First Rattlesnake of the seacon

[ustmd]

So the next door neighbor (my mother in law) was walking back to her place this morning when she ran into this one the road. She had the dogs with her (my Great Danes) who did their job --they alerted to the snake and got between it and my mother in law. who has to use a cane and had not seen the snake. Good Doggies.


Mr. Maxwell's Silver Hammer (my single shot 410) took care of the snake.

My general rule is if the snake is away from the house/barn/animal, we leave it alone. There was no way, however, I was getting the dogs away from this one, so it had to go.

 

[Ted Summey]

FIRST??:shocked:!! We see one once in awhile. Not even one a year! FIRST??:shocked:!! How many do you see a year? There is a population on Hanging Rock, a small mountain state park here, and during the heat of summer when the things are most active, we will see one occasionally.

 

[LJH]

My general rule is if the snake is away from the house/barn/animal, we leave it alone.

My approach, exactly. They're a valuable part of the ecosystem but my equally valuable part is a no-rattler zone. Glad your MIL and/or doggies didn't take a hit. Cookies for everyone! :thumbsup:

 

[MossRoad]

Meaty sucker. Make him into a belt.

 

[vabiker23518]

As Stonewall Jackson once said..."kill them, kill them all"!
Before I get jumped on, let me say: I realize they play an important part in the eco system, but when they are around the house or barn, they are gone!

 

[bullbreaker]

Thats a pretty good size one no doubt , hurry up and get it into the stew while meats still fresh !

Boone

 

[Coyote machine]

Show pics of the doggies, pls.

 

[2LaneCruzer]

So the next door neighbor (my mother in law) was walking back to her place this morning when she ran into this one the road. She had the dogs with her (my Great Danes) who did their job --they alerted to the snake and got between it and my mother in law. who has to use a cane and had not seen the snake. Good Doggies.

Mr. Maxwell's Silver Hammer (my single shot 410) took care of the snake.

My general rule is if the snake is away from the house/barn/animal, we leave it alone. There was no way, however, I was getting the dogs away from this one, so it had to go.

View attachment 308101

The varmints and I have an understanding: They stay out of my yard, my house and my shop, and they will be ok. Stray into my comfort zone, and all bets are off. Deadly force will be used, no questions asked.

 

[WM75Guy]

It's that time of the year. We are gearing up for snake season in the Emergency Department, initial and refresher training for staff on treating bites and administering Crofab anti-venom. Fortunately we see mostly copperhead bites, with an occasional cottonmouth, in our part of East Texas. The one timber rattler bite last year was really nasty. Rattlesnakes cause more systemic problems with low blood pressure and bleeding problems. Copperhead and cottonmouths cause more pain and swelling. None are pleasant.

Let's all be careful with spring cleaning around the barns and brush piles. Not paying attention around this :tractor: combined with this :snake: may equal a ride in this :ambulance: to see this :doctor:.

 

[Western]

Nice big rattler!. I've been on the look out in the sunny spots, but the only rattler I have seen here since 2004 was one I released on the property. Only 2 snakes I kill immediately, copperheads and diamond back water snakes, the rest are left alone. Rattlers will get a trip deeper onto the property.

 

[/pine]

I had always heard there were timber rattlers around here but until last year I had never seen one locally...it was only about a month later when a local man was bitten a mile or so from here...The man was picking huckleberries and was by himself...he had made it back to his truck but collapsed in the road and was in bad shape when a younger couple came across him and transported him to where they could get a signal and called 911...The man survived and I just read that his story will be featured on the "I survived" television show on the Biography channel...not sure when it will be aired...

 

[sam5570]

man i hate to see that me and snakes just don't get along. i have lived here on our family farm most all my life and my neighbors have been here over 60 years, the first rattlesnake seen for sure here i killed in my yard during dog days last summer and believe me i won't forget it. thats a good size rattler and a dead one witch is a good thing.

 

[Bob77064]

We have lots of copperheads here.

 

[Reyer Farms]

We have lots of copperheads here.

The copperhead is the worst in my opinion- no warning and highly aggressive. I'll take a rattler or cottonmouth any day over a copperhead. And I kill them ( fanged ones) all with no remorse. I do like king snakes A friend of mine told me that rattlesnakes are actually rattling less than they have in previous years. Anyone else heard this??

 

[LJH]

The copperhead is the worst in my opinion- no warning and highly aggressive. I'll take a rattler or cottonmouth any day over a copperhead. And I kill them ( fanged ones) all with no remorse. I do like king snakes A friend of mine told me that rattlesnakes are actually rattling less than they have in previous years. Anyone else heard this??

Hmmm, first I've heard of it. They don't always rattle anyway. I walked right up to one on the back of our property, he was crossing the dirt road and stretched out pretty much full length. Since he didn't coil or rattle at first I figured it was a small gopher snake but nope, nice fat rattler with several buttons. I watched him for a few minutes as he broke his 'freeze' mode and continued down to the creek. He wasn't shedding and I know he saw me but not a trace of rattlesnakey behavior. Maybe he was just in a mellow mood or stoned or something.

 

[/pine]

The copperhead is the worst in my opinion- no warning and highly aggressive. I'll take a rattler or cottonmouth any day over a copperhead. And I kill them ( fanged ones) all with no remorse. I do like king snakes A friend of mine told me that rattlesnakes are actually rattling less than they have in previous years. Anyone else heard this??

Have to disagree with this (JMO)...I've encountered lots of both copperheads and cottonmouths and in my experience the cottonmouths are by far way more aggressive...

 

[Reyer Farms]

Have to disagree with this (JMO)...I've encountered lots of both copperheads and cottonmouths and in my experience the cottonmouths are by far way more aggressive...

Well I have seen cottonmouths mad & looking for trouble, but is usually after they make their presence known. They kinda fire a warning shot. When a copperhead opens his mouth it's looking for somewhere to land. My pawpaw used to say about all snakes " he may not hurt you, but he'll make you hurt yourself!"

 

[Bladehauler]

I was working in jacksboro Texas last summer and we were told the rattlers arnt rattling any more because the wild hogs will hear them, hunt them down and eat them.

 

[Gary Fowler]

I haven't seen a rattlesnake in years. Cottonmouth, copperheads are plentiful. I kill every water snake I see in our pond as we fish around the banks and I sure as heck don't want to get bit by a moccasin. My brother in law (lives across the bass pond from me but his house is only about 75 feet from the water) seems to attract snakes to his house. He killed a big moccasin in his garage last year, several times the dogs have bayed up one in the front yard. SO FAR, none have been around my house, but it is at least 250 feet to the water from my house.

 

[jerrybob]

Thats a pretty good size one no doubt , hurry up and get it into the stew while meats still fresh !

Boone

All kidding aside........rattlesnake is not bad......does taste a little like chicken.....used to get them down in Calif......we cooked them on the bar-b-q and deep fried them as well.:licking: