killed a snake, whats next?

Status
Not open for further replies.
G

gibson_es

Member
Joined
Jul 13, 2011
Messages
204
Location
tampa bay
Just a black snake about 5' long or so, my girls were outside playing with me and my wife and he decided he wanted to play too.

I prefer not to just kill things for no reason, this was for safety, but I figured I would try to make use of it. I skinned it and gutted it, but I'm slow and a novice so it was about 2-2.5 hours from death to freezer. Was this too long? He had a smell kinda like fish, I shot him with .22 snake shot and the way he was laying I got him in the side too. After skinning I cut of the tail because I couldn't get the skin off of it there, then I gutted him and I keep only from the neck down to right about were I pelleted his side. (Kept maybe 2 feet of snake)

My concerns with the meet:
Did I take too long before freezer? The fish smell concerns me
Did I taint the meat by cutting of tail or by pelleting his side? I believe I cut tail off below **** (about 98% sure, I just can't reallu check now as I buried what I didn't keep)


As for the skin, I did my best to remove all the membrain stuff from the underside, I tacked it to a board, covered in salt. And left in sun, will this keep it til I can get a tanning kit in a week? I might try to make a knife sheath for my old hickory butcher knife if I can.


If it matters, its 86* outside, 55% humidity, feels like is 90*. I used an old tree stump outside to do the work so it was in the sun in that 2-2.5 hour time frame (cloud cover was in and out)
 
Dude...you need to post this on a Louisiana hunting and fishing site...:D
 
But...but....but.... I'm in florida. :)

I didn't know were else to post it, or eveb another forum to post. Thia was tue best I could figure. People hunt snake here though usually not these black racers and there not meaty enough to bother looking for on purpose.
 
2 1/2 hours outside at 86 degrees with a gut shot reptile would concern me greatly.

If you decide to cook & eat it?
Cook it good!!!

rc
 
This is the funnest thread I've seen in a while so here are a few links to help you out:

http://www.wikihow.com/Skin-a-Snake

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20080528210651AA3VhSe


Also...I used to have an old recipe on how to cook a rattlesnake. I don't have it anymore but I'll try to recall it as best I can...I imagine you could substitute any snake in place of the rattler.

Ingredients:

1 large rattlesnake
3 tsp salt
3 tsp black pepper
ketchup
24 cans Budweiser
1 package Mrs. Pauls fish sticks

Consume 3 cans Budweiser while driving around town showing off dead rattler. Go home. Preheat oven to 375. Consume 3 more cans Budweiser while cleaning snake. Dispose of guts/skin. Drink two more cans Budweiser while taking pictures of rattles and texting them to friends. Once oven has reached 375, throw snake away and put fish sticks in for 20 minutes. Consume rest of beers with fish sticks.
 
Black snakes have a pungent odor. I have actually smelled them and then searched around to find them. So, I don't know that the odor you are smelling means much. If you actually eat the thing I would like to hear the details.
 
I would not eat it. With the hide, wipe all the salt off with a dry rag and cover it in borax, check your store's laundry aisle. Hatband??
 
Dude, throw that nasty thing out! Either out into the brush or in the water, where other critters can eat it. Your gesture is noble, but not safe. Eating snakes is OK if that's your original intent and you're ready for it in advance, but after the fact? I wouldn't.
 
If you want an appetizer to go with the snake, I shot a fat groundhog today. He should go nicely with the snake. Be sure and invite some liberal friends to dinner.
 
gibson_es said:
Just a black snake about 5' long or so, my girls were outside playing with me and my wife and he decided he wanted to play too.

I prefer not to just kill things for no reason, this was for safety, but I figured I would try to make use of it. I skinned it and gutted it, but I'm slow and a novice so it was about 2-2.5 hours from death to freezer. Was this too long? He had a smell kinda like fish, I shot him with .22 snake shot and the way he was laying I got him in the side too. After skinning I cut of the tail because I couldn't get the skin off of it there, then I gutted him and I keep only from the neck down to right about were I pelleted his side. (Kept maybe 2 feet of snake)

My concerns with the meet:
Did I take too long before freezer? The fish smell concerns me
Did I taint the meat by cutting of tail or by pelleting his side? I believe I cut tail off below **** (about 98% sure, I just can't reallu check now as I buried what I didn't keep)


As for the skin, I did my best to remove all the membrain stuff from the underside, I tacked it to a board, covered in salt. And left in sun, will this keep it til I can get a tanning kit in a week? I might try to make a knife sheath for my old hickory butcher knife if I can.


If it matters, its 86* outside, 55% humidity, feels like is 90*. I used an old tree stump outside to do the work so it was in the sun in that 2-2.5 hour time frame (cloud cover was in and out)
Click to expand...

A 5 foot black snake is NO safety concern if you leave it alone.

Oh, and if you're thinking about eating a black snake, you might be a redneck.
 
So, you effectively took out you local rodent control? A harmless black snake when threatened can release a pungent odor as a defensive mechanism. As can most culubred type snakes such as the rat snake, hog nose snake, water snakes, etc. I'd say its probably best not to eat unless you need to.
 
No point in killing non-poisonous snakes. "They won't hurt you, but they might spook you into hurting yourself." :D

I found some sort of "grass snake" on the kitchen floor, a couple of nights ago. Grabbed the tip of his tail (little guy, maybe two feet long, thin as my little finger) and tossed him out into the front yard. Don't know what he was although I've seen his sort hunting for humming birds at a feeder--but our hummers have gone away for the winter.
 
Let's see now. Exit one Blacksnake. Enter 15 mice and rats. Those here in Missouri can climb trees. Never heard of a Blacksnake hurting anyone. Although they can sure scare the pee-waddin' out of a person.
 
The official story is that there are NO snakes on my farm. If there were my wife would make me kill them.

And my grandson has been instructed that if he sees one of the nonexistent snakes on the farm he is to keep his big mouth shut.

The so called black snack is more properly called the black rat snake and they are good climbers wherever they're found. I've had several but they tend to be a bit nippy so don't make the best pets but if you leave them alone, all they'll do is try to get away.
 
Just out of curiosity, was the snake even legal to kill in Florida? There are certain "Black" snakes that are protected.
 
Pull the skin out of the freezer and thaw, get a gallon ziplock baggie to put it in, pour in enough glycerin to just cover the skin. seal it up and move it around so it all gets worked in. Do this for a week, working it around a=every day, then take it out and dry it off. Bingo, done. You can use antifreeze in a pinch if you can't find glycerin. Never ate a black snake. I can't believe someone hasn't said it tastes like chicken!!!
 
It was a black racer, they mainly eat frogs and lizards and such. Not sure if he is protected, but I have fwc on one side and polk county sheriff deputy on the other, fwc was was outside at the time and asked what I shot, told him black racer, he said he kills them all the time and there everywwre outhere (we just mobed here about 6 months ago), so I would he shocked to find that there protected. The deputy was home but if she cared to investigate every gunshot she heard she would have no other life.

Snake meat is gone, I'm doing what I can with the skin.

Get on my butt about it if you want, but with my girls I dont take chances. So far, no mice or rats to be seen, I'm not worried.
 
By Googleing Florida protected species it seems the black racer is protected. I would dispose of the skin as soon as possible and quit posting about it on the internet.
 
Please share the link. Thanks.

To be more specific, its the southern black racer, there are 3 kinds in florida, this is the only one in my area, the others are not.
 
I prefer not to just kill things for no reason, this was for safety
Click to expand...

No it wasn't for safety. It was out of fear. Big difference.

I raised the hood on an old truck we've got at the house the other day and there was a 3 ft long black snake underneath the hood, coiled up on the breather. I went and got my 10 year old daughter so she could see it.
 
Good for you, do you want a cookie?

Apparently taking the high road is badgering a father for wanting to make sure that his children are safe.

But I guess since he wasn't a safety concern at all, because snakes don't bite, I must have just killed him for some other reason, oh yeah, like fear. If not knowing whether or not a snake is going to be dangerous to my one year old and my two year old is fear, then sure I shot him out of fear.
 
Last edited:
Status
Not open for further replies.

Similar threads

S
  • Locked
Snake encounter
2
Replies
33
Views
2K
41 Mag
4
R
  • Locked
Snake Skin Holster
Replies
13
Views
3K
LANDMAN4389
L
G
  • Locked
The snakes have un-hibernated
2
Replies
36
Views
2K
Smoke
S
4
  • Locked
So You Want to Get Your Critter Mounted?
Replies
5
Views
3K
Kingcreek
K
caribou
  • Locked
Whats your next hunt?
Replies
15
Views
666
Jmacalpine
J
Back
Top