The Liberal Gun Club Forum

http://trailblazersblog.dallasnews.com/ ... ders.html/

"This month, more than two decades after lawmakers agreed to allow the concealed carrying of handguns, Texas will cross the 1 million mark in residents with a gun carry license."

You can see on the map how the distribution varies by county. Keep in mind the numbers represent the population percentage of licensed carriers, not all carriers.
Many of the higher percentages are low-density counties. The lower ones, like Harris (Houston) and Dallas are highly populated.

Looks like Houston is shaded at 5 percent. All the northern counties around Harris seem to have more.

I'm curious about this rattle snake thing. Do they attack unprovoked like a rabid dog?

eelj wrote:I'm curious about this rattle snake thing. Do they attack unprovoked like a rabid dog?

From my experience they go away when driven by noise. I cleared campgrounds in the 70s prior to the season starting.

eelj wrote:I'm curious about this rattle snake thing. Do they attack unprovoked like a rabid dog?

They don't, but dumb livestock generally don't know any better. More dogs get bit than anything else. A lot of friends who live on ranches have anti-venom or get their pets vaccinated.

On any given day, I'm more concerned about scorpions and fire ants.

atxgunguy wrote:

eelj wrote:I'm curious about this rattle snake thing. Do they attack unprovoked like a rabid dog?

They don't, but dumb livestock generally don't know any better. More dogs get bit than anything else. A lot of friends who live on ranches have anti-venom or get their pets vaccinated.

On any given day, I'm more concerned about scorpions and fire ants.

Always check your boots before sticking your foot in.

Just need to keep rabbits around. If I was unlucky enough to live in an urban environment with a high crime rate and couldn't move away I would have the permit but only then.

eelj wrote:I'm curious about this rattle snake thing. Do they attack unprovoked like a rabid dog?

I've stood 2-3 ft from them before noticing them, always while poking around in middle of nowhere. I just back away. I have eternal ringing in my ears so I don't know if they were rattling or not.

eelj wrote:I'm curious about this rattle snake thing. Do they attack unprovoked like a rabid dog?

My in-laws live on about 50 acres in the 'Hill Country' between San Antonio and Dallas. None of their ranch critters (including them) have been attacked unprovoked, but they have lost a dog to snakebite and have three rattles on a shelf at the back door to remind them to look down before opening the screen door - snakes like to curl up on the cement next to the door and nap on cooler days. Rattlesnakes feel very provoked when they're stepped on. I don't blame them. They carry a .22 revolver with shot shells whenever they're out and about with the dogs or horses.

I've heard when prepared properly they taste pretty good. They are also good at keeping the rodent population down, maybe if people weren't shooting so many of them there wouldn't be so much
hantavirus going around. Back in the 70s in Guns and Ammo mag Cooper had a Q&A colum and one of the questions was about a good pistol for protection from snakes, his response was throw rocks at them.

eelj wrote:I've heard when prepared properly they taste pretty good. They are also good at keeping the rodent population down, maybe if people weren't shooting so many of them there wouldn't be so much
hantavirus going around. Back in the 70s in Guns and Ammo mag Cooper had a Q&A colum and one of the questions was about a good pistol for protection from snakes, his response was throw rocks at them.

That's about it. A good hiking stick can be used to direct them away too. Most cases leave them alone and they leave you alone. Lots of hysteria on snakes results other little vermin running around unchecked.

I am happy to have a couple Rat Snakes living under the chicken coop. They don't eliminate the rodents but I am sure they help. I like seeing them although sometimes they appear in places where one least expects them,

Copperheads? I do kill them. .410 birdshot does the trick quickly. Fortunately, we do not have too many. We are a bit too far north for cottonmouths.

Bucolic wrote:I am happy to have a couple Rat Snakes living under the chicken coop. They don't eliminate the rodents but I am sure they help. I like seeing them although sometimes they appear in places where one least expects them,

Copperheads? I do kill them. .410 birdshot does the trick quickly. Fortunately, we do not have too many. We are a bit too far north for cottonmouths.

I live on a 40 acre hobby farm and heve lived on a similar property in the past so I understand eradicating pests and protecting farm animals. But using snake and coyotes as a reason for a carry permit seems quite silly. A few years back Governor Perry claimed he slapped leather using a 380 Ruger on a coyote, after seeing a video of him shooting at an indoor range both pistol and a pimped out AR I knew it was bullshit, as a shottist that guy sucks.

eelj wrote: But using snake and coyotes as a reason for a carry permit seems quite silly.

I've yet to see anyone here getting a carry license because of either snakes or coyotes. Folks working their own land don't need licenses regardless.

AndyH wrote:

eelj wrote: But using snake and coyotes as a reason for a carry permit seems quite silly.

I've yet to see anyone here getting a carry license because of either snakes or coyotes. Folks working their own land don't need licenses regardless.

In the article linked in OP it seemed that it was at least alluded to, my self if it is legal to CCW or open carry and a person wants to then by all means go for it, but you should use a good reason for it even if its just to make a fashion statement.

Fried rattlesnake taste a lot like chicken. Rattlers will try to leave you alone if they sense you first but if startled will strike. Don't always think they rattle first. In west Texas due to snake hunts surviving snake have changed behavior they don't rattle before striking.

Friend of mine carries a 38 spl snub by loaded with snake shot for the sudden snake.

What you hav to really watch for is cottonmouths they are territorial and will attack and chase you.

Fried rattlesnake taste a lot like chicken.

Sounds good to me, I like chicken.

AndyH wrote:

eelj wrote: But using snake and coyotes as a reason for a carry permit seems quite silly.

I've yet to see anyone here getting a carry license because of either snakes or coyotes. Folks working their own land don't need licenses regardless.

Referring to the rural areas of the OP, most carry because the closest LEO could be hours away if things were to get real. You can go days without seeing more than a handful of people and those you meet might not be as friendly as the retired fellow running his gun range.

I carry because I can. It's a matter of "rather have it not need it" more than anything else. Six-plus percent of my County apparently also have similar thoughts.

atxgunguy wrote:

AndyH wrote:

eelj wrote: But using snake and coyotes as a reason for a carry permit seems quite silly.

I've yet to see anyone here getting a carry license because of either snakes or coyotes. Folks working their own land don't need licenses regardless.

Referring to the rural areas of the OP, most carry because the closest LEO could be hours away if things were to get real. You can go days without seeing more than a handful of people and those you meet might not be as friendly as the retired fellow running his gun range.

I carry because I can. It's a matter of "rather have it not need it" more than anything else. Six-plus percent of my County apparently also have similar thoughts.

I think you nailed it. My in-laws are part of a tight-knit community that looks after each other, whether with a rifle or a first aid kit, as they all know they're more than 20 minutes from the nearest police station, ambulance, or fire station. Seems the easiest place to find a 'line' that can separate gun folk from the antis is the city limits sign.