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Post by cmustard on Sept 25, 2011 7:00:34 GMT -5
Yesterday a land owner who wanted me to trap on his property decided he wanted to show me around. We got on the AFV and off we go. He took me over the entire farm - great look rock outcrops for cats - thick cover on bench for greys - open pasture for coyotes. The property has two main creeks that empty into a river on his property. Being the good host he was, we went to all the available entries and found a lot of coon, beaver, and otter sign as well as seeing a mink running the bank. He had two boats on the creeks and told me to use them. One flat bottom boat was up on the bank and had a little water in it. Get where I'm going here?? He said "Let's empty this water out - you get near the back and I'll get up near the front and we'll lift this side up and dump the water". OK. Now, I'm wearing tennis shoes! We lift the boat and he yells "COTTONMOUTH". I look down and sure enough, about 2 feet from my tennis shoe is a cottonmouth. He says - hold still and let me get the gun. MAJOR PUCKER FACTOR. I'm staring down at this moccasin who is coiled and does not look to happy. The land owner goes back to the 4-wheeler which was parked a few yards away. It seemed like it was parked a mile away. I'm wanting to drop the side of the boat but also worried that the snake would strike if I moved at all and did not want to risk that. Also, wanted that booger dead. FINNALY after what seemed several minutes but was actually only a minute or two, the land owner returned with the 22 Hornet he had on the 4-wheeler. He said " I cant' seem to get a good shot! By this time I am starting to sweat blood. I told him just to make sure he got a good head shot or I would be in trouble. Dang, that Hornet was loud at up close. Dirt flew up in my face and I think so did part of that snake. But the head was obliterated. MORAL!! Don't lift a boat with tennis shoes on or don't go out with land owner scouting: or don't do either NOT SURE WHICH! True story. Nearly scared the water out of me when it was happening but I can see the humor in it now.
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Post by Law Dog on Sept 25, 2011 8:11:15 GMT -5
Heck its just a lizard with no legs buddy, misunderstood too! LOL Glad to hear it worked out for the best! Maybe look into a new pair of boots for the season! LMAO
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Post by cmustard on Sept 25, 2011 8:31:01 GMT -5
Jerry; I am not really afraid of snakes. Heck, I have had guys bring live rattlesnakes to my place and pour them out of the bag or bucket they had them in and I check them over before putting them into a pillow case and dropping them in a freezer to take a nap. It is just that normally, I am wearing boots. This one caught me off-guard. My only recourse was to stay perfectly still with that snake literally 18 inches from my foot and leg and coiled , ready to do his business. I sometimes get tickled when I would take someone "snakin" with me and they have a blue racer or old chicken snake trying to climb their leg. That is a hoot! This time it is someone else getting to "hoot" at me!! FUN AIN'T IT! P.S. I'd much rather deal with a diamondback that a cottonmouth. Those cottonmouth just normally have a very nasty disposition.
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Post by Law Dog on Sept 25, 2011 8:38:48 GMT -5
Its funny what we won't put up with to live our outdoor dreams ain't it! Heck I never said you were afraid of snakes I just thought you were afraid of getting bit by one! Big difference LOL
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Post by cmustard on Sept 25, 2011 9:00:00 GMT -5
Jerry; I bet you have seen someone unknowingly get close to a snake and do a funny chicken dance. Almost like a grouse when it is "drumming". If someone had been able to take a pic yesterday, they would not have seen that but sure would have seen me wide-eyed and a little pale. LMOAO!!! The extra O is for old.
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Post by Law Dog on Sept 25, 2011 9:12:21 GMT -5
Jerry; I bet you have seen someone unknowingly get close to a snake and do a funny chicken dance. Almost like a grouse when it is "drumming". If someone had been able to take a pic yesterday, they would not have seen that but sure would have seen me wide-eyed and a little pale. LMOAO!!! The extra O is for old. Done that dance a few times myself too! I too am not "afarid" of snakes but try to avoid being bit at all cost! About stepped right on a hognose one day and they look like a prairie rattler so the funky chicken dance was done that day and is never to be repeated again I hope! LMAO
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Post by cdr on Sept 25, 2011 9:21:58 GMT -5
The first part of that story sounded so great! I really can not post what I think about snakes on here due to the Forum rules... lol
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Post by bigtwinhd on Sept 25, 2011 9:34:18 GMT -5
You boys keep your snakes O death. I'll settle with bears anyday. They ain't hiding under rocks or boats too easily!
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Post by cmustard on Sept 25, 2011 9:40:01 GMT -5
Law Dog; I hope you didn't hurt the hognose. I had one as a pet when I was a kid and when my son was young, I found one for him as well. They can be very comical when puffing like a cobra and then rolling over with their tongue hanging out like they are dead. If you havent seen that, try getting them a little mad and defensive and they will put on a show for you. While they look deadly, they are really pretty harmless.
cdr; I figured from where you live, you would probably be a rattlesnake wrangler. If not, you and Law Dog come on down here in early Nov. and we can work some den areas that have some 6 foot diamondbacks. Lots of fun and profitable too.
Like Waylon Jennings sang many years ago-- "I've always been crazy, but it keeps me from going insane".
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Post by Law Dog on Sept 25, 2011 9:50:33 GMT -5
Hech no I knew when he did the fake death roll it was a hognose we just parted ways and went on with our days! Until I got a good look at him at first was when I was a bit worried! I avoid snakes on the road here they do more good then harm and many get runover by others so I give them a pass unless it a rattler!
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Post by bobo on Sept 25, 2011 9:55:09 GMT -5
I liked the hole story .I did not see the snake comeing,I figured coon or skunk...lol Bob O
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Post by cdr on Sept 25, 2011 9:56:26 GMT -5
You wont catch me stumbling around those S.E. Okla woods........ Its not the stills that I'm worried about finding either..lol You fellas too crazy for a westerner like me....lol We have the short rattlers around here.... And evey snake is "dealy" to me as I may hurt or kill myself trying to get away from them!!
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Post by cmustard on Sept 25, 2011 10:15:23 GMT -5
Sorry guys; but I can't be on here for a few hours-- going to church, might ought to say a little prayer after yesterday, cause I sure had some impure thoughts. LMOAO
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Post by dtraper on Sept 25, 2011 13:09:59 GMT -5
Ahh-just a snake-every time I head out for the water or timber in the summer I hear -watch out fer the snakes- from the wife-heck shes meaner then any old rattler-D-
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Post by cmustard on Sept 25, 2011 15:02:18 GMT -5
dtraper; better not talk to much. She might know how to use poison as well. LOL
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Post by minifoxer on Sept 25, 2011 15:38:10 GMT -5
Geez, I HATE snakes with a PASSION!! I can't stand those little scaley devils, no mater what kind! There is no way I would have stood still for that long ! As soon as i saw it, I woulda be half way across the field! LOL
Glad he killed it!!
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Post by cmustard on Sept 25, 2011 16:24:13 GMT -5
Mini; That's called a phobia. lol The problem was: if I moved, I got struck - if I dropped the boat, I got struck. So the best course of action I could decide on was to be perfectly still until the landowner killed it.
I once put a prairie king snake in with a rattlesnake and watched as the rattlesnake bit the king snake several times- yes, the king snake got very sick, but eventually killed the rattlesnake by constriction. Around here, prairie kings are often confused with a copperhead because of the color configuration and killed. I never kill a king snake. They kill other snakes so I have an affinity to them. Had a big 3 foot female that would wrap around my neck and just stay there as long as I would allow her to. I would walk around in the pasture with her around my neck and she never once offered to strike me. I let her loose in the barn and she stayed there for several years before finally disappearing. Miss that old gal. Not all snakes are bad.
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Post by redrooster on Sept 25, 2011 16:45:20 GMT -5
I definately have a snake phobia. I grew up on the Red River in Oklahoma, it was not uncommon to find a rattlesnake, copperhead or an cottonmouth in the yard on a near daily basis. I do not kill snakes that are harmless to me, but they still scare the crap out of me for a second until I get it identified. Thankfully where I live now, we have few snakes....
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Post by minifoxer on Sept 25, 2011 17:20:52 GMT -5
I definately have a snake phobia. I grew up on the Red River in Oklahoma, it was not uncommon to find a rattlesnake, copperhead or an cottonmouth in the yard on a near daily basis. I do not kill snakes that are harmless to me, but they still scare the crap out of me for a second until I get it identified. Thankfully where I live now, we have few snakes.... EXACTLY!! Just for that second or two, before the proper identification, is done proccessing in my head, I jump, and yell!!! Or the other reaction is to grab a the nearest rock or stick, and smack it good! Usally, I jump and yell (make a fool out of myself) and then when i relize, "oh it's a snake" I get mad, and kill it. CM...phobia it is then!! If i where in your case, I would have got struck. When I first see a snake, I NEVER freeze, I can't. I could try my hardest, and i could want to freeze, but my reaction, is to jump, and yell for some reason.
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Post by javery on Sept 25, 2011 17:24:48 GMT -5
I dont mind snakes at all. I have had several snakes in my lifetime. I even had some that i milked and sold the venom to make anti venom. I treat all snakes as a hot (poisonous) snake till i can identify them. Here where i live we have some inner breeding happening. I caught a red rat snake that had pits and one fang. Sent it to Auburn University and they said it was from a non hot snake breeding a hot snake.
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Post by cmustard on Sept 25, 2011 17:28:03 GMT -5
Red; Where along the red river? Eastern part of the state or western?
BTW, back in the 70's I sold fur to a buyer in Wellington Ks that bought a lot of fur. Last name Boatright. He lived outside Wellington and he turned rattlers loose in his building at night and gathered them each morning. Said he did it to discourage thieves. At least that is what he claimed.
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Post by cmustard on Sept 25, 2011 17:32:51 GMT -5
javery; That is really odd! I have never heard of it but don't doubt it. I have worked dens that had several different species in the den, hot and non hot all together. so I guess they might crossbreed.
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