He made a bad decision.

[Leo Smith]

I Was bit by a eastern diamondback in 74. The first poisonous snake bight in 50 years in South Jersey . I got a beating from Dad. I was supposed to be doing the lawn. Instead I was shooting my daisy down at the lake..Thought it was a water snake till it bit me.

 

[AckleymanII]

My first Deer hunt was in the lower part of SC when I was 14. There was a giant deer club with over 100 guys in it. I sat around the deer club all night listening to stories of Hogs charging hunters and GIANT Rattlesnakes. I prayed, "Jesus help me live through this hunt and get home".

The next morning, we had a good breakfast, and loaded up into a truck or the trailer being pulled by the truck. The hunters were dropped off at various spots along a logging road awaiting the dogs to run the deer by us. I was carrying my brand new Browning A5 3" mag with full choke, a deer's worst night mare.

Well, I killed a nice 140 lb buck and a doe out in the field in front of me, about 65-75 yards away. The Dogs ran past me so the deer were all pushed in front of the dogs, so I thought I would get down and see my deer. I got to the first one a doe, she was stone dead, then walked out further in the field to the buck, he was dead also. I was standing there at the buck and heard a rattling of a snake in the area that I had just walked through, then another started up rattling about 6 feet away from us further out in the field. This 14 year old got scared to death. The grass was about 3' high and I could not see the snakes.
Finally, I started yelling at the top of my lungs. Several guys showed up and I yelled and said, "RATTLESNAKES ARE EVERYWHERE"!! Nobody knew what to do. My dad and uncle finally showed up and they filled their pockets full of rocks. They would take few steps and throw the rocks in front of them, trying to get the snakes to rattle. Finally, dad hit one, and shot him after some very careful tip toeing and investigating. Dad and uncle Jack were side by side, throwing rocks, and finally Uncle Jack got the other snake. One of the Eastern diamond backs was 8' long and the other was 9 feet long, and were as thick as the Calf on Uncle Jack's leg.

Uncle Jack and dad decided to wait by the buck with me until the truck and trailer came around to pick up the men on their stands and their deer. As the truck and trailer full of men showed up, all were laughing at me being so scared and were teasing me. Uncle Jack being a practical joker, picked up one of the dead snakes and put it round his shoulder with both ends still wiggliing. All the men started yelling and cursing, screaming at the top of their lungs. Dad grabbed the other headless snake and threw it right on the middle of all the men sitting in the back of the truck, it was one heck of a sight to see. All the men on the truck were scared to death to get off and help load up the deer. The story became some what a of legend in tall tales of lore around the cabin for the members. Uncle Jack stretched the snake hides and put them on a board, placing the board in the club house. Many a city slicker only went on one club hunt even after they had paid their yearly dues up front!

Dad and Uncle Jack continued to go on the Deer drives, I stayed at home and shot turtles and crows with my newly acquired 6 Rem..they could have that darn snake infested place with hogs that run men up trees and Killer snakes!

I have killed every rattle snake that I have ever seen, and it has been a pile of them while living out West hunting coyotes, Doves, quail, chuckar, and deer. I don't give a darn about how they are good for the environment, or any of that horse manure. If I see them, they are dead.

Rattlesnake meat is pure white. I cleaned a couple on one quail hunt, brought them home, and cut up Sections for the frying pan. My wife started frying them, and they started crawling around the frying pan....the meal was never finished....called in a pizza delivery.

 

[Clancy]

I don’t kill them unless they’re in an area with a lot of human traffic.
My uncle got bit on the calf Thursday. Took 2 vials and is back at home now.

 

[oregonshooter]

My first Deer hunt was in the lower part of SC when I was 14. There was a giant deer club with over 100 guys in it. I sat around the deer club all night listening to stories of Hogs charging hunters and GIANT Rattlesnakes. I prayed, "Jesus help me live through this hunt and get home".

The next morning, we had a good breakfast, and loaded up into a truck or the trailer being pulled by the truck. The hunters were dropped off at various spots along a logging road awaiting the dogs to run the deer by us. I was carrying my brand new Browning A5 3" mag with full choke, a deer's worst night mare.

Well, I killed a nice 140 lb buck and a doe out in the field in front of me, about 65-75 yards away. The Dogs ran past me so the deer were all pushed in front of the dogs, so I thought I would get down and see my deer. I got to the first one a doe, she was stone dead, then walked out further in the field to the buck, he was dead also. I was standing there at the buck and heard a rattling of a snake in the area that I had just walked through, then another started up rattling about 6 feet away from us further out in the field. This 14 year old got scared to death. The grass was about 3' high and I could not see the snakes.
Finally, I started yelling at the top of my lungs. Several guys showed up and I yelled and said, "RATTLESNAKES ARE EVERYWHERE"!! Nobody knew what to do. My dad and uncle finally showed up and they filled their pockets full of rocks. They would take few steps and throw the rocks in front of them, trying to get the snakes to rattle. Finally, dad hit one, and shot him after some very careful tip toeing and investigating. Dad and uncle Jack were side by side, throwing rocks, and finally Uncle Jack got the other snake. One of the Eastern diamond backs was 8' long and the other was 9 feet long, and were as thick as the Calf on Uncle Jack's leg.

Uncle Jack and dad decided to wait by the buck with me until the truck and trailer came around to pick up the men on their stands and their deer. As the truck and trailer full of men showed up, all were laughing at me being so scared and were teasing me. Uncle Jack being a practical joker, picked up one of the dead snakes and put it round his shoulder with both ends still wiggliing. All the men started yelling and cursing, screaming at the top of their lungs. Dad grabbed the other headless snake and threw it right on the middle of all the men sitting in the back of the truck, it was one heck of a sight to see. All the men on the truck were scared to death to get off and help load up the deer. The story became some what a of legend in tall tales of lore around the cabin for the members. Uncle Jack stretched the snake hides and put them on a board, placing the board in the club house. Many a city slicker only went on one club hunt even after they had paid their yearly dues up front!

Dad and Uncle Jack continued to go on the Deer drives, I stayed at home and shot turtles and crows with my newly acquired 6 Rem..they could have that darn snake infested place with hogs that run men up trees and Killer snakes!

I have killed every rattle snake that I have ever seen, and it has been a pile of them while living out West hunting coyotes, Doves, quail, chuckar, and deer. I don't give a darn about how they are good for the environment, or any of that horse manure. If I see them, they are dead.

Rattlesnake meat is pure white. I cleaned a couple on one quail hunt, brought them home, and cut up Sections for the frying pan. My wife started frying them, and they started crawling around the frying pan....the meal was never finished....called in a pizza delivery.

I hear all that horse pucky about how good they are for this or that... Kids and dogs can get too close and anti-venom is over 30,000 for a course. Many insurance companies do not pay for it either. We do not see many where we hunt but some years its not got cold enough to den them up and we see a few. I got my ass chewed out by a veterinarian who thought i shouldn't shoot them. Two years later his dog got hit.

 

[Bocephus]

Went out to water the plants on the front today and saw that dude coiled up between a couple of flower pots, took the garden hose and sprayed him off the concrete and then shotgunned him. I leave them be when I’m out in the woods, we see a few here in Arizona but the front porch is off limits. Bad decision.

Appears you did everything right. Be careful though, a lot of states have passed laws making it illegal to “intentionally kill” any snake.
By coincidence, the rate of “accidental snake fatalities” in my area seems to be increasing exponentially!
Strange times...

 

[nakneker]

Appears you did everything right. Be careful though, a lot of states have passed laws making it illegal to “intentionally kill” any snake.
By coincidence, the rate of “accidental snake fatalities” in my area seems to be increasing exponentially!
Strange times...

In Arizona there are 13 different rattlesnakes species according to some, 4 that are protected. If you choose to kill a rattlesnake you need a hunting license or it must be in self defense, I’m not sure how they would determine that though. The rock rattlesnake, twin-spotted rattlesnake, Massasauga rattlesnake and ridge-nosed rattlesnake are the four species that are protected here in Arizona, laws vary by state.

I use to catch them all the time when I was kid. I stopped when I watched a show that showed the results of a rattle snake bite, the young man was catching them for fun too and paid a heavy price, lost the use of his right arm. In spent a year in pain.

I try not to kill them when I’m in the outdoors unless they are in an area where there’s a good chance somebody is gonna get hurt by their presence.

 

[Bocephus]

In Arizona there are 13 rattlesnakes, 4 that are protected. If you choose to kill a rattlesnake you need a hunting license or it must be in self defense, I’m not sure how they would determine that though. The rock rattlesnake, twin-spotted rattlesnake, Massasauga rattlesnake and ridge-nosed rattlesnake are the four species that are protected here in Arizona, laws vary by state.

I use to catch them all the time when I was kid. I stopped when I watched a show that showed the results of a rattle snake bite, the young man was catching them for fun too and paid a heavy price, lost the use of his right arm. In spent a year in pain.

I try not to kill them when I’m in the outdoors unless they are in an area where there’s a good chance somebody is gonna get hurt my their presenc.

In Arizona there are 13 rattlesnakes, 4 that are protected. If you choose to kill a rattlesnake you need a hunting license or it must be in self defense, I’m not sure how they would determine that though. The rock rattlesnake, twin-spotted rattlesnake, Massasauga rattlesnake and ridge-nosed rattlesnake are the four species that are protected here in Arizona, laws vary by state.

I use to catch them all the time when I was kid. I stopped when I watched a show that showed the results of a rattle snake bite, the young man was catching them for fun too and paid a heavy price, lost the use of his right arm. In spent a year in pain.

I try not to kill them when I’m in the outdoors unless they are in an area where there’s a good chance somebody is gonna get hurt my their presenc.

in the absence of a coroner or other credible witnesses, I used to fill in the Death Certificate as, "Death by Suicide." Now, strickly in the interest of political correctness, it is "CRE"...covid related expiration. Only possible explanations.

 

[snert]

I Was bit by a eastern diamondback in 74. The first poisonous snake bight in 50 years in South Jersey . I got a beating from Dad. I was supposed to be doing the lawn. Instead I was shooting my daisy down at the lake..Thought it was a water snake till it bit me.

Now THAT dates you! Get bit by a snake while shooting a bb gun unnattended AND get your Azz beat for it! God bless real dads!!

 

[Bocephus]

I don’t kill them unless they’re in an area with a lot of human traffic.
My uncle got bit on the calf Thursday. Took 2 vials and is back at home now.

Sure hope your uncles gets well. Keep us posted on his progress. Hard boots and chaps are sounding better all the time.
And, for the record, I almost never kill one...unless I see it.

 

[SEM]

Appears you did everything right. Be careful though, a lot of states have passed laws making it illegal to “intentionally kill” any snake.
By coincidence, the rate of “accidental snake fatalities” in my area seems to be increasing exponentially!
Strange times...

I wonder if they could be conditioned to strike at only the dip sticks we all love these days

 

[LarryDScott]

A few yrs back there was a reality TV show, about catching rattlers. It was very interesting and also very unnerving, even on TV. The PETA people must have got it canned. LDS

 

[nilebartram]

Heard anti-freeze is a good way to process snake skin.

 

[joshb]

I guess I’m lucky! When I moved to Texas, all the guys told me to watch out for the rattlers! I have’t seen one yet!
........and before you start lecturing me, I’m still careful and keep an eye on the ground. It’s the one I don’t see that’s going to get me!

 

[LarryDScott]

I'm so deaf, I problem wouldn't hear one if I was standing on it.
LDS

 

[timeout]

I'm so deaf, I problem wouldn't hear one if I was standing on it.
LDS

Me either but my eyes are good. If that serpent so much as wiggles his tongue I'll blow him to smitherines!

 

[Clancy]

Sure hope your uncles gets well. Keep us posted on his progress. Hard boots and chaps are sounding better all the time.
And, for the record, I almost never kill one...unless I see it.

After 30 years of wandering around in shorts and sneakers, I bought a pair of turtle skins when he got bit. I had another uncle on the other side get bit by a copperhead a few years back, but I figured it was a fluke. Two is enough to make me want chaps.

 

[Rsadams]

I assume that is a rattle snake?

Fun fact, a decapitated rattle snake can still strike and inject the venom.

It can still inject you if you step on it's head but without the head it won't do much striking.... I have killed them in the Rio grande valley that reached all the way across a dirt farm road.... Head in one ditch , tail in the other side...been a VERY long time ago , now with the round ups you don't see giant ones like that very much.... My grandfather was a huge farmer down there and said he's seen them strike the top of the rear tractor tires in the fields.... This is why I bury snake heads , to keep anything from getting poked accidentally...

 

[Chiquita]

It can still inject you if you step on it's head but without the head it won't do much striking.... I have killed them in the Rio grande valley that reached all the way across a dirt farm road.... Head in one ditch , tail in the other side...been a VERY long time ago , now with the round ups you don't see giant ones like that very much.... My grandfather was a huge farmer down there and said he's seen them strike the top of the rear tractor tires in the fields.... This is why I bury snake heads , to keep anything from getting poked accidentally...

I should have said ...the head can still strike...

 

[Rsadams]

Just a word to the wise.... Be careful posting pictures of rattle snakes... There's plenty here in Texas of course.... One of them is called a timber rattler , we have them here in central Texas.... They are even worse from what I understand than a normal rattler becouse they also have a nerve toxin mixed in.... Unfortunately they are also a protected animal and I have heard of game Wardens showing up at people's houses after posting pics on Facebook etc.. Not sure this is true or not but in this day and time I don't chance it...

 

[EOD Rob]

Had an interesting afternoon today. Got home from work and let my German shepherd out into the garage as normal. All the sudden she started running around the garage barking and trying to get to something under a cooler sitting on the floor. She is a good mouser, but never barks at small animals during the chase, so I know it was something different. I moved the cooler to find a very large dark colored snake. In NC that normally means a cottonmouth. It did not give me the time for a good look before it got up under the mower. I have already had a dog killed by a snake before, so I was not playing around. I did however, give him the opportunity to exit the area when I jumped onto the mower and just fired it up. However, I saw no snake leave from under the mower. I then hit the blades and guess what? The snake came out. It came out in several hundreds of pieces. Sounded like a fire cracker going off. The down side, after looking at the pieces, it turned out to be a Red Belly Water Snake not a Cottonmouth. Sorry bud!