45" Rattler almost got me this morning

Elvis

so what your saying Grumulkin is that if a wild boar / water buffalo/lion/leopard/spider in the bathroom is charging because we are in its space we should move out of its way/comfort zone????
as for being in the wrong zone... how much hunting DO you do? most of the animals I encounter are in the thick stuff cause thats where they are hardest to find and feel safe.
what would have been the reaction if the snake had been left and the next day someone got out of thier car for a comfort stop and gets bit on the bum for thier trouble by the same snake that appears to have an attitude problem. Over here in the land of the long white cloud if my dog bites you in our section it gets put down.hows that for defending its territory.

Bushmaster

Rattlers are not always found in the brush. Most of the ones I have ran across were sunning themselves in the middle of the trail.

Ominivision1

I agree 110% with yah Elvis.

radar

All I can say is like Elvis; thank christ there are no dangerous critters in NZ apart from people. Although some "hunters" shouldn't have ever got licences or guns!

DallanC · Site Admin Joined: Jan 18, 2005 Posts: 3572 Location: Utah

Lets not get an argument going over this. There is no shortage of rattle snakes where I live. In fact the main canyon closest to my house derives its name from the sheer number of rattle snakes there.

-DallanC

Bushmaster

Aah Mr. Dallan...We are just having our usual discussion. I promise no one will start throwing rocks----yet.

Sometimes I kill venomous snakes (we have three here. Copperheads, water moccasins [cotton mouths] and timber rattlers). Sometimes I don't. Depends on where (barn or paddocks) they are and whether they are going. Away from me or standing their ground.

So far this year I have killed one copperhead (next to barn) and let one rattler and a copperhead continue on their way.

dhc4ever

I love it when the kiwi's chime in about snakes, they have so many in the shakey isles, almost as many as we have honest prime ministers. Smile

ie none
Dallan, glad to hear you survived without being bitten or pulling a a heartelage and ended up having a good day out with the boy.
Snakes over here at least usually give a warning if they cant bugger off quietly first, YMMV depending on thet type of snake and if its old/hurt/ or feeling trapped.
71/2 shot works well over here too.

Grumulkin

DallanC wrote:

Lets not get an argument going over this. There is no shortage of rattle snakes where I live. In fact the main canyon closest to my house derives its name from the sheer number of rattle snakes there.

-DallanC

Well, you said they were protected. I could use the same arguments you have used to kill all sorts of stuff. If I wanted to kill a bear, I could say I didn't want someone to accidentally run into it and get killed. If I wished to kill a deer any old time I could say there were plenty of them and it wouldn't matter.

You say there is no shortage of rattlesnakes where you live. So, first of all you should be taking precautions to avoid getting bitten since you know they're there and secondly killing one, if they're really so plentiful, didn't do much to prevent others from running into one.

I know about snakes, by the way, having caught, studied, observed and collected them. My point is not that they should never be killed but that wildlife laws should be obeyed unless there is truly an imminent danger to human life which in your case didn't apply since you saw the snake, it was living where it belonged and not around your house and you avoided it and were thus in no danger of being bitten.

You know I'm right, by the way.

SyberShooter · Member Joined: Jul 23, 2010 Posts: 93 Location: Arizona

Glad you got out of the way in time. Down here in AZ, we have Mohave's and Diamondbacks where I live and other varieties elsewhere in the mountains. I once read a statistic that said on average there are 4 rattlers per acre.
They are known to stand their ground and will become aggressive when encountered. (although its said they're not territorial). Despite what some snake hobbyist might say from the rattle snake safe fields of the mid-west....

Not one I come upon has ever retreated and all have either struck out or prepared to. Unfortunately you are usually very very close when you discover they are there. I will avoid them if possible when off my property but it heads-on-pikes when on my turf.
The Mohave is much more toxic but the Diamondback is much more aggressive and likely to attack. I have read that many don't rattle before striking and that more people are bitten by diamondbacks every year than the other varieties because they are aggressive.

Unfortunately, my hearing is so bad I can't hear them buzz any more unless it is pointed out to me and even then, it is very faint. I killed a Mohave under our front window last week - they are moving around during the day- he was after the cactus wren nest.

Even if they are 'dead' don't pick one up with the head still on - I was taking a picture of a buddy holding one he killed - arm outstretched to the side with the snake dangling down - when all of a sudden the neck stump came whipping up in an attempted strike and hit his side. The first thing we do after cleaning our britches is bury the head.

Best way I have found to skin one is to put it in a bag in the freezer overnight then us a razor blade to slit the belly as it thaws.

That was a close one - some angle was watch'in over you.

Elvis

Grumulkin you missed my point. I wrote "appears to have an attitude" Im sure that if the snake had given a good ol rattle or selected zone 5 extended and escaped DallanC Would have let it be. IMHO he did the right thing and doesnt deserve to have someone else bust his chops over it.

dhc4ever

Elvis wrote:

selected zone 5 extended and escaped

Thats a very fighter pilot oriented statement, are you hiding hidden talents?

Elvis

Top Gun was/is my favourite movie of all time.

stovepipe

Western Diamond Back? Pussy cat- BUT, unpredicatable. Very poor eyesight, and, a pit viper. If something is warm and the right size whipping around in their comfort zone they WILL strike, even w/o warning. I see them on a weekly basis and we have a mutual respect for one another. They are deadly. (see my pic in the bunnie trail thread)

Mojave Green Rattler? VERY aggro. They will strike w/o warning regardless of target size. They are the "killer bee's" of rattlers. I smoke every one I see and the ranchers around my spot's are thankful.

That said- instantly remove and destroy/bury the head of any rattler you subdue- for a lot of reasons. Dog's and kids are two. Just one prick from an errrant fang with any amount of juice in it is enough to do a LOT of damage. They are territorial, removing them does not good. Regardless of what anyone says, transporting it just makes it someone else's problem- just smoke it and get on with life if it square offs wit you. The couple/few a year ya puff on your property or hutning will make zero dent in the snake populus.

I wanna see some pics of that hat band man and 'grats to the yunker for knocking two silver missiles from the blue! That's a bonding experience for sure with a tiny gun!

stovepipe

Pumpkinslinger wrote:

Two words ... SNAKE CHAPS!

+1. At the minmum- I use Rattler's over-legger's to the hip (large ones can reach up and out there)...kinda noisey but they work. Seeing what venom does to flesh and how long your'e in the hospital? You pop me and I pop you w/ #12 outta my sunbby. I'm going home. Snake's a coyote meal, State wont allow us to make bands and stuff outta snake etc, or so I hears. So, the varmint's gettum. We took a FAT 38" Mojave Green back to camp Upland opener 2009. Was a real eye opener for the boys hunting in shorts. Screw that.

ROADJOCKY

jUST SHOOT IT!! Mad