The snakes are out

[GunnyGene]

in MS. Dang near stepped on a speckled king snake this morning. About 3 ft. long. Yanked my lcr, but put it away when I got a good look at it. They eat rodents and young copperheads, so we're buddies. :)

 

[Conservative]

GunnyGene,

Good on ya!

At one time, always leaving non-venomous snakes unharmed, I use to kill all venomous snakes.

Now, I don't even do that.

While mowing two days ago, I almost ran over a Cottonmouth, but I stopped and he/she went about it's merry way out of my yard and into the woods.

This time of year I generally see 3/4 C.M.'s and the same amount of Coral snakes. I leave them alone.

Am I some sort of Buddist or something?

Nah, I used to be an avid hunter of birds of all kinds, deer, fish, etc., but simply have no desire to hunt or kill anything anymore.

Have I become some sort of self-righteous vegan?

Nope, love to eat meat.

Just older and perhaps a little kinder, sorta...

 

[GunnyGene]

GunnyGene,

Good on ya!

At one time, always leaving non-venomous snakes unharmed, I use to kill all venomous snakes.

Now, I don't even do that.

While mowing two days ago, I almost ran over a Cottonmouth, but I stopped and he/she went about it's merry way out of my yard and into the woods.

This time of year I generally see 3/4 C.M.'s and the same amount of Coral snakes. I leave them alone.

Am I some sort of Buddist or something?

Nah, I used to be an avid hunter of birds of all kinds, deer, fish, etc., but simply have no desire to hunt or kill anything anymore.

Have I become some sort of self-righteous vegan?

Nope, love to eat meat.

Just older and perhaps a little kinder, sorta...

I'll whack a cottonmouth or copperhead in a heartbeat. Don't need me or my wife getting bit in the garden or yard. It would probably kill either of us.

 

[ronto]

Last year I didn't see a single copperhead on my property because a huge King Snake was hanging around my barn all summer. I hope he comes back this year. :)

 

[Paul B]

Between bad knees and the fact that there are too many drug and illegal alien runners out in the desert these day I no long roam the desert. :x :( When I did though, if I saw a snake, venomous or not I left it alone. I decided would only kill a rattlesnake if it decided to become aggressive. In better than 30 years of being a part time desert rat, I've only had to kill three rattlesnakes. One was my fault. I wasn't paying attention and stepped on it. My buddy who was a couple of yards behind me said it was the first time he ever heard a Ruger Super Blackhawk go full auto. :lol: Second time I was riding a dirt bike and stopped to enjoy the scenery. The front wheel had pinned a small rattler and he kept striking at the toe of my boot. Has to kill that one too. Number three was a different deal. Was at the gun range and the lady running the office also baby sat her grandkids which were three and four YO. Snake showed up and she wanted it destroyed. I offered to catch it and carry it off a couple hundred yards but she insisted it die. So it did. I felt kind of bad about that one. We have a couple of Bull snakes living in our back yard and while my wife doesn't like it, I told her we'd leave them alone.
Paul B.

 

[JPGLSG]

GunnyGene,

Good on ya!

At one time, always leaving non-venomous snakes unharmed, I use to kill all venomous snakes.

Now, I don't even do that.

While mowing two days ago, I almost ran over a Cottonmouth, but I stopped and he/she went about it's merry way out of my yard and into the woods.

This time of year I generally see 3/4 C.M.'s and the same amount of Coral snakes. I leave them alone.

Am I some sort of Buddist or something?

Nah, I used to be an avid hunter of birds of all kinds, deer, fish, etc., but simply have no desire to hunt or kill anything anymore.

Have I become some sort of self-righteous vegan?

Nope, love to eat meat.

Just older and perhaps a little kinder, sorta...

I'll whack a cottonmouth or copperhead in a heartbeat. Don't need me or my wife getting bit in the garden or yard. It would probably kill either of us.

I can truly testify to that Gunny, my neighbor got bit by one of our aggressive copperheads we have around here last summer. His total doctor/hospital bills totaled out just above $42,000.00 bucks for that snake bite. Rat shot is much cheaper than that by the case. I keep my eyes pealed this time of year when I playing out in the woods near the river. We've got some copperheads that are huge and will scare the crap out of you when you walk one up.

 

[Don Lovel]

CCI now has 38/357 with #4 shot in the capsules
Any day now copperheads will be thick, we just had a big rain flush the spring holes and they will be around
Last fall I caught a really pretty green color phase kingsnake crossing the road on our way home from town, I caught him and released him out by the shop

 

[Ugly Hombre]

I would kill any poison snake I see soon as I could- there are to damn many of them.

No way in hell the universe is gonna run out of them.

I like Buddhist philosophy, not much of one- but it is useful.

The Dalai Lama-

“If someone has a gun and is trying to kill you, it would be reasonable to shoot back with your own gun.”

Ole Ugly-

"If a poison snake is around, it might try to bite me- it would be reasonable to blast it first."

 

[graygun]

Haven't seen any yet.

 

[welder]

I've seen two killed in the road over the last two weeks. Could not identify one but the other was a Blacksnake.

 

[Mus408]

Didn't see any snakes around my range property woods last year but I'm sure they are out there especially along the creek.
Supposed to be 80+ degrees tomorrow and I will be out there doing some shooting....it was 50 degrees yesterday!! Anyway my 20 gauge Shockwave with birdshot makes and excellent snake gun for the copperheads!

 

[Jeepnik]

Don't kill them if I can avoid it. Last one died because I wasn't looking where I was stepping, and it was likely it or me. Nice rattles though. :)

Paul, don't let them ruin your fun. Take enough gun and a friend or two. These days I mostly go with my eldest nephew. Having a deputy sheriff in the other seat is a good thing. :D

 

[arfmel]

Four of my six ranch dogs were bitten by rattlers around the house and barn over the past 10 years. Two were bitten less than a week apart. All the dogs were bit on the nose and they all lived, although a couple of them were never the same after being bit.

I kill any rattlesnake I see, anywhere I can. And am happy to do so. I go out of my way to move non venomous snakes out of the road, though. They are beneficial creatures.

 

[SAJohn]

Dangerous critters are toast when sighted on my five acres. Other than that, the only time I ever killed one in the outback was a Sidewinder and that was to protect my dog. I mostly eat what I kill.

 

[#1rugerman]

In the late 70’s I was a pharmacister working for K&B drugs in south Alabama, one day we got a huge shipment of Easter baskets (empty) the assistant manager was unpacking them and putting them on the shelves. All of a sudden I saw him go running to the back of the store and then he came running back with a industrial mop handle, and then all hell broke loose, I ran to where he went and he was swinging that mop handle with all his might at the Easter baskets. I hollered at him , what the hell are you doing, he stopped and said “snake”, I looked and there was a small green snake, I picked it up and walked it to the rear door and turned it loose. The assistant manager in that short period of time had destroyed several hundred dollars worth of Easter baskets. He was a funny little man, ex-military (communications) passed out at the sight of blood, had to pick him up off the floor several times when someone cut themselves.

 

[Iggy]

Best saddle bronc ride I ever made was when my ol' pony stepped of into this mess one spring.

I told that ol hoss, "Buck all you want to, I ain't a comin' off today!" :shock:

 

[daveg.inkc]

There must be 50 or 60 rattlers there. Bet you could hear that buzz!

 

[Skoopski]

Thanks a lot Iggy! I was sitting at my computer looking at the above picture when my wife walked by and squeezed on the back of my neck... I may get the coffee stains out of the carpet one day...

 

[Fox Mike]

Oh my goodness that is a bunch of snakes. I have seen that many at the El Paso Rattlesnake Roundup but never in the wild. That saddle would have had 'water stains' on it had I been riding. :shock: :shock: :shock: :shock: Can't believe you went back to take pictures.

 

[Conservative]

O.K., maybe I'll go back to killing all venomous snakes I happen across, but man, I feel rotten doing so.

They're just trying to make a living, but we've a ton of flower beds and my wife is always working in one, and yes, they like the shade.

I guess with age comes a desire not too kill stuff...

 

[Jeepnik]

Four of my six ranch dogs were bitten by rattlers around the house and barn over the past 10 years. Two were bitten less than a week apart. All the dogs were bit on the nose and they all lived, although a couple of them were never the same after being bit.

I kill any rattlesnake I see, anywhere I can. And am happy to do so. I go out of my way to move non venomous snakes out of the road, though. They are beneficial creatures.

Have you looked into the rattlesnake vaccine available from your vet. It doesn't negate the need for treatment but lessens the severity and lengthens the time for response. That's a good thing for folks who don't have a vet nearby or take their dogs out and about.

 

[WendyZXZ]

We get snakes at times here, mostly the non venomous vermin eaters, they get to live, sometimes we get a copperhead or two here and those don't last long.