Snake!!!

[ironvic]

God put man on earth to manage the wildlife. The snake will bite the man, sometimes without provocation (I understand there are some in places like Australia that will chase you down, and you ain't outrunning him). So, they're fair game. The most disconcerting ones are the rattlers you hear closeby but cannot see. You know he's ready to strike, but where the hell is he?

I used to use an old Ballester-Molina in .45 Auto that digested CCI shotshells with aplomb, and I'd consider this to be the minimum for rattlers if using shot. I mostly shot tin cans with that old Argentine .45 and never had to use it on snakes. Most rattlers don't want a piece of you any more than you want to meet up with them, but getting bit isn't something you'd want to endure. Their spit gets in there and rots your skin, horrible.

 

[Gunfighter123]

I agree with the poster that stated he treats rattlers/copperheads etc. as a armed intruder on his property. When I'm "down south" at my in-laws , I will kill any snake that I think MIGHT be a danger to people/livestock/pets.

I have seen BIG stock dogs after being bitten by Copperheads --- many people can not afford or can't get the pet to the vet in time --- I used to wonder why it was that I seen so many three legged dogs down South --- after seeing the results of a Copperhead bit a dog --- I wonder no more.

Also , I question the logic of ANYONE who puts more care into "one of Gods creatures" then they do a child.

 

[jimmyraythomason]

"Also , I question the logic of ANYONE who puts more care into "one of Gods creatures" then they do a child". THANK YOU!!!!!! I have three grand daughters. One is 3 1/2 years,one is 15 months and one just turned 1 year old. A poisonous snake,coyote or unknown dog are viewed as a threat and treated as such.

 

[SweetKnuckles]

Effects of Rattlesnake vs. Dog (slideshow)

 

[V45C]

dead snake = best snake...
no mercy , none whatsoever , same for dumped dogs , wasps/bees/bats/rats/Democrats and all other vermin...

 

[Gunfighter123]

Sweetknuckles ---- MANY THANKS for posting that vid ---- a picture is worth a thousand words !!!!

 

[Guillermo]

sweetknuckles,

you might enlist one of the local dog trainers that do "snakeproofing". There are many that offer these types of services http://www.snakeproofing.com/

 

[Gadzooks Mike]

Some rattle snakes rattle, others do not. They seem to have different personalities with that. However, we tend to notice, and kill, the ones that do rattle. So man is helping to breed the version that doesn't tend to rattle.

As far as I'm concerned, if God didn't want man to fly, he wouldn't have created snakes.

 

[SweetKnuckles]

Done it brother.

2 different trainers and 2 different sessions. magmabirddogs.com and bkgsps.com

This last may on his 2nd 'proofing', on first approach, he kissed the baitsnake on the nose.

Prey drive is strong in this one.

Mind you, these are long time bird dog trainers who have done thousands of dogs, not some craigslist do it yourselfer.

Regardless, I wholeheartedly agree with Snake Breaking.

 

[Guillermo]

Prey drive is strong in this one

Sounds like one hell of a dog. I hope he lives

 

[Stainz]

Snake lovers may hate me...

Thursday's brief sojourn out to the range spelled doom for a 5 ft corn snake. I was passing the RO's log house en route to the office/liar's den when I ran over the snake with my Jeep. I didn't see it. The RO was exiting his home as I passed by - and, even though he is 6ft something big, he jumped when he heard it's gasping and first saw it. Sorry Mr. Cornsnake.

Have you ever noticed how bad a rattler smells in the woods? The 'death smell' may blend in with other farm smells in some places, but I even smelled one riding in a VW 'Thing' years ago - late autumn. Nasty. Never noticed the smell with a copperhead - and I certainly would never get close enough to a cottonmouth to tell - they will chase you.

About protecting the home... I don't care if the bg/evil doer needs retraining - I am not that benevolent. I simply want to protect the life of those, including me, in my home, which is my right and duty. I have the right to meet such a perceptual deadly threat with deadly force, according to the local laws. My choice is a handgun - no blanks, birdshot, etc, just some HPs. The noisemakers soun like a great idea - especially those baby gates. Be safe!

Stainz

 

[yongxingfreesty]

im with that guy ^^

any good snake is a dead snake

 

[Harve Curry]

It is good practice to send any poisioness snake back to it's maker to fix the mistake.
Several years ago there was a do gooder that was attempting to relocate a rattler to another part of his property and he got bit. All attempts to save his life and limb were taken including air lift to Albq. NM . All the anti venum in the hospital was used and then more had to be given him from vetenarian hospitals. He lived to say in the papers his actions were wrong and that if a child had been bitten at the a few days after him they might of died because of no anti venum available.

 

[hardluk1]

five-o get your self a old sigle shot 22 rifle and cci rat shot, it will keep the noise down and WILL kill a snake out to say ten to 12 feet just fine. I keep one just for that and it has layed to the fryer many rattlers threw the decades. Works well on rodents too to that same distance. Just be carefull, snakes will still strike with NO head attached to the body.So do have a hold down stick to use to help cutting off the head. We use to get 6 or 7 nice sized rattlers on a cool morning lay'n in the roads and take to a catfish fry back where i grew up and after dress'n and wash'n then cut up and fried with the fish. Do learn your good snakes from the diedly ones.

 

[ricebasher302]

Yes, I believe I saw a documentary on snakes. It confirmed that young snakes do not regulate their venom during a bite. However, it said that young rattlers produce very small amounts of venom when compared to grown adults, meaning that their bites are almost always less dangerous than bites from adults.

 

[jimmyraythomason]

Was that one of Michael Moore's documentarys?

 

[easyrider604]

I kill all rattlesnakes I come across. Cry me a river.

Yeah, I'm no TV animal show host. No qualms about killing these critters cos they have no qualms killing me. There are too many of them anyways.

 

[earlthegoat2]

I may have serpentaphobia (probably not the right term but you know) and I tend to back away from the slithery little critters. If one was by my house though it would be on. My little puggle wouldnt stand a chance.

 

[SHusky57]

I have the first two rounds loaded with shotshells for home defense, figuring at 15 or so feet I can't miss. It won't kill the perp, but it sure will scare the hell out of him/her as I ready the next shots with HP's. What is the spread of the BB's on a short barrel like my .38?

Pattern it at the range.

 

[searcher451]

Years ago, I remember seeing a Harrington & Richardson handgun that, IIRC, was a single-shot .410 with a longish barrel that supposedly was designed for snakes. It might have been called a boot gun. I had a chance to buy it but passed, and of course have kicked myself ever since. I've looked around and asked about a bit in the ensuing years in an effort to find one of these rascals but have never been able to locate one or even find any good information. It sounds, however, like the perfect gun to keep tucked inside your cowboy boot, just in case you run into a similar situation as the OP's.

Anyone recall anything about an H&R that would fit the bill?

 

[eye5600]

A couple timely links:

Rattlesnake bite

Burns rushed over and tried to get the snake onto a stick when it bit him. Somebody else at the party killed the snake with a shovel.

Snake Facts

Timber rattlesnakes are protected by Connecticut's threatened and endangered species legislation and cannot be killed. If you observe anyone killing a rattlesnake, report the violation to the state TIP (Turn in Poachers) Program at 1-800-842-HELP.

[Edit] It's worth noting that due to a general antipathy to rattlesnakes, and, I believe, a bounty program in years back, the Timber rattlers are confined to a very limited range in Connecticut. It is worth being careful near any rocky ledges in the woods, though.

 

[Guillermo]

Timber rattlesnakes are protected by Connecticut's threatened and endangered species legislation and cannot be killed

note to self- Shoot, Shovel, Shutup

 

[jimmyraythomason]

Oh Joy! More reptilian problems to contend with;<http://blog.al.com/spotnews/2009/06/coral_snake_found_in_wilds_of.html>. I found a coral snake in Blount County,Al in the 1960s(the only one I had ever seen in the wild). It was lying on the side of a dirt road in front of our house. The snake (about 10" long) was dead without a mark on it. Now they are coming back so move over cottonmouths and copperheads. I can't wait!

 

[Virginian]

Criminals and poisonous snakes have rights, but not us. Typical. I subscribe to the shoot, shovel, and shut up philosophy.

 

[hardluk1]

jimmyraythomson back in sw fl around all the rich folks homes ,you could turn over a stepping stone or breakup an old concrete pad or even pull a bush from around a house and turn up a darn coral snake nest. Seems all them high dollar homes were built over dredged material and it just seem a good place for snakes in general. I grew up hunting around mocs and rattlers and gators and only one time did i get rattled. Now down there they have all kinds of constritors . Be hell to be hunting and walk up on a hungry 20' python.