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firearm for trapped copperheads

Reading Wiki, FWIW, there have been 16 snake bite fatalities in the US in the past 5 years.
At least 6 of those were from bites received from 'pets', or during religious ceremonies.
The one fatality listed for Texas was from a pet cobra.
Of the 16 snake related deaths, 2 were known to be Copperheads (both in Missouri) , and 1 of those deaths was listed as heart attack.
I didn't look up the number of kids hit by cars playing in their yards, but I'm guessing it's more than 16 in the past 5 years.
Having said all that, I have the same visceral reaction to snakes as most people...even the occasional ribbon snake I come across.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_fatal_snake_bites_in_the_United_States
 
Ah heck. I just couldn't let this thread go on without posting this pic from my "What's for Dinner" folder. This is a shot from back in my days when if it lived, it soon died and got ate.



Snakes are a valuable natural resource as well as a source of protein. They also keep the feint hearted out of some of your favorite fishing spots.;) For killing them I agree with the CCI 22 LR shot shells. For cooking them I recommend flouring them with Krusteze Bake and Fry and a medium skillet with about a half cup of oil. Don't over cook. jd
 
gambleone said:
That's great, now when I'm out by the streams, I'll be trying to smell for pickles o_O
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Not an expert, but I think they prefer old stone foundations over wet areas. Son killed one at an old farmhouse where he lives. Also a local contractor was bit multiple times while working in a crawl space and survived after treatment. The pickles smell comes from a friend who was stationed in Oklahoma while in the service who claimed they were everywhere on base. I really have no first hand experience with them ....or want any.
FWIW, I don't believe they lunge at you like a provoked rattlesnake, so I'm thinking a garden tool will suffice.
 
Copperheads are known to frequent the electrical power source boxes on ground level in NW Arkansas. If there is one in the box, most generally there's two. The power company guys are on high alert working around those boxes. :eek:
 
We had one back in VA that curled up near the front porch; not a problem since we normally went in via the garage. SHMBO came home one day and took exception to the snake being there and went inside and got my Ruger Single Six that was loaded with 6 rounds of snake shot. She shot the snake 6 times because "every time I shot it, it moved."

Dennis
 
DeltaBravo said:
We had one back in VA that curled up near the front porch; not a problem since we normally went in via the garage. SHMBO came home one day and took exception to the snake being there and went inside and got my Ruger Single Six that was loaded with 6 rounds of snake shot. She shot the snake 6 times because "every time I shot it, it moved."

Dennis
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Ruger now makes one that holds ten, I think. Sounds like a reason to buy a new gun!
 
LHSmith said:
Things I learned recently about copperheads - 1/ they smell like pickles....
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Growing up in a 'coon huntin' family in the Knobs Region of Kentucky, we younger hunters were constantly admonished to be alert for cucumber or watermelon vine scent when hunting, especially since raccoons rarely occupied the usual cucumber/watermelon smelling places, especially with a bunch of my relatives and hunting dogs.
Any local "tough as saddle leather" matriarch from my youth would tell you that a sharp gooseneck hoe is the best weapon for a copperhead. That means turning it loose and giving it a sporting chance right before you cut its head off.
 
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They are Pit Vipers so they strike just like rattlesnakes. They do not bite.... they stab. Interesting critters, they can rotate their fangs from being against the roof of their mouths to almost sticking straight out. If they break a fang off another is right behind it. Where are our resident herpetologist?

I believe God had a hangover when he did the R&D on poisonous snakes.
 
bsekf said:
They are Pit Vipers so they strike just like rattlesnakes. They do not bite.... they stab. Interesting critters, they can rotate their fangs from being against the roof of their mouths to almost sticking straight out. If they break a fang off another is right behind it. Where are our resident herpetologist?

I believe God had a hangover when he did the R&D on poisonous snakes.
Click to expand...

They are a result of the fall of man into sin
 
When I see that this thread has gone up to 56 posts, (and still going), and some of the freaky ways of killing snakes you guys have come up with -- well I'm wondering how come no one has invented a commercial "SNAKE SPRAY"!!:p

This is getting as good as the ever present pistol forum thread, "How Much Gun For My Vacation in Bear Country??"..:rolleyes:

Carry on.:) jd
 
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