Pests/Ctrl I shot an intruder today

Raggedyman

Res ipsa loquitur
went into the cucumber patch this afternoon to get a few for Raggedyann . . . this guy was there hiding in the mulch right next to a big cuc I'd left to go to seed . . . my left hand was within 8" of him before I saw him way down in the mulch. I have the habit of shifting things around with a short handled hoe before I go reaching in . . . didn't do that THIS TIME. can you spell L U C K Y kids? he taped out at 29" and girth the size of my wrist at his mid section . . . that's a big copperhead for these parts. in the 20 years I've had this place I've only killed one bigger than this here.

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West

Senior
One that size in the chicken nests box. They are just as bad (for chicken egg rustlers,) as the average six foot long rat snakes we have.

Had to relocate(in pieces) a cotton mouth the other day too in the lower pond. He let me shoot him in the head as he hissed and came at me, their brave and the most aggressive around here.
 

Raggedyman

Res ipsa loquitur
One that size in the chicken nests box. They are just as bad (for chicken egg rustlers,) as the average six foot long rat snakes we have.

Had to relocate(in pieces) a cotton mouth the other day too in the lower pond. He let me shoot him in the head as he hissed and came at me, their brave and the most aggressive around here.

cotton mouths have the absolute WORST case of attitude don't they?
 

frazbo

Veteran Member
went into the cucumber patch this afternoon to get a few for Raggedyann . . . this guy was there hiding in the mulch right next to a big cuc I'd left to go to seed . . . my left hand was within 8" of him before I saw him way down in the mulch. I have the habit of shifting things around with a short handled hoe before I go reaching in . . . didn't do that THIS TIME. can you spell L U C K Y kids? he taped out at 29" and girth the size of my wrist at his mid section . . . that's a big copperhead for these parts. in the 20 years I've had this place I've only killed one bigger than this here.

I detest them things...living in the Ozarks, we have them on our property and you really have to watch where you're walking. During the day, they coil up in the shade but easy to see...we just nail 'em with a sharpshooter (shovel)...can't tell you how many we've removed from their bloodline this summer alone. Pygmy rattlers too. Blacksnakes in the coop? Every week we used to haul one out..until I started spraying Clove oil around the coop and the door step...they won't pass that. I put ceramic eggs in all the boxes and they use to eat those, for some reason so off to the back forty with 'em...after they've been disposed of. Told DH and DS, they can now officially add: "Snake Wrangler" to their resume. Did I mention I hate those things? Ugh!

Glad you got it before it got you.
 

AlaskaSue

North to the Future
Raggedy...I can’t even think about how that would freak me out. We walked through meadows and ancient forests yesterday - but snakes/spiders never crossed my mind. Bears however... ;).

Lord help me when I move to Florida...
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Raggedyman

Res ipsa loquitur
Raggedy...I can’t even think about how that would freak me out. We walked through meadows and ancient forests yesterday - but snakes/spiders never crossed my mind. Bears however... ;).

Lord help me when I move to Florida...
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oh my but that's BEAUTIFUL Susie!!!!!

ETA: the whole time I lived in central FL (30 yrs) I never saw a copperhead . . . but we'd kill Eastern Diamond backs and cotton mouths all day long! :ecrz:
 

Bensam

Deceased
I know! For sure, but it’s where my grandbabies now live...no choice really, for AlaskaSue ~~ not just spiders and snakes...they have alligators! Alligators! ;) Maybe I need to add a shovel (as Frazbo used) to my EDC...
While Florida is full of snakes, I have seen the biggest and fastest spiders there. I hate spiders. Damn they can be sooo big down there.
 

Raggedyman

Res ipsa loquitur
While Florida is full of snakes, I have seen the biggest and fastest spiders there. I hate spiders. Damn they can be sooo big down there.

the big wolf spiders in particular . . . they can carry off a palmetto bug. FL rednecks like to keep a team of them harnessed up in case somebody gets stuck at the mud pit . . .

7:15 run time so just jump to the 2 min mark and you'll get the idea why a team of 4 of these guys can pull a semi out of a ditch . . .
 

Txkstew

Veteran Member
Years ago, a guy I know came upon one like that, in the woods near his house. He put the stock of his rifle on the head of the copperhead, and picked it up. The snakes head was too far from where he grabbed it, and was able to reach around and bite him on his thumb at the knuckle.

He said it was like fire right away, and he sucked the wound. His teeth immediately started to burn and ache. Him and his buddy jumped on their dirt bike and hauled ass to his house near by, and took off in his car to the hospital 10 miles away. He said it took less than 20 minutes to get there.

He said when they got to the hospital, his hand and forearm had swollen up like a surgical glove blowed up with air. A cut on his hand started to split open. The doctor said they would try to save his arm. The doctor also said they don't give anti -venom most times, as it can cause more problems than help.

They took him into surgery, and cut him open from the thumb, up his forearm, to the crook of his elbow. They surgeon must have had a sense of humor, as he made a curvy snake like incision up his arm. This was to let the swelling drain for a couple of days. They then closed the wound and he healed up fine except the bite site, which turned black and took a long time to heal. He does have a cool scar to show off.
Oh, and he lost a bunch of his teeth soon after.
 

AlaskaSue

North to the Future
with views like that why would you want to leave? Beento Florida a few times......its ok to visit but wouldn't want to live there.
Mercy, I agree! And I don't WANT to move away from here to anywhere. But if I don't, I won't see my grandbabies grow up. Missed too much already :( So, 'tis snakes, spiders, gators, and heat for me -- but I'll be with my Gkids for more than a few days a year. :)
 

Raggedyman

Res ipsa loquitur
Years ago, a guy I know came upon one like that, in the woods near his house. He put the stock of his rifle on the head of the copperhead, and picked it up. The snakes head was too far from where he grabbed it, and was able to reach around and bite him on his thumb at the knuckle.

He said it was like fire right away, and he sucked the wound. His teeth immediately started to burn and ache. Him and his buddy jumped on their dirt bike and hauled ass to his house near by, and took off in his car to the hospital 10 miles away. He said it took less than 20 minutes to get there.

He said when they got to the hospital, his hand and forearm had swollen up like a surgical glove blowed up with air. A cut on his hand started to split open. The doctor said they would try to save his arm. The doctor also said they don't give anti -venom most times, as it can cause more problems than help.

They took him into surgery, and cut him open from the thumb, up his forearm, to the crook of his elbow. They surgeon must have had a sense of humor, as he made a curvy snake like incision up his arm. This was to let the swelling drain for a couple of days. They then closed the wound and he healed up fine except the bite site, which turned black and took a long time to heal. He does have a cool scar to show off.
Oh, and he lost a bunch of his teeth soon after.

with a copperhead bite its the toxcity and residuals of the localized soft tissue effects. I can not believe how incredibly fortunate I was to skate on such a S T U P I D move. I know better than to reach down on the ground and move things around or out of the way with my hands. there is a lesson in PRESENT TIME CONSCIOUSNESS if I've ever seen one - "BE mentally where you ARE physically " . . . and not off thinking about what's got to be done tomorrow . . . which is exactly where I was when this happened
 

Raggedyman

Res ipsa loquitur
No one has actually told me this (there is no link) but I believe Florida grows 17 lb. spiders to feed the 50 lb. iguanas and if there is a puddle chances are good there is an alligator in it.

well I can't speak to the 17 lb spiders . . . but the 50 lb iguanas and 'gator in every puddle - - - dat'ud be REAL honest ta gudnes sho nuf truff
 

nebb

Veteran Member
Mercy, I agree! And I don't WANT to move away from here to anywhere. But if I don't, I won't see my grandbabies grow up. Missed too much already :( So, 'tis snakes, spiders, gators, and heat for me -- but I'll be with my Gkids for more than a few days a year. :)
We moved from Pa to Wa state to be with our grandsons......been here 4yr now and boys are now 5&7. I miss the snow and friends but love being Pap to my GSs
 

cyberiot

Rimtas žmogus
Oh, the adrenaline!

Killed a black-tailed rattler at our cabin a few years ago. Made a hatband out of his skin and a
Christmas tree ornament out of his rattle.

Named him Earl--'cuz Earl Had to Die o/~ la la-la-la lahhhhhh la . . . o/~
 

West

Senior
And that's why I put up with snow in the winter. :)

Hunting above 5000 feet in the Marble Mountain wilderness area, I had a green timber rattler almost land on me from a evergreen tree. Their protected, so I'll just say I let it go. Like I almost did in my pants.

The area is usually snow covered half the year.

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packyderms_wife

Neither here nor there.
cotton mouths have the absolute WORST case of attitude don't they?

yep and the ****ers can swim, had one chase me on the Iowa river one year when canoeing... everyone kept saying it wasn't a cottonmouth, got photos of it when it opened its mouth to hiss at us, DNR guy was gobsmacked because they're not supposed to exist in this part of Iowa. We have armadillos here now, so why not cottonmouths as well?
 

Ractivist

Pride comes before the fall.....Pride month ended.
Snakes have always been a consideration on home site. Living north of the cotton mouths in central Illinois is fine with me. Been down south and Missouri, I'll pass. Not afraid of snakes at all, have caught n handled plenty, one coral colored snake in Phoenix, maybe maybe not.......it's the ones you don't see that concern me, as in this thread.
 

West

Senior
yep and the ****ers can swim, had one chase me on the Iowa river one year when canoeing... everyone kept saying it wasn't a cottonmouth, got photos of it when it opened its mouth to hiss at us, DNR guy was gobsmacked because they're not supposed to exist in this part of Iowa. We have armadillos here now, so why not cottonmouths as well?

I like going pond hopping in our AO. Most ponds around here have cotton mouths if no one has cleaned them out lately. I've had to use my fishing pole several times to defend myself. Sometimes they can sneak up on you while fishing.

Takes a few extra seconds to get my sidearm out and ready. I have a good heavy duty 6 foot+ pole.

Once one was attached/biting on a fat bass I had on a stringer in the pond. When I pulled my fish out, was very mad and even after I shot him.. had to throw the fish away too.

Once a year I'll harvest one nice size bass.
 

ginnie6

Veteran Member
Mercy, I agree! And I don't WANT to move away from here to anywhere. But if I don't, I won't see my grandbabies grow up. Missed too much already :( So, 'tis snakes, spiders, gators, and heat for me -- but I'll be with my Gkids for more than a few days a year. :)
That I can understand. I am coming to the slow and painful realization that because of this stupid, bloomin virus I may not get to see my dd pregnant or see my first grandbaby for awhile.
 
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