Snake worries

Darbyfett

Darbyfett

Joined
May 1, 2007
Messages
788
Dont get me wrong, I love reptiles, even thought about going to school for herpetology.My concern is running into something venomous while im out camping. What do you do when you run into a venomous snake? My idea(as soon as I turn 21, 2 more months) Is to get a little .22 revolver and some of the .22 shotshells, just in case I get a little to close for comfort(on accident of course). So how do you deal with snakes in the woods? Obviously watch your step, listen for any signs etc.
 
Never had too much of a problem, Ran in to a couple of bad boys in central america one of them was in the sink of my cabin, took about an hour with a babmoo curtain rod an a pillow case to catch him and throw him outside. Most times that I have encountered venemous snakes they have always been more interested in getting out of my way tha in biting me. but than again I live up north and we only have 2 venemous species here in the southe I think you guys got 2 more species....a 22 revolver is a great thing to have when camping for alot of reasons...there good for small game and sometimes it's nice to have a little something to keep the boogie man at bay, and it will certainly handle a snake. but I wouldn't lose sleep over it, most venemous snakebites in the us while very serious...are rarely life threatening and of the bites that occur most are dry bites (no venom) and the vast majority of bite occur to snake handlers or people who are attempting to catch snakes..I like snakes and all reptiles alot, and recently read a pretty detaile article on snakebites in a medical journal which is wear I got some of this information.
 
Leave them alone unless you intend to eat them.

I usually just cut a switch and give em a whack. Saves ammo for something that runs away faster.
 
38 special rat shot or a knife works well for me. I have killed poisonous snakes with Machetes, shovels, a hoe, Weed eater, truck tire, hammer, pocket knives, fixed blade knives, 40 S&W, 357 magnum, 38 spl, 9mm, 12 gauge bird shot, 22 lr and rat shot, and a few other items. I mostly have killed copperheads but every once and a while I will get a rattle snake, water moccasin, or a coral snake.
 
Wow, ok I feel alot better. Thanks guys.

For the boogie men I will have one of my AK47s and as soon as I turn 21 a .45ACP in some form. Just think I would like to have a little .22 packed away on my persons. Of course for state park camping, It will have to be only a .22 revolver or .45 if I get my CHL
 
RescueRiley , all snakes are protected in NYS. The DEC thinks rattlers and copperheads are extremely rare here ! We have a rattler rich mountain in town if you're interested. ...All you need is a hiking stick for defense ,but leave them alone unless you have little kids. Then it's SSS !
 
When I was younger and fished a lot I carried a S&W .22 Kit Gun with a 4 inch barrel at all times. I kept the first 2 or 3 chambers in the cylinder loaded with shot loads, followed by LR hollowpoints in the remaining chambers. Usually 1 or 2 loads of "rat shot" would take care of snakes at a range of roughly 5 feet, but I had the LR hollowpoints to follow up with if needed. By sure to stick with a revolver because the .22 shot loads won't function in an automatic. The newer S&W Kit Guns are made of stainless steel now, and that's good. Ruger's single action revolvers are great, too. You can get the very compact Bearcat model, or the more nearly full size Single-Six model, and both come in blue or stainless. The .22 Magnum shot loads are not that much more powerful than the .22 LR shot loads, and I don't see any need for them unless you plan on going where BIG snakes abound. The Ruger Single-Six model usually (if not always) comes with an extra cylinder so you can choose to shoot either .22 LR or .22 Magnum. For something bigger than most snakes grow the .22 Magnum is a lot more effective. Happy snakin'! :D
 
mete said:
All you need is a hiking stick for defense ,but leave them alone unless you have little kids. Then it's SSS !
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This is what I was going to say. A good walking stick is just about the perfect defense against snakes. Most aren't agressive anyway. The exception, in my experience, being the watermoccasin. A cottonmouth will come after you. To hell with defense. Get the hell out of there.:thumbup:
 
mete and fiddleback I couldn't agree more... I really enjoy seeing snakes. But lie I've said have "knock on wood" have never had a problem that slow movinvg and ingenuity haven't been able to handle with a stick you don;t even have to hit te snake but just create some distance as an extreme last resort...WHen I was litle we had a copper head in the wood pile. we didn't mind som much because it mean less rodents in the house. it just meant I had to look before I grabbed some wood...er maybe that didn't sound right....Mete where abouts are you?? I
 
I usually leave them alone and they leave me alone. But last year camping i did use a cast iron skillet on one that would not stay away from the tent.
 
kyhunt said:
I usually leave them alone and they leave me alone. But last year camping i did use a cast iron skillet on one that would not stay away from the tent.
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He fried up good, right? "Tastes like chicken." :D
 
Same as what others are saying. Know where they tend to be and don't stick your hand there without looking, but in general, they'll either leave on their own, or ignore you. We have copperheads and timber rattlers around here, and I've never had to take any defensive action against a snake, other than walking around it.
 
Rescue Riley , I'm in Sullivan Co.... The "NYS Conservationist" magazine once had an article about copperheads in NYS. The "snake expert" stated that if they exist at all in NYS they are extremely rare .The magazine was immediately bombarded with letters ,especially from the Catskill Mtns, inviting him to see copperheads in their neighborhood !! I could tell you lots of other snake stories involving the idiots at the DEC.
 
mete said:
RescueRiley , all snakes are protected in NYS. The DEC thinks rattlers and copperheads are extremely rare here ! We have a rattler rich mountain in town if you're interested. ...All you need is a hiking stick for defense ,but leave them alone unless you have little kids. Then it's SSS !
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there protected also in PA.
but most shovels come standard with silencers, so you never hear them go off?:D
we get most of them here before they get to you. sorry about that.
but if you are thinking of moving try maryland or better DC. every time i travel down that way i see more snakes than you can shake a stick at.:eek: :D :D

BTW lead repellent really works for them, but i never liked shot for 22, just practice and get that clean shot.:thumbup:
 
BTW, water moccasins are not edible. Meaning: they taste horrid.

I was almost bitten in the face by one once. But on the brite side, my bowels were nice and empty afterwards.
 
If you feel you have to kill a snake just because you encounter it while you are blundering through the area where it lives, then you probably have no business being there in the first place. I deal with them just like I deal with all wildlife: I try to disturb them as little as possible as I walk around or away from them. You will only truly understand and appreciate nature when you operate within and in cooperation with it while making as little impact on it as you possibly can.

Killing wildlife is only justifiable when you are doing it for food or are under attack. If you want target practice go to the range.
 
I have encountered rattlers in areas that I frequent. One July, when they are especially active, there were three, two in front of me and one behind me. None of them rattled, but when I spotted the first two in the trail ahead of me, I slowly looked behind me and there was one just emerging from the brush. I stood absolutely still and because I wasn't affraid at that point, the snakes didn't feel threatened and within a few minutes, disappeared into the brush on the other side of the trail, as they were making their way to the water source nearbye.

Carry and use a 60-72 inch hiking staff. If you encounter a snake on your trail, either go around if possible, or gently move it out of your way with your staff. If you surprise the snake by stepping over rocks or logs and step close enough for it to bite you, don't move a muscle and remain calm. If you step on it, you're bit, but either way, you've learned a serious lesson. Always make sure that you can see where your next step is and what's around it, before taking the step. Same goes for resting/relieving yourself. Always make sure you won't be sitting on a snake. :D
 
Honestly, I don't see why it would be such a big deal to cut a stick with your knife or hatchet and relocate the snake. I have a pair of tongs and I actually go out looking for them to photograph. I've lived in Louisiana for a number of years where water Moc and Copperhead are plentiful and I've never had one "come after me." We'd be sitting in the boat and one would skim up and check us out, but they'd never jump up in the boat or try to strike up at us. Most of this hype is just like the whole "Wolves tried to eat me" mentality. I'm in Arizona now, and still no problems with snakes, I don't wear shin guards or snake boots and I never have a problem with them.
I could see being a little bit leary if you were in Africa in black mamba or spitting cobra territory, but other than that WHY shoot a snake? Overcome your fear, do the right thing and simply move the animal.

I don't mean to be condescending or anything, I just think it's ridiculous how many people would rather just "be done" with the animal and kill it. I love to hunt myself, but I eat what I kill, period.
 
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