I was in a conversation recently which turned in the direction of serpents, and not the two-legged kind. I’ve never had to shoot a human being, but have found it necessary on occasion to dispatch poisonous snakes. Each time that happened, I was VERY glad to have a pistol on my person.
What’s the collective experience out there? I’m no herpetologist, but I keep hearing from folks who live in rattlesnake country that today’s rattlers have learned to keep silent and not give warning before they strike. True?
Please share experiences here.
This is rural Alabama. I average 5-10 poisonous snakes each year. Mostly copperheads and cotton mouths, with the occasional rattle snake. My record, so far has been 58 cottonmouths in one summer 3 years ago. This year, so far, 9 cotton mouths, one rattler. I’ve used all gauges of shotguns from 20 to 10 ga. and snake shot in .45ACP and .44mag. High boots are required, don’t put your feet down anyplace you can’t see the ground. In the woods, I let them be. They have a place in nature. Close to the house and in the pond, I shoot them out.
I have tried some of the Remington .45 ACP shotshells described by Will and they functioned perfectly and patterned quite well. Never got a chance to use them on a snake though. If you can still find some, buy them.
Many moons ago, I loaded some Speer/CCI shot capsules in .38 and .44 caliber. I didn’t like their factory loads with #9 shot, so bought some .22 Magnum shotshells and cut them open to get the #11 pellets, then loaded them in the larger calibers. The .44 capsules in .44 Special cases worked especially well and I used to carry this load in a Mag-Na-Port modified Charter Arms Bulldog I won at one of the Second Chance bowling pins shoots many years ago. This revolver wasn’t much good for defense, but great for snake protection with five rounds of my handmade shotloads.
Nowadays, one of the .410 revolvers would be perfect for poisonous snakes and loaded with some .45 Colt JHP cartridges, would do well for defense against two legged snakes too.
I have tried some of the Remington .45 ACP shotshells described by Will and they functioned perfectly and patterned quite well. Never got a chance to use them on a snake though. If you can still find some, buy them.
Many moons ago, I loaded some Speer/CCI shot capsules in .38 and .44 caliber. I didn’t like their factory loads with #9 shot, so bought some .22 Magnum shotshells and cut them open to get the #11 pellets, then loaded them in the larger calibers. The .44 capsules in .44 Special cases worked especially well and I used to carry this load in a Mag-Na-Port modified Charter Arms Bulldog I won at one of the Second Chance bowling pins shoots many years ago. This revolver wasn’t much good for defense, but great for snake protection with five rounds of my handmade shotloads.
Nowadays, one of the .410 revolvers would be perfect for poisonous snakes and loaded with some .45 Colt JHP cartridges, would do well for defense against two legged snakes too.
I have tried some of the Remington .45 ACP shotshells described by Will and they functioned perfectly and patterned quite well. Never got a chance to use them on a snake though. If you can still find some, buy them.
Many moons ago, I loaded some Speer/CCI shot capsules in .38 and .44 caliber. I didn’t like their factory loads with #9 shot, so bought some .22 Magnum shotshells and cut them open to get the #11 pellets, then loaded them in the larger calibers. The .44 capsules in .44 Special cases worked especially well and I used to carry this load in a Mag-Na-Port modified Charter Arms Bulldog I won at one of the Second Chance bowling pins shoots many years ago. This revolver wasn’t much good for defense, but great for snake protection with five rounds of my handmade shotloads.
Nowadays, one of the .410 revolvers would be perfect for poisonous snakes and loaded with some .45 Colt JHP cartridges, would do well for defense against two legged snakes too.
I have tried some of the Remington .45 ACP shotshells described by Will and they functioned perfectly and patterned quite well. Never got a chance to use them on a snake though. If you can still find some, buy them.
Many moons ago, I loaded some Speer/CCI shot capsules in .38 and .44 caliber. I didn’t like their factory loads with #9 shot, so bought some .22 Magnum shotshells and cut them open to get the #11 pellets, then loaded them in the larger calibers. The .44 capsules in .44 Special cases worked especially well and I used to carry this load in a Mag-Na-Port modified Charter Arms Bulldog I won at one of the Second Chance bowling pins shoots many years ago. This revolver wasn’t much good for defense, but great for snake protection with five rounds of my handmade shotloads.
Nowadays, one of the .410 revolvers would be perfect for poisonous snakes and loaded with some .45 Colt JHP cartridges, would do well for defense against two legged snakes too.
I was at Boy Scout camp many years ago and had the distinct misfortune to step on 6 foot copperhead that was sunning itself on a rock – still don’t know how I didn’t see him first! There were no fatalities, just a young lad in need of fresh undies!
I was at Boy Scout camp many years ago and had the distinct misfortune to step on 6 foot copperhead that was sunning itself on a rock – still don’t know how I didn’t see him first! There were no fatalities, just a young lad in need of fresh undies!
Hog’s love rattlers, the local folklore is that because of the hog problem the snakes have stopped rattling.
Hog’s love rattlers, the local folklore is that because of the hog problem the snakes have stopped rattling.
I’m in the FL panhandle, about 10 miles south of the AL border. So far, the only rattlers I’ve encountered have been sunning themselves on the road. I do see the shed skins quite often though. I encountered a Cotton Mouth while mowing, but it was moving away from me.
From my reading, I’ve learned that snakes can not hear, they don’t have ears; they do though, feel vibrations.
Until I moved here, I did not know about this. For the dogs, they now have a rattlesnake vaccine. My dog gets the shot every year. I asked the vet if the vaccine was effective for other snake types, they said they did not know for sure, but suspected it would not be.
I’m in the FL panhandle, about 10 miles south of the AL border. So far, the only rattlers I’ve encountered have been sunning themselves on the road. I do see the shed skins quite often though. I encountered a Cotton Mouth while mowing, but it was moving away from me.
From my reading, I’ve learned that snakes can not hear, they don’t have ears; they do though, feel vibrations.
Until I moved here, I did not know about this. For the dogs, they now have a rattlesnake vaccine. My dog gets the shot every year. I asked the vet if the vaccine was effective for other snake types, they said they did not know for sure, but suspected it would not be.
I’m in the FL panhandle, about 10 miles south of the AL border. So far, the only rattlers I’ve encountered have been sunning themselves on the road. I do see the shed skins quite often though. I encountered a Cotton Mouth while mowing, but it was moving away from me.
From my reading, I’ve learned that snakes can not hear, they don’t have ears; they do though, feel vibrations.
Until I moved here, I did not know about this. For the dogs, they now have a rattlesnake vaccine. My dog gets the shot every year. I asked the vet if the vaccine was effective for other snake types, they said they did not know for sure, but suspected it would not be.
I’m in the FL panhandle, about 10 miles south of the AL border. So far, the only rattlers I’ve encountered have been sunning themselves on the road. I do see the shed skins quite often though. I encountered a Cotton Mouth while mowing, but it was moving away from me.
From my reading, I’ve learned that snakes can not hear, they don’t have ears; they do though, feel vibrations.
Until I moved here, I did not know about this. For the dogs, they now have a rattlesnake vaccine. My dog gets the shot every year. I asked the vet if the vaccine was effective for other snake types, they said they did not know for sure, but suspected it would not be.
My brother, an Arizona MD and scientist in his 60’s has been a rattlesnake fanatic for over half a century (photograph, catch, keep, raise, study, map, etc., not kill). He relayed interesting statistics: half a dozen Americans die a year from snake-bite. (Yes, he has been bitten, and it was serious and NOT pretty, and probably would not have happened if he had not tried to move it bare-handed for a better photograph).
So who gets bitten? Well over 90% are: Male, age 18 to 25 years, have recently consumed alcohol, and have been in contact with snake in excess of one-half hour. (Guys, hold my beer and watch this!)
My brother, an Arizona MD and scientist in his 60’s has been a rattlesnake fanatic for over half a century (photograph, catch, keep, raise, study, map, etc., not kill). He relayed interesting statistics: half a dozen Americans die a year from snake-bite. (Yes, he has been bitten, and it was serious and NOT pretty, and probably would not have happened if he had not tried to move it bare-handed for a better photograph).
So who gets bitten? Well over 90% are: Male, age 18 to 25 years, have recently consumed alcohol, and have been in contact with snake in excess of one-half hour. (Guys, hold my beer and watch this!)
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