Author Topic: Copper headed water rattlers. (Read 8085 times)

mechanic · « **on:** March 23, 2010, 03:44:43 PM »

Old Lewis Grizzard used to speak of the dreaded copper headed water rattler, a name he applied to all snakes. Saturday, my wife tried to move a big flower pot for me to mow, and all she could do was slide it a bit. I got off the mower and picked it up to move it, and was just fast enough to avoid a snake bite. As it was, he hung a fang in the top of my hand, but didn't inject venom. Copper head, about 16". Now Sweet Thang won't go outside without boots and gloves!

I'm a bit more watchful my ownself.

In case you need to know, a size 9 work boot trumps a 16" snake.

Ben

Swampman · « **Reply #1 on:** March 23, 2010, 04:02:24 PM »

Why'd you kill it?

mechanic · « **Reply #2 on:** March 23, 2010, 05:39:02 PM »

Quote from: Swampman on March 23, 2010, 04:02:24 PM

Why'd you kill it?

I kill all poisonous snakes in urban areas. My grandchildren and wife live here. In the woods I let snakes pass, for then I'm on their turf.

res45 · « **Reply #3 on:** March 24, 2010, 05:08:29 AM »

Quote

Why'd you kill it?

Most snakes I don't bother copper heads if I see one on my property there dead,small children,pets they take no prisoner it's just not worth taking the risk,if you ever see the results of a bit it's not pretty. I had a big one come right up to the sliding glass door and lay right up agents it,I had gotten down on my knees to clean out the door track and lube it and when I slid it open there he was right in my face,a quick backward roll saved me front being bitten on the face or neck.

Thats why when I'm out mowing my property I carry my 357 Mag. snake loads.

Dee · « **Reply #4 on:** March 24, 2010, 05:49:12 AM »

Copperheads are plentiful where I live also. I feed a Jack Russel Terrier all the Science Diet dog food he can eat to keep them killed, and he does his job. A copperhead will not run, he will lay and wait for you to step on him. A friend of mine a few years ago was cleaning out flower beds and got bit on the hand. He almost lost the hand, and did loose a lot of flesh. It could have been one of his grand kids, and as small as they are it might have killed them.

AtlLaw · « **Reply #5 on:** March 24, 2010, 07:56:17 AM »

Quote from: Swampman on March 23, 2010, 04:02:24 PM

Why'd you kill it?

He just sent that belly-crawlin sinner home is all...

I dunno why but it almost seems like CH's are drawn to populated areas... $:-\$

gypsyman · « **Reply #6 on:** March 24, 2010, 08:52:08 AM »

One reason I like living in this part of Ohio. Very few snakes, and none of them poisonous. gypsyman (except for the 2 legged kind)

AtlLaw · « **Reply #7 on:** March 24, 2010, 09:39:48 AM »

Quote from: gypsyman on March 24, 2010, 08:52:08 AM

Very few snakes, and none of them poisonous.

$:-\$
Well, where do you get your Rattlesnake meat for deep fryin from?

qajaq59 · « **Reply #8 on:** March 24, 2010, 12:57:42 PM »

A google search will get you a whole list of them. (Sale rattle snake meat)

AtlLaw · « **Reply #9 on:** March 24, 2010, 03:11:03 PM »

Quote from: qajaq59 on March 24, 2010, 12:57:42 PM

(Sale rattle snake meat)

Hummmmm $:-\$ I didn't know they was a cash crop!

They grow wild 'round hereabouts!

Heard Florida had a few they own self. $:-\$

Oldshooter · « **Reply #10 on:** March 24, 2010, 04:05:03 PM »

Goes to show I'm not a cast bullet aficionado. I figgered this was about a new bullet or sumpn.

Richard, I can get you some fryin snakes fer free!

D Crockett · « **Reply #11 on:** March 24, 2010, 04:49:25 PM »

could of got you a 5 or 6 ft rattler today it was not near any houses or anyone so I left it alone first one I have seen in the wild in a few years now Crockett

AtlLaw · « **Reply #12 on:** March 24, 2010, 04:50:55 PM »

Quote from: Oldshooter on March 24, 2010, 04:05:03 PM

Richard, I can get you some fryin snakes fer free!

Naw, I much prefer the Eastern Diamondback. Deep fried in peanut oil they is sweet and juicy... Them Western DB's is tough... stringy... Kinda like comparin Herford steak with Caprito (sp)

qajaq59 · « **Reply #13 on:** March 25, 2010, 12:58:20 AM »

Last time I saw a rattler he was setting on a ledge as I was repelling down the cliff. NOT a good way to meet one. I dropped a good ten feet, skidding all the way on the sharp rocks, while my brother laughed his head off. Ahhh, the good old days of misspent youth!!

Lloyd Smale · « **Reply #14 on:** March 25, 2010, 02:43:04 AM »

Im a big brave boy and wouldnt run from 6 men with clubs but even a garder snake turns me into a little girl. We dont have any poisonous things up here and its lucky or id probably never leave the house!! KILL THEM ALL BEFORE I GO DOWN THERE PLEASE!!

Oldshooter · « **Reply #15 on:** March 25, 2010, 04:20:50 AM »

Quote from: Lloyd Smale on March 25, 2010, 02:43:04 AM

Im a big brave boy and wouldnt run from 6 men with clubs but even a garder snake turns me into a little girl. We dont have any poisonous things up here and its lucky or id probably never leave the house!! KILL THEM ALL BEFORE I GO DOWN THERE PLEASE!!

I can respect an honest man! even if hes askeeered of snakes!

I myself dont like to be "surprised" by one for sure! I recently blew a big o hole in my wife's chicken coup with a 410, when a big stick wudda sufficed, to rid it of a rather large chicken snake.

Dave in WV · « **Reply #16 on:** March 25, 2010, 03:49:55 PM »

I keep a sharpened hoe in the garage for snakes.

Smokin Joe · « **Reply #17 on:** March 25, 2010, 04:06:04 PM »

Quote

Why'd you kill it?

Quote

Im a big brave boy and wouldnt run from 6 men with clubs but even a garder snake turns me into a little girl. We dont have any poisonous things up here and its lucky or id probably never leave the house!! KILL THEM ALL BEFORE I GO DOWN THERE PLEASE!!

If it don't have rattles........................it's a cobra!

hillbill · « **Reply #18 on:** March 25, 2010, 04:06:39 PM »

i lived with copperheads for years here. once i got all the brush dozed back a reasonable distance and kept all the crap out of the yard they disappeared.i killed 4 of them in my house.none of them were aggressive at all.they will bite if yu invade their space, they wont kill yu but yu might wish yu was dead afore its over.honestly i think they were just there to eat the rats that lived under my trailer house afore i built a real house.

qajaq59 · « **Reply #19 on:** March 26, 2010, 01:53:18 AM »

As a rule I don't kill snakes. I figure anything that eats rats, mice, and/or bugs can't be all bad.

rugerfan.64 · « **Reply #20 on:** March 26, 2010, 02:07:16 AM »

As opposed to some of the posters here,I feel it is my duty to kill snakes. If I see them I just cant help myself. The best tool I've found is a Kaiser blade. Unless I have a shotgun

guzzijohn · « **Reply #21 on:** March 26, 2010, 04:28:12 AM »

Years ago in the Humor and Uniform section of readers digest a guy wrote that he was on patrol in Nam and the point man on that day. They were in some pretty hot territory so trying to keep quiet. A snake crossed in front of him and he just reacted by emptying his M-16 on it. While his LT. was chewing on him for breaking silence the Lt. asked him if there was some better way of dealing with the snake. The guy replied by saying he didn't think there had been enough time to call in an airstrike.
GuzziJohn

halfbreed · « **Reply #22 on:** March 27, 2010, 07:52:52 PM »

Rarely do I kill snakes, I have been bitten by both a copperhead, and a water moccossin, while swimming. Both times were under the water.
I have been known to stop while driving and move them across the road. They have and serve a good purpose.
I also like to eat the big rattlesnakes in Texas. Lloyd, I thought the U.P. of MI. had rattlesnakes throughout? When I was a kid in detroit, one of our neighbors was bitten by a big ole rattler up there. or maybe it was just northern MI.?
John

Dee · « **Reply #23 on:** March 28, 2010, 02:24:48 AM »

Do you mean to say that you were bitten by a Copperhead that was not only "in" but, also "under" the water at the time you were bitten?

mjbgalt · « **Reply #24 on:** March 28, 2010, 03:21:01 AM »

swampy, that snake said nasty things about remington and he couldn't help but kill it, to defend your honor.

AtlLaw · « **Reply #25 on:** March 28, 2010, 09:14:20 AM »

I believe it! Them snakes is mean, spitefull critters!

halfbreed · « **Reply #26 on:** March 28, 2010, 04:22:24 PM »

Dee, that is exactly what I am saying. And there was a fairly thick dark yellow fluid running from both fang marks when I got out of the water.
The water moccossin, was not as bad as the copperhead, but its bite was harder and it was bigger also. Both bites hurt though.
John

Dee · « **Reply #27 on:** March 28, 2010, 05:12:29 PM »

I didn't know until curiosity got the better of me, that they are the leader in snake bites in the United States. Explanation is that they are more plentiful. They seldom kill, but I would imagine that it most certainly was an attention getter when you were bitten. I didn't know they got in water, and could find nothin on that aspect.

mechanic · « **Reply #28 on:** March 29, 2010, 02:05:54 AM »

Many years ago I had an uncle that went squirrel hunting and got bit on the hand when he sat down next to a tree. He killed the snake and put it in his coat pocket and drove himself to the ER. All was well until someone asked him if he was sure it was a copper head. He pulled it out of his pocket to show them and cleared the room....

SHOOTALL · « **Reply #29 on:** March 29, 2010, 03:11:36 AM »

I kill copperheads around my home almost every year . Longest so far 43 inches nieghbor has killed a 44 and a 44.5 incher . Smallest was about 12.5 inches , killed it in the bath room !