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Post by lscg on May 21, 2016 21:40:55 GMT -5
we have a seasonal creek that runs on the property and for the past couple spring/summers we've had a problem with snakes hanging around. a lot of them are not poisonous and I normally leave them alone but there are also quite a few cotton mouths and even a few Coral snakes. since we go swimming down there and have dogs running around I don't take any chances on snakes I'm unsure of. I figure better safe than sorry.
it was really nice this evening so I decided to take a little walk down to the creek with the new 44 mag that I got from forum member Mike454. as I stepped onto the bridge that sits on the creek I caught a flash of movement out of the corner of my eye. I turned to see a small to medium sized dark brown snake moving very quickly down stream towards some knee high grass. not wasting any time I turned towards the snake, leveled the 44 and sent a Skeeter 44spl after him right as he disappeared into the grass.
I couldn't tell if I had gotten a hit or not so I walked down stream a few yards to a point where two large rocks stick up in the middle of the creek. I figured I might be able to catch sight of the snake from this elevated position. sure enough I see him making his way to a large cane patch on the bank. he was still moving fast so I didn't have time to aim, instead I trusted my point shooting ability and sent three rounds after him just as he made it to the bank. I got two hits at a distance of around 9 yards.
after closer examination I don't believe this was a cotton mouth but instead a yellow bellied water snake. as I mentioned before it's hard to tell when they're on the move and i'd rather not take any chances.
I was hoping for a Hog, Coyote or a Lion but I reckon this will do. 
on a side note i'm reminded yet again of how pleasant it is to shoot a 44 special if you don't happen to have hearing protection. it's just a peach of a round. |
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Post by Encore64 on May 21, 2016 21:43:55 GMT -5
Way too long and slender to be a cotton mouth.
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Post by magman on May 21, 2016 21:49:26 GMT -5
Nice revolver.
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Post by lscg on May 21, 2016 22:05:35 GMT -5
Way too long and slender to be a cotton mouth. yeah once I got a closer look at him I could tell he wasn't. when I first saw it though I wasn't sure. |
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Post by lscg on May 21, 2016 22:06:18 GMT -5
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Post by Encore64 on May 21, 2016 22:09:18 GMT -5
I've got a cotton mouth hanging around my pond close to 4' long. Has nearly given me heart failure twice. Like a fence post with an attitude.
One of us will make the wrong move eventually.
Looks like a fine revolver, congratulations.
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Post by sixshot on May 21, 2016 23:27:54 GMT -5
Nope, they're all cotton mouths until they stop wiggling, then you can call them whatever you want. At least that's the way I play it. Same way with rattle snakes. And all of them are 8 footers when they are still alive, my rules... nice gun!
Dick
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Post by lscg on May 22, 2016 3:40:17 GMT -5
I've got a cotton mouth hanging around my pond close to 4' long. Has nearly given me heart failure twice. Like a fence post with an attitude. One of us will make the wrong move eventually. Looks like a fine revolver, congratulations. dang! I'd probably jump a couple feet in the air if I crossed paths with one that size.
thanks!
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Post by lscg on May 22, 2016 3:47:13 GMT -5
Nope, they're all cotton mouths until they stop wiggling, then you can call them whatever you want. At least that's the way I play it. Same way with rattle snakes. And all of them are 8 footers when they are still alive, my rules... nice gun! Dick
this here is the one that nearly got me Dick. he was on the front porch late one night last year. walked within inches of him three or four times while barefoot. fortunately I had a flashlight with me the last time and happen to see him. at the time he looked mighty big next to my toes lol.
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Post by jimtx on May 22, 2016 13:17:01 GMT -5
Beautiful older SBH, love the color case frame, what 44 spl load you using w/o ear protection?? I read skeeters loads but to many yrs ago to remember and back then I was into max loads anyway. My son told my this am while cutting grass near our pond was a big cotton mouth, need to grab the super single six and take a walk  PS-where are ya where you see lions in TX? |
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Post by lscg on May 22, 2016 16:59:28 GMT -5
the load was a 240 gr cast on top of 7.5 gr of Unique. I wouldn't want to shoot it all day long without hearing protection but a few rounds here and there aren't too bad. at least for me. the single six is a good one for snakes but it sure is easier to hit them with a 44 or 45 lol.
there are Lions all over west and south Texas and there are pockets of them in the Hill country which is where I'm at. last one I saw was several years back along the Pedernales River.
Black bears have even been seen in the Hill country. they came up from Mexico because of the Major drought we had a few years back.
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Post by bulasteve on May 23, 2016 6:55:10 GMT -5
Funny timing. Am just home from the Penn hills but it was too cold and wet for the snakes to be out. Did see our weather report last night and see warmer weather is finally here, and then dreamt last night of having a snake encounter with two rattlers. Stepped back(in dream) and found my self tangled in briars so shot 3 of my 5 shots at the snake scoring 2 iffy hits. Snake goes to thrashing and I see there are really two snakes there ! Am down to 2 loads, neither shotshells.. So, woke up with reminder to swap a couple of shotshells back into the speed strip and one in the speedloader, etc., here. With your snake issues, I'd definitely have some shotshells handy. Luck.
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Post by Markbo on May 23, 2016 15:18:51 GMT -5
Only dangerous snakes are dangerous and then only if around lived in areas. I dont ever kill a snake unless it is a poisonous snake next to habitation. I don't belive it helps anything to do it - quite the opposite in fact. What are the no.1 rodent killers? Snakes. I canno STAND having mice or rats inside where I live and I educate myself what snakes are around so I k n o w good from bad. Its not hard with just a tiny bit of effort.
You ophidiophobics can be cured of your mental malaise if you are willing. A phobia is a type of anxiety disorder, i.e. a mental & emotional disorder that is usually defined as a persistent fear of an object or situation the affected person will go to great lengths to avoid, typically disproportional to the actual danger posed.
Otherwise your unrealistic fear of animals with no arms and no legs will remain. Think of it that way...they dont even have any legs! WTH are you afaid of??? Are you afraid they will just go off all by themselves and harm innocent people. Just like hoplophobes.
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Post by lscg on May 23, 2016 16:15:39 GMT -5
did I ever say I was afraid of snakes?? No. I happen to like snakes and leave them alone when I can. there's 275 yards of creek on our property that the snakes can live in peace on. we swim in a 30 yard section of that. if there's a poisonous snake in that area or a snake I'm unsure of then i'm going to kill it rather than take a chance on one of my family members or one of the dogs getting bit.
and non poisonous snakes can be dangerous too. last month a rat snake bit our Chihuahua. he had an allergic reaction to the bite, his neck swelled up and he had trouble breathing. fortunately it got better by the time we got to the vet.
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Post by BigBore44 on May 23, 2016 17:30:01 GMT -5
Hey Zane ALL them snakes don't have arms or legs making them harder to hit, but look on the bright side, We either end up with Center Mass or Head shot!!!   By the end of summer I'll probably have a couple ventilated with the new Bisley Flattop 44 spl Be safe out there... BigBore44 |
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