Rattlesnake Greeting

Could you get a little closer pic for us..

Do you know it's about 6' long cause its staked to a tree drying out to be made into a belt?

Good sized timber rattlesnake, AKA "canebrake rattler">

I know the feeling.

Nice one, I don't mind them near as much when you can spot them from a distance

Darrell

as long as I spot them first and can get a clean shot, I'm good..

When I was running a route in Montgomery County, used to see them all the time. A Candor fellow showed five skins he had tacked to a barn to the wrong guy..Game warden wrote him five tickets at 500 bucks each..Supposedly, the timber rattler is considered "threatened" in NC..2500 bucks? I let him crawl..lol

jerry condrey said:

When I was running a route in Montgomery County, used to see them all the time. A Candor fellow showed five skins he had tacked to a barn to the wrong guy..Game warden wrote him five tickets at 500 bucks each..Supposedly, the timber rattler is considered "threatened" in NC..2500 bucks? I let him crawl..lol

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oh he is threatened all right, if he comes around me I threaten to kill him!!!

My only dilemma here is do I use my .22, shotgun, or a shovel.

- James -

Me too, in my yard. Other than that, he can walk.

At least he rattled. I was backpacking on Cumberland Island in GA and came within a few feet of one right off the trail. The person I was with quickly alerted me to it. Coulda been really really bad. "If it was a snake it would have bit ya" indeed

Some of you may have read the threads I've posted where I've come across a timber rattler on a couple different outings. Neither time did the snake rattle, ever. That's what's spooky to me.

This rattler's lucky day. Had it been me, I would have shot first, ask questions later. I would have claimed self defense if warden had come around, lol.

fuquay fisherman said:

I use my .22, shotgun, and a shovel.

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Fixed it for ya.

jerry condrey said:

When I was running a route in Montgomery County, used to see them all the time. A Candor fellow showed five skins he had tacked to a barn to the wrong guy..Game warden wrote him five tickets at 500 bucks each..Supposedly, the timber rattler is considered "threatened" in NC..2500 bucks? I let him crawl..lol

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I showed my wife your post, her response "I will get the $500 from my 401K " I would use a 357 with bird shot. At close range you can't miss - one shot kill on squirrels

My wife thought she saw one in the backyard Saturday, turned out to be a small branch with pecan leaves, but must say, did look the part. Of course I took "The Judge" out with me to investigate. Was looking forward to having him speak up! In the wild, if I can avoid, OK, in my yard, Nope!

I always keep things fair. As long as they offer to walk away, I let 'em. But if they slither away on their bellies like a coward, well, you just can't let 'em get away with that.

Greenmonster said:

I always keep things fair. As long as they offer to walk away, I let 'em. But if they slither away on their bellies like a coward, well, you just can't let 'em get away with that.

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There is a reason why God cursed the serpent in genesis 3. If the serpent hadn't tempted Eve he could have walked away... It's his own fault really In my yard that sucker is going to get buried, My 1 and 1/2 year old doesn't know that it's deadly.

- James -

I go out of may way to let non-poisonous snakes life happy, healthy lives, I have shared my shop and buildings with more than a few over the years. Rescued neighbors and snake alike from being too close to each other, and shooed a few off out of traffic when feasible.
I have on the other hand killed my share of copperheads and a couple of rattlers in years gone by. Except for my hatred of squirrels (rekindled by a blitzkrieg raid on corn patch 2 years back) I pretty much leave all of God's creatures to themselves. (reserving the right to take some venison as the need or opportunity may allow) That said I expect the dangerous snakes to do me the same courtesy. If I am in their yard I will take that into consideration when we meet. I they happen to be in my yard, garden, or wood pile where the family and me roam without feeling the need to "watch our step" then I may make a different decision.

my .02
Darrell