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Thread: Snakes; Be careful out there

  1. #61
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    Yeah, I guess I'm just a wimp. Hey, Rich-- have you ever been, or seen someone who was bit by a rattler? I think everyone has their phobia(s). Mine are venomous snakes and heights. Like Lloyd said, I'd rather face off against two guys in a bar fight than be near a rattler.
    \
    My other great fear is heights, which obviously doesn't bother Lloyd at all, since he was a lineman.

    There was a family named Leibenberg. If that's not the exact spelling I apologize to them, but it's close. Back in the '70s they had an act that involved rattlesnakes, and appeared on TV variety shows, etc. They had lots of goofy features like a big rattler that pulled a little covered wagon, etc. The patriarch of the family was a tree topper by trade, and he related as how once when high, high up in a tree God spoke to him and told him that he didn't need to be afraid of snakes. Anyway, in the middle and late '70s I was a Jr. partner in a LGS, and the Leibenbergs used to visit occasionally as they liked guns. The father Leibenberg once invited George, the shop owner, out to the driveway to see what he had in the back of his van. It was crawling with rattlers, and George ordered him off the property and warned him never to return with any of his snakes or he'd immediately start shooting. One day the oldest son came into the shop with his hand wrapped in bandages. "What happened to you?" "Well, I was feeding mice to my snakes and one of them tagged me on the hand. It was all my fault, I should have just tossed the mouse, but instead held it out to him." As he related the story he unwrapped the bandages, and the hand looked horrible-- half bright red and half black. "People are so afraid of snakes, but I'm going to show everyone that it's not so bad. I'm not treating the bite, just letting nature take it's course. I'll live-- you'll see." He was back a couple of days later and his hand had swollen to the size of a football and was all black with yellow streaks in it. Next visit it has split open kind of like the dry mud in the bottom of a seasonal pond with big cracks that were leaking fluid. Eventually, perhaps 6 months, the hand was back to normal size and looked pretty normal, but was partially paralyzed, and as far as I know he never regained full use of it. It was an 18 inch rattler.

    Well, then, you have such unpleasant serpents as spitting cobras.

    Sorry if I've disappointed you or earned your scorn, but I didn't reach almost age 80 by being careless. I've been cussed at, fought at, shot at, and I'm still here-- and still hate snakes.

    DG

  2. #62
    Boolit Grand Master In Remembrance
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    It's kinda like dealing with heights; There is a right way and a wrong way to deal with snakes (Avoid getting bitten or envenomated) and heights (Use rappelling lines and, if a newb, a belay line, are IMO the right ways. Eyepro for spitting cobras seems wise in addition.)

    Anyone sane would be reasonably cautious around anything that can kill you, or severely injure you, also

  3. #63
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    I don't like opossums much. They're a plague around here, but I'll say one thing for them: I don't see snakes. They're immune to snake venom, so they consider even a rattler as a tasty meal. Which pleases me no end.
    Cognitive Dissident

  4. #64
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    Little sister was bitten by a pygmy rattler playing next to Grandma's house,She runs to dad.
    He grabs her up and old schools the bite with his pocket knife, Cuts it and sucks it .
    Loads her up in the truck and rush's her to the E.R.
    Said her foot swollen up and turned black, She lived with no adverse side affects.

  5. #65
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    I used to be afraid of snakes and heights. I started messing with ball pythons, one of the easiest snakes to handle. Before long I had albino monocle cobras and stuff. I'll say this, cobras, mambas are crazy as all get out. Any guy that can deal with them has stones. Not bragging, just saying. Rattlers, cottonmouths and copper heads are pit vipers. Imagine, heat seeking missile, if you gotta cobra in a bag, you can touch the bag. No biggie, BUT, if it's a pit viper, you never touch the bag, in the dark they can "see" you by your heat through the bag. And will likely tag you. Just like you get bit by a cobra, it's venom is neurotoxic, basically if you're bit eventually you just quit breathing. But a pit viper is primarily cytotoxic, which destroys cellular tissue. Extreme pain, and the venom kills by unbelievable damage caused. My point, I personally have much more concern dealing with any pit viper, have had many more close calls with pit vipers and been bitten only once ever, by a rattler. Never by a cobra or mamba. I even have a video where a Mojave struck at my hand and when I slowed it down frame by frame had I not been young and possessed very fast reflexes, he would have hit my palm. As it was, as quick as I was, in one frame you can see its fangs were 1/2" from my hand. They really go out of their way to avoid humans. But simply, if rodents have a place anywhere near your home they can live at, snakes also will be around. No junk, or woodpiles showed be any where near the house or where children play.

    Side note, I still don't like heights but parachute training in the service pretty much cured my fear.

  6. #66
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    In Arizona in the lower areas along the Colorado River and areas like Golden Valley outside Kingman you can encounter a cousin to the coon tail rattler called the Mohave Green. Their venom is especially toxic. Working at a power plant near the Colorado in the late 70's at Southpoint Nev. We had an equipment operator outside the plant step off his loader and immediately get hit on the ankle. He killed the snake and came on in.
    Was in a hospital for a month and it was a rare thing that he survived. Due to the neurological nature of the venom he was rendered blind.
    Lived locally and everybody knew the guy. Two years go by. One day he wakes up in the morning and he has some vision and a few weeks later is back driving his truck. A few months later and he's back on the loader. Greens are very aggressive and unlike most rattle snakes who will retreat when encountered at distance will charge you! I literally jumped into the bed of my truck one evening dove hunting when I saw a coiled rattler about 10 yards distant and had my Browning BSS and thought I 'd put him out of MY misery. Missed and he can straight for me!

  7. #67
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    I wasn't going to get into too much detail, but you are absolutely correct, the Mojave green is actually what almost got my palm. Canebrake/Timber rattlers, Mohave greens are actually towards more on the neurotoxic side. Westerns, eastern diamondbacks, cottonmouths, copperheads are on the cytotoxic side of the spectrum. I'm sure many on here will say who cares, venom is venom. But, cytotoxic is incredibly painful. A bite, (getting hit) is similar to being hit with a large hammer. A Cobra bite won't feel good, but is more deceptive. A friend of mine, a herpetologist in the Northeast US, was studying Timber Rattlers. He was hit by a large Timber in his lab and died before the ambulance showed. Only visible damage was 2 puncture marks, but the venom attacked his cns, central nervous system. Shut his breathing down.

  8. #68
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    Post #61
    Gerbig... wanted to know if I knew anybody that has been bit...
    We walk our dogs around the vast old folks home here
    one of the dog-walking old ladies has a "Staffie".
    (that's what we call polite well mannered pitbulls...good dog?)
    The staffie was bit last week on the cheek by one of our raccoon tails,
    no harm done, but the poor doggie still has a puffy swollen face.
    If an old woman was bit on the ankle, she would likely lose her foot.
    Any diamondback found around here is rapidly "Relocated".
    The birdfeeders feed mice, and the mice feed snakes.
    Snakes feed the javelinas little javelinas feed coyotes.
    It's a desert out there. A birdbath will draw in a whole zoo.

  9. #69
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    Just had a close call with this one. Some #4 duck shot made it peacefully progress to past tense on June 21st, 2021.




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  10. #70
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    Quote Originally Posted by Der Gebirgsjager View Post
    Yeah, I guess I'm just a wimp. Hey, Rich-- have you ever been, or seen someone who was bit by a rattler? I think everyone has their phobia(s). Mine are venomous snakes and heights. Like Lloyd said, I'd rather face off against two guys in a bar fight than be near a rattler.
    \
    My other great fear is heights, which obviously doesn't bother Lloyd at all, since he was a lineman.

    There was a family named Leibenberg. If that's not the exact spelling I apologize to them, but it's close. Back in the '70s they had an act that involved rattlesnakes, and appeared on TV variety shows, etc. They had lots of goofy features like a big rattler that pulled a little covered wagon, etc. The patriarch of the family was a tree topper by trade, and he related as how once when high, high up in a tree God spoke to him and told him that he didn't need to be afraid of snakes. Anyway, in the middle and late '70s I was a Jr. partner in a LGS, and the Leibenbergs used to visit occasionally as they liked guns. The father Leibenberg once invited George, the shop owner, out to the driveway to see what he had in the back of his van. It was crawling with rattlers, and George ordered him off the property and warned him never to return with any of his snakes or he'd immediately start shooting. One day the oldest son came into the shop with his hand wrapped in bandages. "What happened to you?" "Well, I was feeding mice to my snakes and one of them tagged me on the hand. It was all my fault, I should have just tossed the mouse, but instead held it out to him." As he related the story he unwrapped the bandages, and the hand looked horrible-- half bright red and half black. "People are so afraid of snakes, but I'm going to show everyone that it's not so bad. I'm not treating the bite, just letting nature take it's course. I'll live-- you'll see." He was back a couple of days later and his hand had swollen to the size of a football and was all black with yellow streaks in it. Next visit it has split open kind of like the dry mud in the bottom of a seasonal pond with big cracks that were leaking fluid. Eventually, perhaps 6 months, the hand was back to normal size and looked pretty normal, but was partially paralyzed, and as far as I know he never regained full use of it. It was an 18 inch rattler.

    Well, then, you have such unpleasant serpents as spitting cobras.

    Sorry if I've disappointed you or earned your scorn, but I didn't reach almost age 80 by being careless. I've been cussed at, fought at, shot at, and I'm still here-- and still hate snakes.

    DG
    DG, I have to agree with you....down where we live we see more copperhead and water moccasins....the copperheads wont kill you, unless you are really allergic to bee and hornets strikes, but the water moccasins are a whole different story.......I dont just step over a log and I never put my hands into anything without first looking......
    When guns are outlawed only criminals and the government will have them and at that time I will see very little difference in either!

    "Within the covers of the Bible are the answers for all the problems man faces." President Ronald Reagan

    "We must reject the idea that every time a law's broken, society is guilty rather than the law breaker. It is time to restore the American precept that each individual is acoutable for his actions." Presdent Ronald Reagan

  11. #71
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    Quote Originally Posted by CoolHandMoss View Post
    Just had a close call with this one. Some #4 duck shot made it peacefully progress to past tense on June 21st, 2021.




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    One of nature's camouflage jobs.

    DG

  12. #72
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    Quote Originally Posted by Der Gebirgsjager View Post
    One of nature's camouflage jobs.

    DG
    No kidding. I realized after this experience that I always check thoroughly where I am going to be plus 16" as a habit after seeing so many on my land. I mean I check this range thoroughly. This one was about 18-22" from where my feet were. I spray at least once a month to kill all vegetation in the areas that I walk, where I can't cut the grass. This is my second time treading upon a copperhead among several other closer than comfortable encounters where I live now. I am going to up my efforts to dropping snake repellant where I walk. It's not that I am concerned about dying if I get bit. But I seriously have nightmares about being bitten by a snake. I hate a 'alphabet' snake.
    Last edited by CoolHandMoss; 06-21-2021 at 10:43 PM.

  13. #73
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    Here in Utah some idiot has declared rattlesnakes as a protected species.
    Well, not in my sight, if I see one I kill it.
    Blowsnakes, watersnakes and such get a free pass, but a rattler gets a one way ticket to the after life.
    Blkpwdrbuff
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  14. #74
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    I grew up with a guy, who about 35-40 years ago got bit by a timber rattler. He wasn't anywhere close to medical services easily. The 2 guys with him loaded him in his truck, and made a serious dash to where they could call & get help. He spent a few weeks in the hospital, and to this day still has a disability in his hand, and scars. SO, yes,, I do know someone directly who has been bitten by a rattler.
    And an update on my son's MIL.
    She is doing better, still has swelling, the pain is reduced, but she's getting better.

  15. #75
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    I killed a copperhead last night. My wife got bit on the hand about 2 years ago, three days in the hospital and her finger still gives her trouble. Prior to her getting bit we always kept traps out for them and killed everyone we seen. This is the first one Ive seen since she was bitten. After she was bitten we got some cats and feed them just enough to keep them around. So far it seems to have helped, we haven't trapped a single one since we got the cats.
    Keep your powder dry and watch your six !!

  16. #76
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    Trap? I'll have to look in to that.

  17. #77
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    Quote Originally Posted by Txcowboy52 View Post
    I killed a copperhead last night. My wife got bit on the hand about 2 years ago, three days in the hospital and her finger still gives her trouble. Prior to her getting bit we always kept traps out for them and killed everyone we seen. This is the first one Ive seen since she was bitten. After she was bitten we got some cats and feed them just enough to keep them around. So far it seems to have helped, we haven't trapped a single one since we got the cats.
    How do you go about trapping snakes? I've read about the chicken egg inside a minnow trap, Just curious as to your method ,Tks

  18. #78
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    Yes sir, minnow trap with a fresh chicken egg inside as bait, can’t be a store bought egg. We trapped 18 copperheads our first summer and 12 the next summer, I didn’t believe it at first but I promise you it has worked for me!
    Keep your powder dry and watch your six !!

  19. #79
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    Quote Originally Posted by Txcowboy52 View Post
    Yes sir, minnow trap with a fresh chicken egg inside as bait, can’t be a store bought egg. We trapped 18 copperheads our first summer and 12 the next summer, I didn’t believe it at first but I promise you it has worked for me!
    I've heard of glueboards that are made for snakes, but never heard of of this one

  20. #80
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    I like the trap idea. My wife was bitten by a 12" copperhead on the hand while pulling weeds in the day lillies. After several hours in the hospital about 3 weeks in bed with ice on her hand and arm for 3 weeks. Painful and no sleep. Had to have physical therapy on the hand to get it to work again.
    Our dog was bit on the muzzle by a 4' copper that was in the water trough. Vet gave him massive amount of benadryl. That's the ticket, vet's know MD's don't know much about snakebite.

    Growing up in Oklahoma I caught many, many of the big 3. Young, dumb, you know. We kept all of them in the nature lodge at scout camp for the scouts to see.

    I did have a Mohave Green try to get me as I boulder hopped a dry gulch up to a ridge top turkey hunting in the Gila Wilderness New Mexico. He never made a sound and never backed up either. He did rattle after I shot ;^) They are beautiful though.

    I have had to go out in the middle of the night twice this year when our small chicken flock wakes me. Possum killed 1 chicken but it's normally a Black Rat snake 4-6' long which are easy going. I catch them and let em go across the road. I've caught them eating the eggs but that's ok.
    If you don't know much about snakes look these up...corn snakes, catch and release also.
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    HOLLYWOOD Collector Left hawg 405#, right one 315#, had my elderly neighbors granddaughter treed and why I got the call. Both charged, one from 20' and one from 40'. Thanks to the good Lord and Samuel Colt I won. May God bless our Lawmen & Soldiers!

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