T J
Member
Well sports fans, I'm proud to announce rattle snake season is officially here in my part of the world. I got home tonight and the Wife had a young rattler hung on the fence beside the house, our first one of the season. I was slightly disappointed that she said it took her two shots to dispatch it, but she explained she was trying to minimize damage to the house and water hoses. She told me a little later that a water hose had suffered a 'minor' collatoral injury (hmm... wonder if I have any patching parts left).
This was right at the end of a short sidewalk at the back porch where we walk. As this was a young one (maybe 1 1/2 foot), I'm sure there are more from the same batch nearby (great). We have killed in the neighborhood of 10 rattlesnakes within probably 10' of the house (2 inside of it).
I have found that the shot shells I loaded up in .38 Spl work quite nicely on these stinkin' (deleted). They have less collatoral damage to the surrounding items (house, etc) than a 12 Ga. (although, given a clean shot they work extremely well, and have been used too). Much easier with shot shells than with a bullet (well, guess have to admit it has taken me two shots with a .45 to hit one on the road to the house given my above 'disappointment' with the Wife's shooting earlier, ha).
One of the snakes killed at the house was on the front steps (well all of them were WAY too close, more untold stories involved). I had walked out to the pickup, and on my way back I saw the snake on the steps. The Wife has a .357 that we shoot these shot shell out of. I called to her and told her to bring me the .357. She gave it to me, and I got an angle where I wouldn't get any ricochet off the steps to take the shot. I didn't take a super fine bead (given the shot shells) and let fire. I was very surprised that I did not hit it when I fired (and that sure did seem awfully loud too). Checked the revolver, and she had .357 Magnum HP's in it (later found a hole in a leaf of a bush, and figured I missed less than half an inch). She went and got some shot shells for me and things turned out fine (well, not for the snake). Watch your step out there folks, it's that time of year again.
This was right at the end of a short sidewalk at the back porch where we walk. As this was a young one (maybe 1 1/2 foot), I'm sure there are more from the same batch nearby (great). We have killed in the neighborhood of 10 rattlesnakes within probably 10' of the house (2 inside of it).
I have found that the shot shells I loaded up in .38 Spl work quite nicely on these stinkin' (deleted). They have less collatoral damage to the surrounding items (house, etc) than a 12 Ga. (although, given a clean shot they work extremely well, and have been used too). Much easier with shot shells than with a bullet (well, guess have to admit it has taken me two shots with a .45 to hit one on the road to the house given my above 'disappointment' with the Wife's shooting earlier, ha).
One of the snakes killed at the house was on the front steps (well all of them were WAY too close, more untold stories involved). I had walked out to the pickup, and on my way back I saw the snake on the steps. The Wife has a .357 that we shoot these shot shell out of. I called to her and told her to bring me the .357. She gave it to me, and I got an angle where I wouldn't get any ricochet off the steps to take the shot. I didn't take a super fine bead (given the shot shells) and let fire. I was very surprised that I did not hit it when I fired (and that sure did seem awfully loud too). Checked the revolver, and she had .357 Magnum HP's in it (later found a hole in a leaf of a bush, and figured I missed less than half an inch). She went and got some shot shells for me and things turned out fine (well, not for the snake). Watch your step out there folks, it's that time of year again.
