have the same bunch of know it all idiot gov. officials here in Az. also. They planted a few grey Wolves up here in northern Az several years back. The problem we have is that they are so protected that you can't shoot them even when they are attacking your cattle. I'm not even sure that you can protect your self or your family from them with out having to go to court and plead your case. Talk about stupid.

[Southron]

Well, someone needs to tell the University of Florida they don't know what they are talking about when they say that the chances in the U.S. of someone dying of a venomous snake bite is about "0." Not too long ago we had a deer hunter in Greene County, Georgia that died after being bitten by a Rattler.

I have this strange effect on poisonous snakes, they usually expire shortly after I see them.

[BAGTIC]

Snake bite is WAY down the list of causes of death. More likely to be killed by a family member, die from a fall, from a bee/wasp sting or most anything else I can think of. People exaggerate the risk to enhance their reputation as he men, The number of people killed in this country by large animals, other than humans, is not enough to bother counting.

[Boogieman]

I am involved in a program to improve the gene pool of snakes. The ones that are smart enough to stay out of my sight get to live and reproduce.

[Kim]

Where nuisance animals are protected by dumb laws. the old yankee custom of SSS comes into play. Shoot, Shovel, and Shut up! Talking about it will eventually cause you trouble.

[45-70 Chevroner]

Where nuisance animals are protected by dumb laws. the old yankee custom of SSS comes into play. Shoot, Shovel, and Shut up! Talking about it will eventually cause you trouble.
Yes that will work in most cases but here in Az. the gray wolves all have tracking devices and the devise can be tracked to the last position that it quit working. I know that that could be sircumvented, but I,m not sure it would be worth the chance.

[TCFAN]

Snake bite is WAY down the list of causes of death. More likely to be killed by a family member, die from a fall, from a bee/wasp sting or most anything else I can think of. People exaggerate the risk to enhance their reputation as he men, The number of people killed in this country by large animals, other than humans, is not enough to bother counting.


That may very well be true unless you are the one that dies.............Terry

[Crusty Deary Ol'Coot]

Give those wolves a couple years and like the presently huge over population here in Idaho they will have large packs, most of which will not have the collars.

The number of wolves here, reliable sources saying it is not the same strain once found here, but rather a larger and more aggressive version, have far, FAR, exceeded the desired - by the greenies - number, to the point where now efforts have been needed to thin the numbers.

Just on the news here last night was then report that a guy North of my home, just received a big slap in the hands for killing a wolf. He said it was self defense and he thought he was shooting at an oty. His stupid mistake was taking the hide, taking it to a taxidermists, AND THEN going to buy a wolf tag.

STUPIDITY!!!!!!!!!!!!

The adult wolves here are huge, I mean really huge, but this guy should have simply shot and never even approached the critter, just turn and go the other way.

Be smart and tight lipped and get er done!

Same happens if a poisonous snake happens into my path.

Crusty Deary Ol'Coot

[mold maker]

I own 2 properties and both are mowed by a friend. He came back to get paid this evening, as white as a ghost.
He says there's a 4'+ black snake that siid under the door to the other basement. Next time i go over, there will be snake shot in my 45LC. I can abide them as long as they respect my dwelling, but that basement is mine alone.
Quite a few years ago I was given the timbers from a highway bridge. While loading them we encountered the biggest snake I had ever seen. Between the cement head wall and the huge timber that sat on its ledge was a crack about 5 " wide, and it was plum full of black snake. When we finally persuaded it to leave it looked like a ribbon sliding off the ledge into the creek. Realistically it looked to be over 9' long and 4-5" thick. Needless to say, asphalt wasn't the only stain on my pants.
If those snake lovers will give an address, I'll send them some.

[tygar]

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/images/misc/quote_icon.png Originally Posted by BAGTIC http://castboolits.gunloads.com/images/buttons/viewpost-right.png (http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?p=3279520#post3279520)
Snake bite is WAY down the list of causes of death. More likely to be killed by a family member, die from a fall, from a bee/wasp sting or most anything else I can think of. People exaggerate the risk to enhance their reputation as he men, The number of people killed in this country by large animals, other than humans, is not enough to bother counting.




That may very well be true unless you are the one that dies.............Terry
----------------------

Big DITTO, just ask my friend Mike who got bit helping me work on my bushhog thurs.

Luckily he didn't get it bad & only had one fang go in his hand. He got very sick & hand got swollen but the hospital just gave him anti biotics, tetnus & some pain meds. They said he was fortunate & didn't get a lot of venom.

If they don't wear a sign saying, "I'm friendly", kill them all, kill them now!

[lbaize3]

I might be able to read that "I'm friendly" sign if my wife was not trying to climb up on my shoulders while screaming "shoot it, shoot it!".

[Ole Joe Clarke]

Saw on the local news that 40 plus snake bites had been recorded in my home state this year. The last one was a copperhead. Put the girl in the hospital for several days.

[Bad Water Bill]

Bet her medical bill could have bought a new Roles Royce.

Since all wildlife is considered property of the State shouldn't they have to pay the bill for what THEIR critters do?

[BAGTIC]

Sloppy reasoning. This is the same thought process that leads some to conclude that as some people get killed by some guns the solution is to eliminate all guns. Also known as 'The only good Indian is a dead Indian Syndrome'.

Personally, the first thing I consider when I hear of someone being killed by a snake or a gun is did their demise leave the world a better or a worse place.

[jmort]

Rattlesnake bite, = $100,000 plus in medical bills.

[Ole Joe Clarke]

Bump, for this thread. I know someone has another story.

[tygar]

OK, wife killed a giant "6" incher yesterday. After chopping it up into even smaller pieces with a shovel, told me to get rid of it in the woods. Told her I would if I can find enough of it.

Another one just outside the basement door. Kill them all, kill them NOW!

[DR Owl Creek]

OK, wife killed a giant "6" incher yesterday. After chopping it up into even smaller pieces with a shovel, told me to get rid of it in the woods. Told her I would if I can find enough of it.

Another one just outside the basement door. Kill them all, kill them NOW!


I didn't see a thing...

Dave

[TXGunNut]

My brother and I used to hunt E TX in what was known as Type II hunting areas. They often had primitive camping areas that we generally availed ourselves to. At the conclusion of one particular hunt weekend I was "watering" a bush at the edge of camp before we hit the road home. My tinnitus prevents me from hearing rattlesnakes but I happened to look down and saw a very small rattlesnake and he didn't appear to be enjoying his "shower". I called my brother over, told him to bring a shovel. He was a bit shocked as we'd been walking within a few feet of that bush all weekend. Other thing that bugged me was that since he was so small there were likely dozens of his siblings a short distance away.

[atr]

growing up I hunted and fished along the American River in Northern CA. Lots of diamond backs there...my hunting buddies and I would go out hunting them, and some were really big, like 4 to 6 ft. Used the skins for hat bands and cooked the meat. One time I took my girl-friend, (now wife) up to a small fishing lake in the foothills of Placer county. It was summer and we wanted to swim in the lake...girl-friend is a "city" girl so swimming in a lake was not her style. But she was a good sport and was enjoying herself wading out about waist deep...until..yup...a big diamond back swam right by her !
Where I fish in the Okanogan (WA state) there are plenty of rattlers hiding under the bushes around the fishing lakes. There isn't a year goes by I don't shoot at least one.
Never been bit by one,,,knock on wood, came close a couple of times picking wild blackberries, they would hide under those bushes.
One of the closest calls I ever had was working construction in the central CA coast. The little dark skinned rattlers would hid in the piles of construction material to escape the summer heat. So every morning we would have to carefully check the piles of lumber as we un-stacked.

[Crusty Deary Ol'Coot]

Having lived a portion of my 72 years in rattler country, I have been lucky enough to see few.

But this tale comes from when I was a little tyke in Klamath Falls, Oregon.

Mom and I were out with some friends picking wild plums which grew on a waist high +/- bush rather then a tree.

As the picking was progressing, I was doing my tyke thing somewhere close to mom when she suddenly gapped me and took off for new country.

The fellow that was with us saw mom's actions and ask what was going on.

Mom had apparently not seen the big rattler, and I don't know if she might have heard something or not, but she somehow sensed that something was wrong.

The guy threw a stick into the wild plum bush and out crawled a good sized rattler which the fellow made into a good snake in short order.

Crusty Deary Ol'Coot

[Mytmousemalibu]

Recently found a 2' long prairie rattler on my porch under a plant stand, and within easy striking distance of anyone walking up or from the house. It never made a peep. It slithered off to snake heaven shortly after. Snake is a very interesting material to use for string trimmer line too! Its crazy, you just weed wack along and if you find some, it just feeds itself right onto the trimmer head! Doesn't last long and it makes'er go way out of balance for few seconds!

We get a fair bit of friendly meat tubes here too. I let them be most the time, keeps the rodents down and out of my shed/cars. Any identified as venomous near my dwelling aren't venomous to anyone shortly after. My most proud snake moment was tagging a cottonmouth swimming the pond with the Henry .22 and it forgot how to swim all of a sudden!

[tygar]

OK I'm really tired of this karp! Killed one on the front porch, less than a foot from the door.

That's why I always go out with my killin light & look all over before I let the dogs out at night.

This little battard (18") was laying along the edge of the porch & the brick wall & was hard to see & I walked right past it going out & stood on the porch looking around for one. I was just stepping off the porch & caught a little movement out of the corner of my eye. Talk about pd off, missing seeing it.

Well, the 44 shot shell works great but it's a little harder when your prey is hiding behind some cast iron ornaments & your hiding behind the door & sticking your off hand around it & not being able to see your sites cause you don't want to get blinded by shot bouncing off the cast iron, brick wall or cement porch.

Managed to kill some of the door frame along with the CH. Oh well, a little putty & paint.

KILL THE ALL, KILL THEM NOW!

Ups, forgot to say, had to go past him again to go back in the house to get my gun with snake shot. Like a dumaz I was complacent & just went out without it.

[Mytmousemalibu]

I'd like to make some snake & rodent loads for good ole .45LC but everyone that sells #11 or #12 "dust shot" is out of the stuff. BPI was the 1st place I checked and even shot them an email to see when it would be available again but haven't heard back. Anyone have any sources?

Anyone made shot that small? I wouldn't at all be afraid to make some but haven't a clue on what size of dripper orifice I would need for shot that small. I have some micro bits, from .039 to .016 diameter.

[Hickok]

Try this, just hold low on a snake, using a .44 or .45 caliber slug and pull the trigger. The boolit will either "roll" right through the snake, or shrapnel in the form of rocks, dirt, etc will pepper it. They usually will then roll up into a "ball" and then give a larger target for the next boolit. Anywhere from the mid section to the head works fine.

[Ole Joe Clarke]

My .38 Special "snake loads" works wonders. Most of the time 1 shot is all I need. Take note of "most of the time." :-)

[Bodydoc447]

MidwayUSA jut sent me an email saying that the #12 shot in 10 pound bags has come in. Pretty pricey but 10 pounds is a life time supply for most of us.

Doc

[Bad Water Bill]

QUICK start a GROUP buy before it is all gone.

[cajts]

If a four legged worthless critter becomes a threat and somehow dies in front of you and has a collar on. Take collar to truck stop and wire it up under a trailer. They will have fun tracking that one down. That is my plan if I happen on a mountain lion that will be a threat. Then SSS

[Bad Water Bill]

The----------- state DNR has just announced that they are now tracking the fastest mountain lion on record.

It is documented traveling at 74 MPH for over 10 hours before even pausing to catch its breath.

Now what other state can make that statement?

[Baron von Trollwhack]

I'd like to make some snake & rodent loads for good ole .45LC but everyone that sells #11 or #12 "dust shot" is out of the stuff. BPI was the 1st place I checked and even shot them an email to see when it would be available again but haven't heard back. Anyone have any sources?

Anyone made shot that small? I wouldn't at all be afraid to make some but haven't a clue on what size of dripper orifice I would need for shot that small. I have some micro bits, from .039 to .016 diameter.

If you only need a few loads for the Colt, simply cut several old shotshells up for the shot they contain. I use #6, 7 1/2 ,or 8, from junk shells and all work fine on copperheads or mocasins. I would load #4 shot or 2 RB if encountering PYTHONS was a possibility. BvT

[Mytmousemalibu]

Thanks for the heads up on the shot guys! I do have about 50lbs. of #9 on hand but did want some "dust" not only for little critters but we have a pest bird problem in our hangar and #11 & #12 is all we are comfortable with letting fly in there and the cost of .22 shot loads or the others for that matter are overpriced really. The tiny shot wont shred our sprayed on insulation either.

[Anschutz]

We have a lot of snakes here in NY, mostly they stay in Albany.
Me and my partner almost trooped over a rattler in Harriman State Park doing land navigation. But yes there are lots of snakes in Albany. So glad I'm not in NY anymore. Did find a nice girl though.

[Ole Joe Clarke]

One of my long time friends came by last weekend and picked up some "snake loads". He's gonna do some pre-season deer scouting and someone warned him about the rattlers.

[Anschutz]

King Snakes and rat snakes are fine by me. One got really lucky. I was bush hogging and pull the mower back and there's a snake in the cut part not hit or anything. For me, a snake that I can see is fine but don't just surprise me. I pulled my 45 and it's lucky it only held 7 because I wasn't stopping. Copperheads, they can wait on me to get back with the corresponding gun to whatever the first shotshell I find is. Last one got a face full of .410 7 1/2.

[dubber123]

I have been visiting my GF in Virginia, and I now have proof rattlers exist here. As her son was helping me pull her utility trailer out of her garage, we both heard an odd buzzing noise. Turns out it was coming from the 4 foot long rattler he was standing on. He jumped and it struck him on the shoe,but didn't make it through. My hippie crunchy girl is getting a 12 ga. For a gift soon. Nothing like reaching for your gun and realizing it and all your others are 750 miles away because you are out of state.

[leeggen]

Just went out to call the dog in, he just shifted back and forth on his front leggs. Then I realized something laying in the drive, yes a snake not just any ole snake either. Got the flashlight and yes there was a copperhead, so a couple good swats to the head and we now have a better snake also known as a dead snake. He was 40 inches long and about the diameter of a fiftycent piece, that is pretty long for them around here, most are about 30 inches long. Everyone is now happy and some are ready for bed.
CD

[BAGTIC]

I got news for you. We ALL die.. eventually. When I recollect all the people I know who have died there aren't any that died from snakebite. Drunks including drunk drivers, family disputes, encephalitis, pertussis, shingles (measles), bar fights, tobacco, hyper nutrition, etc.


Now if venomous snakes did not exist I could get by very well without them and for sure all the non venomous species would be better off as it would help quell the hysterical snake phobics. People are still more likely to die from their groceries than from snakes.

[BAGTIC]

How many of those snake bites were fatal. How many Alabamans died last year due to homicide? Traffic accidents? Drowning? Fires? All of those are just as preventable as snake bites.

[Slow Elk 45/70]

When you leave a piece of large EQT. Tractor, dozer etc, be careful . I have had the experience ,while in the South...logging, farming , what ever . The Vibration from the equipment sitting in one place running seems to attract these varments:groner: