libertarian5

Well, I'm a field suveyor myself and actually I've worked in the woods almost all of my life. I have worked in Mississippi, Alabama, Louisiana, Texas, and various other snake filled states on oill field projects for over 30 years. I've seen hundreds - probably thousands of snakes and I've never killed a single one of them. I've never been bitten, either. (I have come a little too close a couple of times.) There have been three snakebites on the crews I worked on over this entire time. One occured when a brush cutter killed a rattlesnake with a machete then decided to pick it up. Another time a helper was messing around with a cold, sluggish cottonmouth one morning and got nailed on the hand. Third time a crew caught a small rattlesnake and was bringing it to the office to show everyone when it got loose in their truck. All three incidents could have been avoided by the use of a brain. (Think Darwin here.)

The reason people kill snakes is because they can. Usually, there is no logic for it, whatsoever. I could possibly see a problem when they stray into a neighborhood with kids and pets, but that is it.

Snakes do more good than they do harm. The overpopulation of prarie dogs (think bubonic plague, here) in recent years due to rattlesnake roundups is a good case in point.

My CCW is for those snakes that walk upright on two legs, not for the other kind.

mr surveyor

Well, I guess that settles the issue of anyone ever needing a "snake gun".

mrhutch

if i saw a big rattlesnake, i would shoot it.

and then clean it, bread it, and fry it :)

snake meat is goooooooood

but if it was too small to eat, i would let it be. unless it had already bitten me, then i might be a little bitter...

realitycramp

My father swears by CCI 22 Magnum shot in his Smith Ultralite for the copperheads in our neck of the woods. Whatever I was carrying has always been sufficient for me. When I can't carry (in the field, only new carrying in civilization) I usually have my hiking staff which has a spike at the end. Snake shish kabob is almost more fun...

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sass20485

I'm +1 with DNS & Sixto.

crzy4guns

Speaking strictly as an EMT, I would not advise anyone to handle or move any snake that they may encounter. Too many people have been bitten by venomous snakes while trying to imitate the Crocodile Hunter. Stand still and let the snake crawl off away from you. If you are in a precarious situation, and the snake is cornered, then shoot if you have to as there is no other option in this case.

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kentuckycarry

Some of these comments sound like the same things the anti's say. An unfounded fear of something dangerous, so lets just get rid of it.
No offense to anyone, but it boils down to ignorance or "lack of knowledge" on the subject. Just like the anti's, I'm not going to change anyones mind. But when the rats and mice that carry diseases take over, you'll know why. And snakes carry no diseases.
Killing something "just because it's there", I'll never understand.
I do have an understanding of snakes because I use to do school educational programs. I had rattlesnakes, cobras, 16 foot pythons, you name it, and I've bred them all also. I still go to Cottonmouth dens every year. I've seen thousands I guess and funny thing, one has never "come after me".

mtnfreak

Walk heavily and carry a big stick. Add one of these to you pack, just in case:



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Law without force is impotent.
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firestarplus

Do some of you belong to PETS (people for the ethical treatment of snakes)?

thecheat

Actually just read in the Maxim that came in the mail the other day that sucking the poison only spreads it. First thing I would do before thinking about defense is thinking about treatment. Call around to hospitals and make sure you know which one has the anti-venom you need.