Rattlesnake encounter

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This weekend, I was out hunting pronghorn and saw what looked like a snake stretched out in the grass. Looked a little closer and, yep, it was indeed a snake and had rattles on its tail. The way it was lying ON the grass and not IN the grass it looked dead and dried out. I took a step back and tossed a dried cow patty at it and it didn't move. I took a step forward and NOPE, it was alive, coiled, and definitely rattling.

I jumped back and pointed my rifle at it. Other than being coiled, it wasn't making a move to strike, but I wasn't real comfortable turning my back on it. I was out of his striking range, so I chucked a couple more cow patties its way to get it to shoo. Unless it's a knife or punch, I throw like a prima donna diva at the best of times, so the unaerodynamic shapes had no chance of getting a direct hit to really discourage him. I went to take a greater step than the small ones I had for the cow patties and he rattled some more. "Damn it," I said. Raised my rifle and sent a round to the middle of the coil. That got him to move on as he slithered away with a wound bleeding toward his tail. I considered a follow-up, but felt there was no real need to kill him.

On reflection, I recall thinking, "If I get bit, my $#!+ is f^@%ed." I was half a mile from my car, that was a mile and a half of rutted trail to an unpaved county road, which was 8 miles to a 2 lane highway, which was 15 miles from the nearest "town" without so much as a gas station. I know there was an empty volunteer fire station within a few miles of that, but I was probably looking at barreling toward a far away hospital on the phone with 911.

I'm not thrilled with my half-measure. I feel like I should have either finished him off or tried harder to back away. I didn't want to kill him, I didn't even want to shoot him. If I had killed him, regs were on my side. I could have even made a hatband and rattle for sale with my small game license. He was average size, about 3 feet in length, but there was only maybe one meal of meat on him and I wanted to focus on pronghorn. I've killed a lot of animals for food, but this is one I'd really have preferred to do differently.

Re: Rattlesnake encounter

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lurker wrote: Wed Oct 06, 2021 1:46 pm maybe add a round or two of ratshot to your kit?
If I can FIND it! Wouldn't be a bad idea for a sidearm with such. I'm already trying to find some 9mm shotshells for grouse while deer and elk hunting, but including shipping, it is like $5/round. I've got a black powder revolver that will do just as well for the grouse. I hope the odds of another rattler encounter are low enough to not warrant a weapon specifically for them and that I'm more able to just leave him alone. (Unless, I'm particularly hungry for snake meat. Not generally a fan of reptile.)

Re: Rattlesnake encounter

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I've dispatched 4 since we moved in in June, all within a few feet of the house, one inside the fucking garage and one right in front of the dog. All were accomplished with a shovel, not usually an option when hiking. 3 were nice clean decapitations. 1 was on the move and the poor guy did some suffering before I got a clean whack. I'd like to get some snake shot for the 22, but haven't tried very hard yet. Either that or lug around the 20 gauge all the time. They definitely get your blood pumping.

Re: Rattlesnake encounter

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lurker wrote: Wed Oct 06, 2021 2:13 pm what cartridges do you normally carry in the woods? rifle/handgun?
My default hunting cartridge is handloaded .30-06 180gr BTSP with 50gr of IMR-4350. If I'm just backpacking, I'll carry factory 9mm RN in either my M&P Shield or Model 59, both S&W. I have a 17 round mag for the latter if I'm in bear/moose country. But bear spray is my primary if that is my greatest concern. The Shield is more for two leggers or in a belly band if I'm out on a run on the county roads around my house at night with coyotes. If I'm actually planning on using a handgun for hunting (like for grouse while deer/elk hunting), it has to be the 59 as it's the only centerfire handgun I have with a 4" barrel, which is required by CO DOW regs. If it's specifically small game/birds, it's a Mossberg 12 gauge with factory game loads or my muzzle loader 12 gauge with 1-1/4 oz #7 shot and 89 gr powder. I don't spend a lot of day hikes in the back country. The trails I do tend to have lots of humans discouraging wildlife activity.

Re: Rattlesnake encounter

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wooglin wrote: Wed Oct 06, 2021 2:45 pm Unless they're in my yard or some other populated place, I leave 'em alone. On a trail in the boonies? I detour around. I suppose there's places where that wouldn't be possible, but not in the places I frequent.
Yeah, he probably would have just let me walk by if I hadn't walked toward him when I thought he was dead. :(

Re: Rattlesnake encounter

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Oldschool wrote: Wed Oct 06, 2021 3:07 pm I'm more inclined to wear a snake gaiter than arm myself in remote areas.
I had that afterthought. Gaiters are great while walking. I questioned what I could do to not get bit while belly crawling to get better range on a target. Knee and elbow pads are SO worth their purchase, particularly when encountering cactus I didn't see. But that's only a small area of protection against snake bites.

Re: Rattlesnake encounter

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They're up in my area, it's desert. I've hit one or two on the highway when I didn't have a choice. If I was in a remote area where it would take a long time to get to medical help, I'd carry snake shot in a 38 Spl or 44 Mag or 410 to deal with dangerous slithering predator's.
"Everyone is entitled to their own opinion, but not their own facts." - Daniel Patrick Moynihan

Re: Rattlesnake encounter

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wooglin wrote: Wed Oct 06, 2021 3:53 pm Whole lotta internet research says 22 snake shot isn't effective.
It all comes down to what you're looking for. It certainly kills, but not with a bunch of authority. But then again, in my experience neither does any of the other cartridges with over the counter snake shot. When I shoot a snake, I want it dead and to stop wiggling so I can properly dispose of it (copperheads, rattlers, cottonmouths). With OTC .22lr snake shot, it always took 2-3 shots to decisively settle the issue. With 9mm/.38 Special/.44 Special it was generally two shots.

If I’m loading my own, I use a very generous amount of #12 shot in .38 Special or .45 Colt. My home made loads in .45 Colt have blown a snake in half…Just completely obliterates the head, which is what I’m looking for. I don’t kill a snake unless I have to, so when I have to, I want it done quick.
“I think there’s a right-wing conspiracy to promote the idea of a left-wing conspiracy”

Re: Rattlesnake encounter

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FrontSight wrote: Wed Oct 06, 2021 4:02 pm If I’m loading my own, I use a very generous amount of #12 shot in .38 Special or .45 Colt. My home made loads in .45 Colt have blown a snake in half…Just completely obliterates the head, which is what I’m looking for. I don’t kill a snake unless I have to, so when I have to, I want it done quick.
Info on how to load your own?

Re: Rattlesnake encounter

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wooglin wrote: Wed Oct 06, 2021 3:53 pm
featureless wrote: Wed Oct 06, 2021 2:37 pm I'd like to get some snake shot for the 22, but haven't tried very hard yet.
Whole lotta internet research says 22 snake shot isn't effective.
I believe it. I think 20 or 410 is probably best. Agree with everyone else that if they aren't a threat, leave them be. I can't have them right next to the house though, and certainly not in the garage and dog yard. Fortunately, my little dog didn't get too close before backing away and the snake wasn't coiled or it might have been bad.

Re: Rattlesnake encounter

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I realize this goes without saying but never leave an animal wounded. Not even sneks. Plus you prolly scared off any Pronghorn within a couple miles doing that.

Other than that I like the hat band idea. You need a pretty big rattler for a belt.
“The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing,”

Re: Rattlesnake encounter

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Even at my age I can out run a snake. But, yeah, make your own rat shot or snake shot and don't wound them. Out run them. But if you shoot, you gotta kill 'em.

To make rat shot, you just need to make some cardboard circles same size as the brass. I sharpen a piece of de primed brass with a file and whack it with a mallet on a piece of cardboard. Push out the cardboard through the primer hole with a finishing nail. To load, put in the powder, cardboard, shot, another cardboard, and roll crimp it. I'd use my manual with some Unique to determine what weight of shot for what powder load. But it would be real low pressure and no chance of an accident. Said the one armed snake shot maker. ;-)

CDFingers
Crazy cat peekin' through a lace bandana
like a one-eyed Cheshire, like a diamond-eyed Jack

Re: Rattlesnake encounter

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58Hawken wrote: Wed Oct 06, 2021 4:07 pm Info on how to load your own?
I don't remember the actual load off the top of my head. I made up 50 over 15 years ago, and I still have about 35+.

I buy #12 shot from Ballistic Products. I put a medium charge of something like Unique in the case, and then seat a .45 gas check over the powder charge, being careful not to compress the powder. I then fill the rest of the case (comes out to around 220-230 grains) with #12 shot, and then seat an upside down gas check over that and roll crimp in place. This procedure works with pretty much any straight walled revolver case.
“I think there’s a right-wing conspiracy to promote the idea of a left-wing conspiracy”

Re: Rattlesnake encounter

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I had to shoot a Diamondback just off the porch. The rule is if it is within the fence, it's dead.

All I had handy was my Mossy 590A1 with 3" 00 buck.

Overkill for sure, with emphasis on the kill, but it got the job done.

SR
"Oozing charm from every pore, he oiled his way around the floor."

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