(ID) Asotin man recalls rattlesnake-gun accident

[AZAndy]

"They tried to get the shot shells out of my eyes, but they were unable to get it all out,” he said.

Now that, my friends, is the most extreme example of clumsiness I've ever heard of. Shot shells in the eyes must be pretty uncomfortable, though I would think they'd be pretty easy to get out. ;-)

 

[AZ_Rebel]

The guy IS an idiot!

Living in Arizona and having had many opportunities to encounter Diamondback Rattlesnakes in the wild allows me to say that.

If the guy had just stepped away from the snake when he saw it none of that would have happened.

Snakes will avoid you if at all possible and will escape when given the chance. There is rarely a need to shoot a snake. Just avoid it when you see one. If you step on one and get bitten you were not paying attention and there is no point in shooting the snake then.

 

[WSUZJer]

I would say you have never been there before. My grandparents live there and rattlesnakes can be a big problem. Plus the area is not always condusive to "just stepping away" from the snakes.

Also, this thread title is incorrect. Asotin is in Washington, not Idaho.

 

[anarchris]

So lets see. (no pun intended)

He tried to kill the snake (more than likely to impress girl)
failed, tried again, blinded himself and the snake still didn't attack.
I think it was his fear of snakes that did him in, that and carrying one of those cheap one shot derringers, those things always shoot if dropped, thats why I got rid of mine!

 

[AZ_Rebel]

Living in Arizona and having had many opportunities to encounter Diamondback Rattlesnakes in the wild allows me to say that.

I would say you have never been there before.

Calling a member a liar is not very High Road.

 

[koja48]

Unfortunate, but it sounds as if he'd been better-off just avoiding the snake and leaving it alone. I live in Eastern Wa, have seen plenty of rattlers, & ain't had one come after me yet.

 

[Old Grump]

Snake

I did not want them in my back yard where my dogs and little kids were playing but even there a gun wasn't called for. A stick works well and though none ever thanked me I don't think they objected to being dropped off in the desert. If ever a snake had a reason to strike me the one I stepped on had a reason but even that one tried to get away which was fine by me. 1 snake or 20, it really didn't matter there was always someplace else to go even if it was backwards. Having fired those little snake loads out of 22's and 38's I am not impressed, maybe a 44 or 45 load would be better but I still say a stick is handier.

 

[Bwana John]

Im more afraid of hantavirus than rattlesnakes.

Kill all the snakes the deermice population goes crazy.

I know of 4 people who have died of hantavirus in communitys that I have lived in, not one death from a rattler.

I will kill rattlers that live under my house, but I kill the deer mice that live under there with much more gusto.

 

[WAID]

I fish in in that same area and have only seen any snakes on one trip in five years. The the snake was in such a hurry to slither away there was no reason and very little chance to shoot it. That has been my experience in other areas as well.

 

[GlowinPontiac]

I dont see many rattlers in my area but I do see a lot of copperheads especially on some of the golf courses.

never had one come even close to me. they all just moved along if i even waved my club near them.

 

[TallPine]

A guy was killed by a rattlesnake in our county a couple years ago

 

[ColinthePilot]

I have never seen a rattler in the wild, but I don't like snakes. Of any kind. If a snake ever made any kind of move toward me, it would become dinner pretty quick. Yes, I wouldn't hesitate to shoot it, but in such a case, I'm not just gonna leave the carcase to rot, I'll take it home and grill it up.

As far as protected species go, I am much more interested in protecting the human species than the snakes.

 

[WSUZJer]

Calling a member a liar is not very High Road.

Uh-huh. But calling someone you've never met an idiot about an accident in a place you've never been to is?

I said you have never been there, meaning fishing in Hell's Canyon. It is very narrow, in some spots just wide enough for the two lane highway that was carved out of the sheer rock faces. Fishing is usually done on rocks, with numerous places for snakes to hide and sometimes not very easy for people to maneuver around on.

 

[Dave P]

and those with a high tattoo:teeth ratio

I like that!

If Tat/teeth > 2, keep your kids away!