caliber/gun for snakes...

[TonyB]

Ok I live in the "woods" and have a snake problem.My wife wants to able to shoot them.I have shotshells for my 357...however,we also have tenants in our rental apt(attached to out house)..so I think the 357 may be a little loud.So here's my question...is there a pellet gun or bb gun that shoots shot?or what are my other options.

 

[JWarren]

I don't know about pellet rifles, but a .22 rimfire will do fine.

Do remember that a high-velocity pellet rifle is not all that quite, either.

My father uses .357 magnum shotshells with good results.

Me? Last summer I killed 75 cotton mouth moccassin with a 9mm or .45ACP. I killed over 80 the year before with a 9mm.


This year, I am only at about 15-- using either .45 ACP or .223.

Edit: I've also killed a few this year with a Ruger 10/22.


Did I tell you that I hate cotton mouths?


-- John

 

[eflatminor]

I would be hesitant to kill snakes

You won't have snakes poisonous to humans living in Schodack, NY so I would leave them alone. Snakes are excellent at keeping rodent populations in check. Rodents and humans should not live in close proximity. Snakes ensure their populations are kept down.

So you know I'm no snake-loving tree hugger, I am an avid varmint hunter. I have NO problem killing but what I kill is usually out of balance in its territory (i.e., too many prairie dogs on the ranch, coyotes killing all the rabbits, a big cat taking livestock, etc.)

So, if a snake wanders into your home or if they're living in abundance on your property, thin them out. But if you're just walking through the woods and spot a snake, I'd leave it alone.

If I'm wrong about snakes in your area being non-poisonous, then I can see the need to be armed.

That said, if you need to remove a snake and a gunshot will disturb the neighbors, how about one those 'grabable' handle tools? The kind people use to pick up trash (or brass) without bending over. Squeeze the lever at one end and two suction cup looking guys at the other end clamp down. I've seen them for sale at Target.

 

[JWarren]

eflatminor,

Good point. I should point out that I only kill poisonous snakes on our property.


-- John

 

[TallPine]

.38 sp shotshells (the only ones I've ever found - never seen .357mag) aren't all that loud.

If the snakes are really a problem (poisonous?) then the heck with your tenants. You'll make more noise driving a nail

 

[Treo]

.45 caliber garden hoe?

 

[bogie]

If you're not worried about noise, a NEF .410 with fine shot is dandy, and very safe, unless you're in front of it.

Back off, and nuke 'em from orbit. It's the only way to be sure.

 

[mr.72]

While I don't dispute that one can exhibit the skill necessary to kill snakes with a 9mm or .22LR, or even a .177 pellet gun for that matter, I should point out that shooting a non-coiled-up snake and actually hitting it is easier said than done.

My parents have a sawed-off pistol-grip double-barrel .410 that they carry around to shoot snakes (copperheads, cottonmouths and rattlesnakes are very common out on their place). Hard to miss with that.

 

[CajunBass]

"Back in the day," I killed a few snakes with a Red Ryder BB gun I kept in the rod locker of my bass boat. A hit in the head or even the forward part of the body killed them DRT. I stopped shooting at then when I realized I was killing them. I just wanted to run them away from the boat. I went back to wacking them on the head with a flipping stick.

Something like my Beeman .177 air rifle would probably nearly cut one in half, but as someone else said, unless you know it's a poison one, leave it alone. Even then unless it's in the kid's play area RIGHT NOW, I'd leave it alone. It's just being a snake, and before too long he'll go on somewhere else.

 

[bukijin]

When I found a brown snake in our bathroom, I killed it with a shovel but bought a 12g shotgun straight after. Birdshot works well. Perhaps a 20g would be appropriate.

 

[Okiecruffler]

If you live in the "woods" and go shooting up all the snakes, next year you'll posting, "What caliber for mice and rats?". I found a rattler in my room this morning but didn't shoot him. Of course he's in a tank and it would have taken forever to get the glass from the carpet.

 

[JWarren]

While I don't dispute that one can exhibit the skill necessary to kill snakes with a 9mm or .22LR, or even a .177 pellet gun for that matter, I should point out that shooting a non-coiled-up snake and actually hitting it is easier said than done.

You said a mouthful.

The last snake I shot with a .45, I had to shoot at him NINE times before I hit got him. That was the worst I've ever been.

In my opinion, the best firearms for snakes are going to fall into the lines of revolvers using shotshells, a short shotgun, or a .22 rifle.

The ones that I've used have been not ideal, and overkill. But the reason is that I carry a firearm for more general purpose, rather than specifically snakes when I am out on our land. If I see one, I make do with it. If I use a handgun, its most likely because that's all I have in the jeep or 4-wheeler at the time.

I am exploring the idea of a short shotgun in the lines of a coachgun as possibility. As it is, my shotgun is a bit too long to "knock" around with.

If you live in the "woods" and go shooting up all the snakes, next year you'll posting, "What caliber for mice and rats?".

For me, it hasn't happened yet-- and that's after years of killing cotton mouths. I suppose we still have enough predators for rodents around here. I'll take a rat problem in our woods over poisonous snakes any day.

After all, cotton mouths are aggressive. I've had them "run" at me, and I've seen them strike without being in any obvious danger. They're just a nasty damned snake. I've had one kill an 80 pound Chow from a neck bite. It isn't going to happen to my JRT's if I can help it.


-- John

 

[Zip7]

I should point out that shooting a non-coiled-up snake and actually hitting it is easier said than done.

Every spring one of my friends and I used to go cottonmouth "hunting" in some old overgrown minnow ponds with SA .22 pistols. It was rare to get one dead with one shot, even though both of us are good shots. It was a lot like hunting dangerous game... because they will come after you. We also carried 7' long cane walking sticks which were emergency weapons. Neither of us were particularly scared of snakes, but some people are very panicky around them. I'd not recommend that type of person depend on a .22 pistol. If you don't want to give them a sporting chance, use a 410 shotgun.

 

[bluetopper]

This is something the Taurus Judge (.410/45 Colt) pistol was custom made for.
If you want to keep noise down there's nothing better than a looong handled garden hoe.

 

[TallPine]

This is kind of embarrassing, but I once used 12 .22 LR shots from a revolver to kill a large rattlesnake

I figured out later that from about 6' away, your shots always go a bit low because the barrel is below the line of the sights.

Also, shooting a snake is like shooting somebody in the leg. There is just not a lot of vital area and you just make them mad

I bought some shotshells after that.

Shovels and hoes are okay, too - but I can't find a holster for them and they are harder than heck to conceal

 

[mr.72]

I know this gets way off the topic at hand but the myth that cottonmouths are overly aggressive has been thoroughly debunked. You mess with them, they get defensive and will strike. But they are going to leave you alone if you leave them alone. Much like a rattlesnake, they will try and warn you but I think what makes so many people think they are aggressive is that they don't know they are threatening a cottonmouth until they are right on top of them (unlike a rattlesnake that might buzz at you while you are still 10 ft. away).

That being said, large pit vipers are powerful predators with a pretty big territory. If you find one in your house or around your house, it's not just going to leave. It's going to be there in that area routinely. If I find one around my house, I will kill it with no remorse. But I won't harm any non-venomous snake. The best thing you can do to keep venomous snakes off of your property is get some cats, which will also keep down the rodent population. It's just not worth the risk to have a potentially deadly animal stake a claim on your property as its territory when your family or friends may come into contact with it. Hey I love the Crocodile Hunter and his affinity for snakes but venomous snakes and people don't mix.

But anyway ... glad I didn't offend anyone by suggesting shooting a snake is not exactly easy. A short-barrel shotgun or a pistol with shotshells definitely puts the odds in your favor. Snakes can take huge amounts of injury to the bulk of their body and still bite you quite effectively. Unless you hit it in the head, you are likely to not kill it right away. Do you know where a cottonmouth's heart is? Or a lung? It's not like shooting a mammal. When I was a kid we used to shoot cottonmouths all the time with .177 air guns and we never killed a single one ever. However my grandmother would chop them into little pieces with a hoe regularly on her farm in NE Arkansas, but even after being chopped many times the snakes still would coil and strike.

 

[Sans Authoritas]

Eflat, I guarantee there are timber rattlers and copperheads up there in New York, as well as Massachussetts and Connecticut. You won't often see them (certainly not nearly as much as Louisiana Mississippi and Florida,) but they're there.

-Sans Authoritas

 

[Zip7]

myth that cottonmouths are overly aggressive has been thoroughly debunked

I guess I should clarify - they may not be aggressive, but if you get between one and the water, they are coming your way instead of going the other way. Also, it's been my experience that they will often lay there and let you walk up and step right them unlike many other snakes - particularly in the spring.

 

[Sans Authoritas]

Aye. It's the coral snakes you have to watch out for. One of the only snakes that will actually try to chase you down. Vicious little buggers.

-Sans Authoritas

 

[abrink]

Leave them alone unless they're going to attack you. If you think they will attack you then use your .357 with snakeshot. If you were defending your well being i don't think they'll care too much.

 

[Harve Curry]

I shoot poisones snakes with standard cast bullets from a 44 revolver. If at least your front sight/windage is on it is easy and the snake is either headless or incapacitated. A shovel is good medicine to.

 

[Okiecruffler]

I've handled every type of venomous snake in the US (every type, not every species, tho I'm trying.) and I will say that cotton mouths tend to be the most cranky. They don't care to be moved and often won't move on their own. I don't mess with them anymore, not because of their temperment but because of their stench. That's a stink that won't wash off.
Rattlers, for the most part, will give an awful lot of warning before they actually strike. Copperheads will bite if handled or stepped on, but they are usually the first to try to avoid people. And I have yet to see a coral even threaten to bite. I've been handling hots since I was 13 and have never been bitten by a native species. Did get nailed pretty hard by an eyelash viper once, that was unpleasant.

 

[marksman13]

The hell with the non-venomous ones too. I kill em all except for king snakes. I'll keep cats around for the mice and such. I hate a snake with a passion. I'd rather walk up on a tiger in the dark then a rat snake.

A short barreled 20 gauge kills them pretty dead. I don't know of an air gun that shoots enough shot at a high enough speed to be effective on snakes. Rat shot from a 22 has never been very impressive either.

 

[PakWaan]

I live on about 10 acres of woods near Orlando, and we have lots of snakes. Hate 'em. With a passion. But I leave most of them alone, except for the pigmie rattlesnakes that seem to be everywhere down here. They have a habit of biting my dogs, which causes their faces to swell up like a baseball for a few days.

I use .45 snakeshot in my 1911, and it's really effective. I've killed a couple with hollow points when I didn't have the snakeshot loaded, I haven't needed more than one shot for either of them, but it's pretty hard to miss from 5 feet away

 

[Zoogster]

I just use a pellet gun. Often times a single shot pump gun. It is a challenge while they are moving, but once you tag it well they lose most of thier mobility. Then shoot it again and smash its head with a nearby rock.
Works every time.

I usualy hit them with a pellet pistol from inside 10 feet on the first try when moving. Obviously if they are coiled up or still it is easy to tag them in the head.

Kill about 4-8 rattlesnakes a year around the place, leave those in nearby areas alive. They kill more rodents than many other types of snake, can see thermaly in the dark and are excellent hunters. I just don't like a poisonous thing to step on around my place.

Non poisonous snakes compete with poisonous ones. So keeping them can actualy reduce the number of poisonous ones around.
Non poisonous snakes are great to have around. They reduce rodent populations and keep the area healthy.
Excess rodent populations are not only destructive, they spread disease, some of which can effect you or pets.


The snakes on the other hand destroy nothing.

Birdshot from a shotgun is the most effective and least challenging, but it is too loud here.
A shovel or cheap machete work great too if you can get close enough.