Please do not Kill the Babies.
- Thread starter Jeb Stuart
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The Evangelist Cowboy
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While I may be among the last people that should be saying something against this post, let's not get the thread closed because we dragged religion into a query about snakes and our relation to them as outdoorsmen. As a reminder there are certain beliefs and religions that hold the snake in high regard and there is no assumption to believe everyone on the high road follows the Judeo-Christian view of them.
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Jeb Stuart
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Be nice if you actually read the post above. Clearly said that in your yard is different from going into the woods. The idea that you think anyone cares more about a snake than a dog or your wife is insane and no one said any such thing. Hopefully if you are that concerned about your dogs and wife, with the fear that you do have, then it might be a good idea to stay out of the woods, Forrest and swamps. That kind of fear and a firearm just do not mix. At least, hopefully you do not hunt the same neck of the woods I am in.My gosh, with the amount of snakes we have, you slinging lead all over the place would sound like a small war going on.
The Link in the first thread was sent my the Virginia Wildlife Commission. They sent the message to make people aware of them and ask folks to just avoid them rather than kill them in their natural habitat. They did not say anything about YOUR yard.
In your own yard, shoot till your heart is content. Fill em full of holes. Lol.
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Jeb Stuart
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Obviously you never saw the movie Willard. I would much prefer the snake over a filthy Rat. All kinds of Diseases, just nasty creatures. By the way, know the food chain. Rats will eat Dog Crap, then when you have rats, you get the snakes. Want to keep snakes away from your house. Clean up the dog poop.
earlthegoat2
Member
On that note I was just reminded, it is illegal in GA statewide to kill any NON-venomous snake.
Black snakes (king snakes) eat poisonous snakes. So those that kill them are literally killing the help. The snakes most often confused with water moccasins (cotton mouths) is not the king snake. But the banded water snake.
Outdoorsmen should know the difference and if they’re scared, “should” just avoid them. You’re much less likely to get bit if you take a couple extra steps around them rather than standing your ground trying to kill them. We’re supposed to be conservationists after all.
Outdoorsmen should know the difference and if they’re scared, “should” just avoid them. You’re much less likely to get bit if you take a couple extra steps around them rather than standing your ground trying to kill them. We’re supposed to be conservationists after all.
marksman13
Member
The woods are my yard. One big piece of property. I’ve spent most of my life hunting and fishing. I’m comfortable in the woods. I’ve just got enough sense to remove creatures that can seriously hurt or kill me without ever being seen. You do your thing. I’ll do mine.
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entropy
Member
I have never killed a snake, though I have eaten rattler, quite tasty. Out on an FTX once, the Lt. I worked with killed a garter snake. While he was doing that, I was in the field latrine watching a 6 foot bull snake work it's way around the wall of the latrine. Didn't bother me. The Lt's boss, the S-4, who was SF, wanted to make the LT eat the garter he killed, but the CO overruled him.
Double Naught Spy
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FL-NC
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Like any other snake if you want to kill it. Birdshot to the head at close range gets it done. I have a couple rounds stored next to my Mrs. FL-NC's single shot 410 if I find another dangerous reptile around the house.
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Jeb Stuart
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Nice video Double Naught. And love the fact that you can just relocate him. Much better than shooting a firearm in a neighborhood. Not to mention inside your house, attic, etc. Which by the way, depending on where you live can get you into serious trouble. Discharging a firearm in some jurisdictions. If you have a fear of them, then just easier to call a Pro. There are of course other critters that invade a home. Had one of installers for security Systems go into a attic and a Possum jump onto his face and latch on. Horrible wounds to his face. He said he had to really hit it hard to knock it off. Ironically he said the rabies shots were worse than the attack.
I have seen people where I live literally go hysterical over the presence of a snake. 9 out of 10 times it is a harmless garden or water snake. Even with the abundance of Cottonmouths etc in my area, you very seldom hear of any one bit. And then it is some fool doing something stupid. Like the kid that caught a Cottonmouth and had his hand and around the snakes neck. The snake had enough room to reach back and give his a strike. And I do not blame the snake, I would have done the same thing.
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Jeb Stuart
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Again, I get it. You kill Poisonous snakes in your yard. But if you are going beyond your yard, do you go looking for them to kill? And if you come across one in particular, then you probably walked by 10 more that you did not see. But if you have spent a lot of time in the woods as you say, then you would know this. I understand having a fear like "ophidiophobia" but just going out into the woods and just killing any snake is really just not right and totally unnecessary. Killing the random snake in the woods is going to accomplishes nothing. Nothing except some personable pleasure or unwarranted fear.
Yes, when I do go hunting I will do my thing and leave any snake alone. I guess you can do your thing and just kill them. But I am trying to figure out what makes you think, you can kill any wildlife beyond your yard based on your personal preference?
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rayatphonix
Member
We killed 6 copperheads within 30 feet of our house last year. 4 were in contact with our home. We leave them alone in the wild, but not at the house. Non poisonous snakes are encouraged and even relocated to the area around the house. With humans and dogs, I think it was the proper decision.
Keeping venomous snakes alive is like keeping an uneven temperamented dog. It may be nice to people until it bites them.
I lost a great hunting dog to a snake bite and I have a toddler and an infant.
All venomous snakes die. King snakes, rat snakes, garters, etc get a free pass unless my brush hog finds them.
I lost a great hunting dog to a snake bite and I have a toddler and an infant.
All venomous snakes die. King snakes, rat snakes, garters, etc get a free pass unless my brush hog finds them.
beeenbag
Member
Granted I am in my yard more than in the woods, but I have never seen a copperhead in the woods. That's not to say I wasn't near one or one didn't see me, but from my perspective, it seems they tend to find their way toward homes and buildings rather than staying in the woods. This would make sense as their food sources also migrate towards humans to scavenge their own food.
marksman13
Member
It’s quite simple, the land I hunt is land I own. Seeing as how I am paying for the place I’ll do as I damned well please when it comes to getting rid of nuisance animals. Wild pigs, coyotes and venomous snakes die on sight. The only other place I hunt is owned by a veterinarian whom treats a dozen or so snakebites a year. He has the same standing rule. Nonvenomous snakes get a pass. Venomous snakes die. You do things differently and that’s your perogative.
jmorris
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buck460XVR
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Snakes are predators and like any other predator, if there are a lot of them around your house....then there must be a lot of prey. Like any predator tho, they can become pests or too numerous. If it is legal to kill them where you are and you feel somehow threatened, than one must do what they feel they must do.
marksman13
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MacAR
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All snakes die around me, end of discussion. If I'm at home they get a .22 or a cotton hoe. In the woods, they get whatever I've got in my hand from a .22 to an '06. I hate snakes with a passion. The only good one is a dead one, especially when it's in my chicken house or around my garden.
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Jeb Stuart
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A lot of unnecessary firepower for that little guy. He would have been easy to relocate. I get the feeling you just enjoy shooting them more than fear them.
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Jeb Stuart
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Some folks hate chickens. Do you kill every thing you hate? There are a lot of folks like yourself. Yes, they will come into the Forrest and Yes, kill any snake and does not matter much to them Poisonous or not. Most will not even take the time to find out. Some think the snapping turtle just getting some sun of a log is just a fee target for any fool with a gun. I guess they can justify with killing them with some kind of hate. When I was a kid. I saw a guy on a boat take out a shotgun and shoot off about 30 yards away to blow apart a Water Snake. I thought it looked beautiful and so natural in the early morning hour, just gracefully gliding along the surface. Just doing what was natural for him, out to get a fish or frog for Breakfast. Watching this jerk kill it, made me sick to my stomach. There are times when I wish that some of these people, when they pass on, come back as a Snake. What a Poetic justice that would be.
(But fear not from me, if you do come back as a Snake. I would just say good morning to ya and happy hunting.)
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beeenbag
Member
What is the size of said snapping turtle? There are few things in this world that make my mouth water like cast iron pan fried snapping turtle.
cheygriz
member
It seems that oil and coal are not the only victims of environmental fanaticism. We now have a growing group of big city snake lovers.
In Colorado, the enviro-loonies have managed to get rattlesnakes protected.
In Colorado, the enviro-loonies have managed to get rattlesnakes protected.
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