Rattlesnakes?

[MattR]

Is there a good way to catch and kill rattlesnakes? My buddy just found out he has them at his place the hard way, his dog got bit. The dog is OK but he has kids and needs to get rid of them quickly.

[Irving]

Shovel. Barbeque prongs tied to a stick. Pin head down into grass, cut off head with shovel, knife, machete, etc.

I had a friend that made a snake killer while he was working oil fields in Wyoming. 3-4 ft length of pvc pipe, long piece of wire doubled up and pushed through the pvc pipe. Make a loop with the wire, get snake head in loop, yank the wire out of the pipe with force and cut off snake's head. Should be relatively easy to kill them.

[vossman]

Shovel. Barbeque prongs tied to a stick. Pin head down into grass, cut off head with shovel, knife, machete, etc.

Yup. Cut off the rattle too.

[GunsRBadMMMMKay]

how many? I've heard tell that out east, you can just dig a pit and they will crawl in it and get stuck.

[Wulf202]

there's tons of diy snake traps out there

[ben4372]

Gun forum and no one said shotgun? My dad used a shovel, buried the heads. Funny thing is I read an article that said non rattleing rattlers are becoming common because the noisy ones are easier to find (and kill ). Natural selection I guess.

[Ah Pook]

My Grandmother was handy with a shot gun. One shot and no more snake problem.



Lop off head
Hand to a$$hole neighbor/MIL/internet troll/etc.
Tell them to wash it in hot water.
Hilarity will ensue.


Snake reflexes will last hours after it's dead.

Rattlesnakes are like salmon. They always go back to the same place to breed. Make sure that is not your house.

[Irving]

Forgot to mention to bury the head, as you can still prick yourself hours afterward and it is the same as a bite. Usually, you cut the head off at the neck, at least 4" behind the head, but that is more when you're hunting them and want to eat them or keep the skin. Since it sounds like he just wants them dead and gone, chopping them up with a shovel should be fine.

[sniper7]

Napalm. Don't take any chances.

[Herman]

Moth balls or hd should carry snake repellant pellets. Just make a perimeter with them, then make sure there aren't any inside of it.

[StagLefty]

suppressive fire !!!!

[ray1970]

Call PETA. Maybe they can come catch them and relocate them for you.

[Dave]

Nuke the site from orbit, it's the only way to be sure.

I found a bull snake in my garden a couple of weeks ago that I used a shovel at the neck on. I still worry because with as small as it was I am not fully sure it was a bull and not a baby rattler.

[SuperiorDG]

https://fbcdn-sphotos-d-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-xpf1/v/t1.0-9/10150602_718436451541143_1740426351_n.jpg?oh=bfe19 38fe5d65ecfe7662b9344fb7d19&oe=54650554&__gda__=1416409609_3233c56c57eb0ac6ce7994e3c87fbe9 f

[fitz19d]

Leave the bulls alone and they can eat the smaller rattlers...

[JMBD2112]

Leave the bulls alone and they can eat the smaller rattlers...

^this

[Bailey Guns]

Is there a good way to catch and kill rattlesnakes?

Yeah...have your wife do it.

[osok-308]

SuperiorDG that's a big freaking snake! I've killed small rattlers before using a 9 iron to pin them down and the shovel method. You could always just use a shotgun if you're out far enough that people won't freak out.

[Ah Pook]

Yeah...have your wife do it.
Is that "on demand"?


SuperiorDG that's a big freaking snake!
That's trick photography.

[HBARleatherneck]

i have killed many many rattlesnakes. just two weeks ago in my garage and the week before that in the window well stuck between the window and the screen.

rattlesnakes only eat a couple times a year. according to all the information I have read. they may eat up to 40% of their body weight a year. that isnt very much and for sure isnt putting a dent in the rodent population.

a coyote on the other hand can eat 3000 mice in a year. that is who you shouldnt be shooting. they actually keep the rodent population down. snakes...not so much.

[Irving]

I've heard that it is just a myth that bull snakes eat rattlesnakes. Perhaps they only out compete for resources?

[fitz19d]

I imagine it's crazy to be eating ones similiar sized, but I thought there are pics out there of adults with smaller juvenile rattlers hanging out of their mouths and such.

But even if they dont, competition resources and the fact they arn't bad otherwise are also good reasons.

[HBARleatherneck]

I've heard that it is just a myth that bull snakes eat rattlesnakes. Perhaps they only out compete for resources?

according to the herpetology website... bullsnakes do NOT kill or run off rattlesnakes. they peacefully coexist. some places may have more bullsnakes. here where I live we have way way more rattlesnakes. probably 10 to 1.

[Jeffrey Lebowski]

I really, really hate snakes.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dL3ZIc5IL2w

I feel like I've seen more this year than any other year, both bull and rattle. Saw a bull on a run yesterday on the trail from 6 down to Clear Creek just West of 6/93 where the tubing people hang out.
Came upon a couple who were separated by 10' on North Table trail on North Table while I was mountain biking. They spotted this really thick rattler. I didn't (I'm color blind) until I was almost on top of it and it started moving, which was really comforting. Gave him a wide berth.

This last one paid with his life. Scared the $#!+ out of me coming down a walking path that skirts my neighborhood. He tried to dodge, and I got him with my (road bike) wheel.
49075

I say you kill as many as you can, myself.

[Holger Danske]

I was at Phalen Gardens Nursery in COS this weekend and they have a snake repellent that you can apply with a weed sprayer. May want to have your friend check it out. Ive used the shovel method in the past to take off their head.

[wctriumph]

With kids around don't take any chances and just kill the snakes. Shovel works well and bury the heads where the dogs won't dig them back up.

[Trout Hunter]

We have a guy that comes on our job every couple months with dogs trained to sniff em out, I can get you his info I the morning if you want .

[Dave]

Leave the bulls alone and they can eat the smaller rattlers...

I had been told before that this isn't true. Plus, with dogs in my back yard I am not taking any chances. My other worry is that if I have either a baby bull or rattler there's a nest nearby, and there's a food source. So I had to bait and trap my woodpile for mice.

[rockhound]

Is that "on demand"?


That's trick photography.

not trick photography, we hiked falcon park a couple of years ago, now i grew up in the AZ desert, i have seen my share of big rattle snakes, we are walking the nicely groomed trail of falcon park, not my cup of tea, but my wife works with the grandson of the guy who built the mansion at the top that was supposed to be the vacation home for the president's and she wanted to see it,

We are walking along and i look over into the grass to my right, we were still in our drought so the grass was not very high, maybe four inches, cruising along about 20 feet off the trail is a rattle snake, every bit as big as the one in that photo. every bit of 8 foot long head as big as my hand, maybe closer to 9-10 feet. I mean huge. German couple behind us see me pointing the snake out to my son. The german wife grabs her husband's camera to go out and take a photo. She get in front of the snake trying to make it stop moving so she can get a better photo. The snake i have to say was very patient with her. Snake changes directions a few times, puts on a little speed, german lady keeps getting in it's way. I almost wanted to stick around and watch her get bit, but decided it wasn't worth it. The husband spoke english, I politley let him know that the snake was poisonous and that his wife was flirting with her life. He almost seemed happy to hear that [ROFL1]

for OP's problem, snake shot for your 22, done and done.

[BPTactical]

Napalm. Don't take any chances.

Correct answer.

[TFOGGER]

http://38.media.tumblr.com/bb26c7b1f0b67ec9b0be0c31b674ee32/tumblr_mwr1dwiXoX1r3zypyo1_500.jpg


Napalm indeed...

[Ah Pook]

not trick photography...
I'll disagree.

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_j60U39wJ-DM/SENP_EOsFEI/AAAAAAAAAQQ/p4YpeSwKTMU/s1600/Nine%2BFoot%2BKingsnake%2B(2).jpg
http://www.livingalongsidewildlife.com/2009/07/return-of-giant-killed-rattlesnake.html

[Irving]

You can always tell when someone is holding up something HUGE with a casual stance while smiling. A snake that large would weigh 50 lbs easy, and that guy is holding it on the end of a stick?

[rockhound]

https://fbcdn-sphotos-d-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-xpf1/v/t1.0-9/10150602_718436451541143_1740426351_n.jpg?oh=bfe19 38fe5d65ecfe7662b9344fb7d19&oe=54650554&__gda__=1416409609_3233c56c57eb0ac6ce7994e3c87fbe9 f


sorry, i have seen them that big, this guy is using both hands, leaning back to support the weight, the veins in his forearms popping and his bicep cleary flexed, even if they did some camera work, he is clearly holding a large snake..

my only point was that they do get that big, not often, but i have seen it.

[TFOGGER]

Nice fashion statement with the Rexall Ranger boots and the shorts, too...[ROFL1]

[DavieD55]

If you're planning on going through brush after rattlers I'd recommend a good pair of snake chaps.


http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/61dNzJXS6WL._SY300_.jpg

[Dave]

http://38.media.tumblr.com/bb26c7b1f0b67ec9b0be0c31b674ee32/tumblr_mwr1dwiXoX1r3zypyo1_500.jpg


Napalm indeed...

Guessing that's in Australia. I'm not arachnophobic on the other 6 continents....

[Duman]

If you're planning on going through brush after rattlers I'd recommend a good pair of snake chaps.


http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/61dNzJXS6WL._SY300_.jpg


Are those assless chaps?

[Duman]

Napalm indeed...

No kidding. The largest spider I've seen (a picture of) was a camel spider, one guy found over in the sand box. Silly thing probably spanned a foot or more.

[twitchyfinger]

Napalm indeed...

Especially for those WTF situations!

http://youtu.be/JjIXwkX1e48

[rockhound]

redneck fashionista

[DavieD55]

LOL