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03/27/07, 10:10 PM
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Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Carthage, Texas
Posts: 12,261
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Snake Wrangling?
If you find a venomous snake on your place, what do you do? Or for that manner, any snake?
I don't mind snakes being on the place, but I can't tolerate black milk snakes in the chicken pens. I dispatch almost a dozen a year. I'd catch em and relocate em, but they're so darn quick.
This afternoon, Birdiegirl and I were constructing a new palace for some chickens, and she was chastising our farm dog for getting 'soft'... about that time his ears perked up... Birdiegirl followed his gaze and there was a huge ol timber rattler slowly easing towards my backside. I told Birdie to go get my 'snake stick' (which just the other night was a "cat stick" to get her 'boy' out of a tree) and the .22. I calmly reached over picked him up and put him in a trash can. Showed her how to handle him safely. 
It was a timber rattler, endangered in Texas. I've talked to the game warden the last two years, about timber rattlers, and if it were ok to relocate 'em. He said it was ok. So, this one got moved about 15 miles away, in the next county, in a 5000 acre block of woods, next to the river. Shouldn't be any human traffic in there till the fall hunting season. This one was right at 6' or better, and large around as my arm... I tried to get Birdie to stretch out the measuring tape  .
Birdie's passed another homesteading test... the rattlesnake test. I've found rattlesnakes to be very understanding about the whole process. Copperheads are mean little critters and I can only catch about 50% safely... the other half are dispatched. Rattlers will give you warning, and let you get out of the way... a copperhead won't give any warning, and will chase you...
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Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity. Seneca
Learning is not compulsory... neither is survival. W. Edwards Deming
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03/27/07, 10:23 PM
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Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Canada
Posts: 7,425
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this is a good reason why I like living in the northland where there are lots of snakes, but none that chase you or get ugly with venom. have fun. lol.
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The human spirit needs places where nature has not been rearranged by the hand of man.
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03/27/07, 10:23 PM
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Join Date: Feb 2007
Posts: 583
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Wow! That's a big snake! Good to see it relocated, very noble of you both.
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03/27/07, 10:39 PM
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Master Of My Domain
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Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Pennsylvania
Posts: 7,220
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i have a "zone" on the property where the wilderness ends and the self-preservation begins, lol. it is an imaginary circle of 200 yards with the house in the middle. non-venomous snakes are permitted within the sircle and venomous snakes are not...and i don't wrangle venomous snakes.
surprisingly, i haven't had to kill any snakes in a very long time...my neighbors seem to do that. of course, i think half of the "copperheads" they kill are milk snakes or water snakes, lol. i was chased through the yard once by a copperhead. it was smart enough to disappear before i returned with the boom stick.
the last copperhead i saw was two years ago while hunting mushrooms 1.5 miles away. for you hikers...it was smack dab on the appalachian trail. it was cool to see it coiled up and peaceful. i just leaned on my walking stick and appreciated it's grey beauty and then walked away. i figured i was in his back yard at that time.
as long as they don't cross the perimeter, they are cool by me.
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this message has probably been edited to correct typos, spelling errors and to improve grammar...
"All that is gold does not glitter..."
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03/27/07, 11:18 PM
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Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: Southeast
Posts: 2,492
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No venomous snakes allowed on the place for me, either. Had a couple of close calls over the years and I'm not fond of the thought of another or a possible bite. Not physically or financially able to handle it. They get dispatched with shovel or .22 when found. Nonvenomous snakes are ok. Venomous..no.
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03/27/07, 11:35 PM
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Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Colorado
Posts: 1,836
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The only common venemous snake we have here is the prairie rattler. Anytime I run across one, I usually stomp their head. Had to many friends and neighbors bitten plus numerous calves, horses, and dogs.
The dogs I've had bitten tend to go crazy anytime they see a snake after that. I mean crazy with anger. They would launch theirself at any snake they saw, and kill 'em.
Never did lose a dog.... yet! Always suffered from some necropsy though. (flesh sloughing) A horse will usually be bitten on the nose and some will die from suffocation. I did see a 200# calf die within 15 minutes of taking a hit on the nose. Older cattle must also get a bite once in a while, but whether the hide is thicker or what.... it just doesn't seem to bother them as bad.
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03/28/07, 12:16 AM
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Banned
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Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: N. Calif./was USDA 9b before global warming
Posts: 4,596
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Texican--
I'm so glad you went the extra 15 miles for an endangered species!!!
I too have found that rattlesnakes in general are rather 'polite' and given a chance, will warn you not to step on them and move out of your way when asked. It is only when startled at very close range or in immediate mortal danger that they seem to strike.
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03/28/07, 12:28 AM
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Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Virginia
Posts: 1,353
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That is a BIG snake!
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03/28/07, 02:49 AM
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Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: North America
Posts: 243
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I thought y'all ate the sneekin'/dangerous things.  I've no use for live snakes.
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03/28/07, 04:21 AM
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mini-steader
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Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: NE Ohio
Posts: 1,510
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oooooooooh...Birdiegirl is brave!
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03/28/07, 05:03 AM
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Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: Tennessee
Posts: 5,197
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Snakes are beautiful and very beneficial. Whether they are venomous or non-venomous, they are very welcome here. Many times I try to catch snakes to check out their health status (sometimes they may need to be dewormed) but I leave venomous snakes alone after being bitten by a Pygmy Rattler in Florida. It was a dry bite.
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03/28/07, 07:13 AM
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Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Allentown, NY
Posts: 224
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around here snakes get stomped into black pudding for the crows to eat. It is generally too cold for them so it is rare to see a snake, but sometimes they come out to suck an egg or something.  they give me the heebie-jeebies
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03/28/07, 07:27 AM
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An Ozark Engineer
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Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: Powhatan, AR
Posts: 9,425
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*shudder* That is a HUGE snake!
I don't mind most snakes, but copperheads are not welcome around the house & barns in any way, shape or form. Had one slither out from under the milking stand WHILE I WAS MILKING one evening last summer! It got killed, chopped in half, drowned, then burned. *shudder*
NeHi
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03/28/07, 07:38 AM
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Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Earth
Posts: 1,869
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Quote:
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Originally Posted by nehimama
*shudder* That is a HUGE snake!
I don't mind most snakes, but copperheads are not welcome around the house & barns in any way, shape or form. Had one slither out from under the milking stand WHILE I WAS MILKING one evening last summer! It got killed, chopped in half, drowned, then burned. *shudder*
NeHi
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Are you sure it's dead? ROFLMBO
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03/28/07, 07:46 AM
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Join Date: Dec 2006
Posts: 1,245
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VERY BIG for a Timber Rattler! But Texas has BIG Rattlesnakes...
I leave Bull Snakes and Garter snakes alone. (let them do as they please..good guys....and the bull snakes are rough on rattlesnakes!)
[B]I KILL ALL RATTLESNAKES (protected or NOT!) Have killed many dozens and WILL continue to do so without the least compunction as long as I live!!!!
HATE those "brats"! (look up "brat" in your unabridged dictionary and you'll see a synonym with 7 letters.) 
Bruce (Junkmanme in New Mexico) 
Last edited by Junkmanme; 03/28/07 at 07:48 AM.
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03/28/07, 08:45 AM
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Join Date: Jun 2004
Posts: 777
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I'm on 5 acres of S. AZ desert, 2 of which is fenced for yard/livestock. I have a 6 foot long stick that I use to encourage and guide any rattler I find out of the fenced area during daylight. I usually have 2 to 3 encounters with the same large rattler every year before he adjusts his schedule and starts hunting my yard at night. he doesn't want to be bothered by me or the dogs - just looking for some rodents for dinner. His presence seems to keep the other rattlers away. Between him and my cat the mice, pack rats, and gophers are well controlled. If I shot this rattler, more would keep moving in that were unfamiliar with our routines,( more chances to get bitten)and the rodent control would be disrupted. I still jump about 5 feet in the air when I see/hear the rattlesnake, but in 6 years have only had one dog bitten. That was entirely the dog's fault. He was hunting lizards and jumped into the bushes on top of the snake before either knew what was happening. Snake didn't even have time to rattle, and dog never knew what bit him. Both survived the encounter just fine.
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03/28/07, 09:33 AM
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Join Date: Jun 2005
Posts: 1,252
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Wow. That's a big snake!
I was moving some rocks from my garden area last week and came upon a snake. After I screamed and shuddered for a few minutes I caught and relocated it. It was only about 12 inches long and about as big around as a pencil. lol. I'm not sure what kind it was because it was so young/small it was hard for me to tell.
We have 5 types of poisonous snakes here. Three type of rattlesnakes, copperhead and water moccasin. My neighbor has found rattlesnakes (he cuts and sales wood by the cord so lots of wood piles).
I will dispose of any snake I know is poisonous. All non poisonous snakes are welcome to stay (as long as I don't see them! lol) Otherwise they are taken down the street and released.
Beth
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03/28/07, 09:39 AM
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Banned
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Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: Tx
Posts: 2,134
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Thank you!! I wish more, cared enough...
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03/28/07, 09:50 AM
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Join Date: May 2002
Posts: 5,373
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I don't know, Phil. Birdiegirl does not exactly look thrilled to be holding that snake there for you to take her pic.
Of the many snakes I've seen in E. Texas, I've never spotted a rattler of any kind, even though I know they are there. Mocassins and copperheads are very common, though. I've had both try to chase me when I was coming to kill them.
__________________
Society has gotten to the point where everybody has a right, but nobody has a responsibility.
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03/28/07, 10:53 AM
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Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: south east Georgia
Posts: 382
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Texican - can you explain your snake stick? We are claiming new territory this spring/summer and I am sure we will have plenty opportunity to screech and jump around snakes out on our new acreage.
Here where we are now [in the process of moving] - they are quite well behaved and we mostly see King snakes but find lots of skulls + partial skeleton leftovers of rattlers [that we don't see]. I wonder if we can/should take the king snakes with us??? Ours here are used to be shooed off the walkways + paths - I doubt that the wild ones will be as accommodating...
Can you explain how you safely pick yours up with that stick and what does the string do or is for? Thanks, Lmnde
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