A problem serpent

[BilletHead]

          As some of you may know from other posts I do not have a phobia of snakes. Some of you all do really badly. Even poisonous ones do not bother me but I do respect them. Usually a few pictures and I am good to let them go forth and do their thing. Been known to get a stick and flick them off the road so as to not get run over. I have seen copperheads close to home but today it was one in the yard. I mean right out the back door thinking he was hid under the back deck side cover. Hidden behind the wildflowers. I actually could smell him and that got me to poking around and looking. If I could of got him pinned I would of took him down or up the road for release. As you can see there was no way as he would of just went under and disappeared. Our Sadie dog has no fear and loves to harass snakes. She has never been bit and I would rather not this be the first time. Grand kids come up too and don't need that hanging around either. I with regret took care of the problem after taking a few pictures for the snake lovers here,

   BilletHead

   BilletHead

[Deadstream]

Shoulda just reached in there and grabbed it.   Thats what I would have done.  After I blew the fence to sawdust.  Im not really afraid of them as long as I see them first.  What do they smell like?

[MOPanfisher]

Poisonous nope, venomous yes. . I like snakes but never judge anyone who deals with a snake close to home where kids or dogs are at risk.  I have often thought about taking an old golf club and making a snake hook, but it would never be with me when I wanted it.

[ozark trout fisher]

One thing I like about snakes is that they tend to give off that musty smell when they are pissed at you. Learning that was really helpful for me.

I respect snakes and their place in the outdoors, though I'll readily admit my fear. I would never kill one if I didn't have to, and thankfully I haven't yet. But I judge no one who has to in order to protect their family. We'd all do the same.

 

 

[Blll]

I too try to let them be outside and don't bother them. But when one wound up in my garage, I had to react quickly and end him. My main worry was he would get under my shelf units and I'd never find him........but I would always know he was in there somewhere. 

[Deadstream]

So they smell like a rank Black snake.   Gotcha.   They always get a free pass from me unless like you guys are saying just to close to home.  We only really have Timber Rattlers around me in Mo and little (protected)  Massasagua Rattlers in Michigan. Rare, but we do find them.

[fishinwrench]

I had one hanging out by my mailbox. Sorry, but he had to go.  

One got my dog on the paw last year, and judging from the distance between fang marks he/she was a biggun, and he (the dog) wasn't far from the house when it happened. Cost me 350.00 at the vet. I haven't seen that one yet but if I ever do it's a goner.  No regrets.

[ozark trout fisher]

 

I had one hanging out by my mailbox. Sorry, but he had to go.  

One got my dog on the paw last year, and judging from the distance between fang marks he/she was a biggun, and he (the dog) wasn't far from the house when it happened. Cost me 350.00 at the vet. I haven't seen that one yet but if I ever do it's a goner.  No regrets.

Both my dog and my brother's both managed to get bit by a timber rattler in the Shawnee National Forest. We were way back there, so carrying them out to the truck wasn't fun...and as you mention, the vet bills very much were not either. It also happened on a Sunday, when no vet office in rural Southern Illinois was open, and we actually had to convince one to come in by basically saying we'd pay him whatever the hell he asked.

I remember he put something on their paws (where both were bit) that is generally used to extract poison and other nasty stuff from wounded cattle. Guy said he'd never tried it on a dog, but no anti-venom was available for rattlesnakes for people in that area, let along a dog, so it was our only shot. It was a nasty, months- long recovery but both were ultimately okay, if more wary of snakes than they were.

We really thought they were gone. My pup (who was younger, and more seriously affected, seemingly) was quite literally foaming at the mouth on the car ride to the vet, it just seemed a matter of time. But the odd, mismatched treatment worked. I knew they'd ultimately be okay when we've stopped at a McDonalds drive through an hour or so later, and both demanded to take part in the festivities.

[tho1mas]

B.H.- What gauge or cal. did the job & did you skin it for a hat band?

[BilletHead]

 

B.H.- What gauge or cal. did the job & did you skin it for a hat band?

    .22 up close and right in the old noggin. As in the photo his head was right smack dab over his center mass. Hollow point and under the head I about cut his body in half. There went the hat band, I still feel kind of bad,

  Billethead