This Is Why..

[silver lake]

I don't know Moots, seems like you might be able to get a good used .44 mag for the cost of a good lens. Nice picture by the way.

[mootsman]

Originally Posted by silver lake

I don't know Moots, seems like you might be able to get a good used .44 mag for the cost of a good lens. Nice picture by the way.

Thanks. On occasion I carry a small Beretta Bobcat when I'm in serious Water Moccasin territory. I'm pretty much live and let live even with pit vipers but had rather have it with me in those spots. My friends think I'm crazy but when mountain biking I'll run rattle snakes off the trail or road when I encounter them or remove them (live) from around the homestead. I grew up in south GA with Eastern Diamondbacks and they make most pit vipers seem very small! The only one I ever dispatched was 12 years ago when my wife literally stepped on one. It was early spring and very cool in the morning so he/she hadn't sunned enough to be totally active and, mercifully, my wife eased back without it striking. He had assumed the whole Moccasin posture with wide open mouth and fangs very prominent. My dog was going nuts so I decided to take out the snake for worry that my dog would get hit. Anyhow the Beretta is good for that -- not good for anything much bigger.

[paleo_joe]

Originally Posted by mootsman

The only one I ever dispatched was 12 years ago when my wife literally stepped on one. It was early spring and very cool in the morning so he/she hadn't sunned enough to be totally active and, mercifully, my wife eased back without it striking. He had assumed the whole Moccasin posture with wide open mouth and fangs very prominent.

I had about that same experience stepping out of a canoe one spring morning. I heard hissing and looked down and there was a cottonmouth as big around as my arm, with that mouth open and fangs maybe 18" or 2 feet at the most from my leg. But "eased back" would not be the description of my movements For 30 minutes all I could do was keep looking at my leg because I was sure it had gotten me. I said I'd take a 12 gauge down there and clear that spot out but I never did. Live and let live I suppose.

[Cluton]

Yesterday I had a puff hog snake strike the bottom of my snake boot surface huntin! They look just like a fat copperhead! Scared me to death, my legs literally wouldn't move for ten minutes! Bad scared! then walking back to Land Rover a almost stepped on a true copperhead, yesterday really sucked, I hate snakes! They both got it...!!!

[mootsman]

Hog nose snakes are fine harmless little critters and strike with their mouth shut...although they have evolved to look vicious. My feelings about venomous snakes is that, in general, they will beat a dignified retreat if you just let them...now Moccasins are another breed as they tend to hold their ground when approached and increase the probability of stepping on them.

If you dislike snakes I'm sure these photos of me (taken by my wife) will warm your heart. The mother of all gray rat snakes we ran across while relicing.

[Cluton]

Moots I know you love snakes, but I can't handle them! Close mouth strike or not, it scares me to death! It didn't help that my Dad killed a 5th 6 in rattler on Tuesday! Snaky time in Texas right now, snake boots everytime I leave the porch! Fo sho!