Edge Report post Posted May 16, 2020 Mayor of Snakesville, that is... Since the beginning of May I've had a lot of snake encounters, two of which were a little unusual. Yesterday I go hiking near Lake Pleasant, showed a buddy from WI his first Diamondback. He asked me to spare his new friend, that'll cost ya beers at Wild Horse West. A few hours later I'm horseback riding behind the house, another rattler on that trail. I have a couple tall palm trees out back, maybe 2-2 1\2 stories tall. Sunday evening I pull up a chair out back to enjoy the sunset and a cold beer when SPLAT! A full grown King snake had fallen out of the tallest palm and landed at my feet. I'm guessing he was raiding bird nests up there. Soon as he dusted himself off, he headed right back up the same palm. Night before, a buddy asked me over for a couple drinks and patrolling his desert acreage for rattlers. None were found there but on the short ride home, gopher snake in the trail, no bother. But as I came to the back forty, there's a fat little sidewinder meandering along. Sorry, no pics and no pass for that horned little serpent. I've already spent over a grand on vet bills this month. Funny, just hours earlier the wife was asking if we had sidewinders in the area. Rare, I said. Two weeks ago I drive out to the gold claim just missing a large rattler crossing the road and into some poor slobs yard, bad omen? I drive a quad to a trail I've established up a steep brush incline. I park and hoof it. Get to the parking spot and have a rattlesnake waiting for me. I'm in no mood to kill him, it's his yard, so I take my walking stick and prod him to move along. I could be up the hill working till nightfall and don't want to deal with this dude in the dark. Instead of heading up the wash like a good boy, he crawls under my quad. This is getting complicated. He refuses to leave. Twice I move my quad (feet up on the seat), twice he crawls back under it. I back it up far enough this last time to dispatch his butt. Didn't like doing that but a snake bite there, rather problematic. No cell service, isolated, no thanks. Keep an eye out friends. 4 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
muledeerarea33? Report post Posted May 16, 2020 Your the king of forgiveness! I’ll let the good snakes go if I can! The bad ones die with no second chances 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
elkaholic Report post Posted May 16, 2020 Catch'm! Whatever method you like. I prefer a creosote bush branch , always find a perfect Y . Toss'm in a garbage bag and toss'm in the freezer , when you get home. Taxidermist use to pay $20 each, frozen. Right now the rattles alone are bring 10 to 30 + on ebay depending on size/ # of rattles 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
eddielasvegas Report post Posted May 16, 2020 46 minutes ago, elkaholic said: Catch'm! Whatever method you like. I prefer a creosote bush branch , always find a perfect Y . Toss'm in a garbage bag and toss'm in the freezer , when you get home. Taxidermist use to pay $20 each, frozen. Right now the rattles alone are bring 10 to 30 + on ebay depending on size/ # of rattles Okay, this is a flat out kewl idea. I don't normally try to catch snakes (well, at least not since I left my teens), but dang if I am not going to try this. Eddie 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
knothead Report post Posted May 16, 2020 I have an understanding with snakes. I leave them alone and they leave me alone. You can add reptiles to my do not like list along with pools & HOA nazi's. 4 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Edge Report post Posted May 16, 2020 1 hour ago, elkaholic said: Catch'm! Whatever method you like. I prefer a creosote bush branch , always find a perfect Y . Toss'm in a garbage bag and toss'm in the freezer , when you get home. Taxidermist use to pay $20 each, frozen. Right now the rattles alone are bring 10 to 30 + on ebay depending on size/ # of rattles Why would I deal with a live venomous snake for $20 if I can get as much or more for his tail? And if I were to go around collecting venomous snakes, wouldn't a $30 snake grabber be worth the investment over a creosote twig? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ctafoya Report post Posted May 16, 2020 I've had more snake encounters than I can count. Literally thousands of rattle snakes. I used to sell to the roundup in NM when I was a kid. $12 a pound back then was good money. I've only had two strike unprovoked. They want as much to do with you as you do with them. I used to kill them all. Now I let them be. Killing just to kill or for profit doesn't agree with me anymore. 5 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
n2horns Report post Posted May 16, 2020 1 hour ago, muledeerarea33? said: Your the king of forgiveness! I’ll let the good snakes go if I can! The bad ones die with no second chances You could have had a fine meal. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CatfishKev Report post Posted May 16, 2020 42 minutes ago, eddielasvegas said: Okay, this is a flat out kewl idea. I don't normally try to catch snakes (well, at least not since I left my teens), but dang if I am not going to try this. Eddie Don't touch the sharp end. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
elkaholic Report post Posted May 16, 2020 I guess i shoulda explained better- the catchm for taxidermy was like in the 90's i still will try to use a branch when i see one. usually to remove it ,from a well traveled. area . never thought about just selling rattles , till i looked on ebay! people buy just about anything. ebay not around back in 90's. yes , its just something i may still do occassionaly , nothing gets adrenialine flowing like a pissed off rattler, all you got is a stick 1 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
n2horns Report post Posted May 16, 2020 27 minutes ago, CatfishKev said: Don't touch the sharp end. lol 2 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
biglakejake Report post Posted May 16, 2020 when i was 4 with a 2yo sister mom and grandmother Bessie took the little travel trailer down to Organ Pipe camping. mom mentioned to the ranger she wanted rattles-the ranger told her no killing rattlesnakes in the park.foggy memories but mom and Bessies' stories matched. snake in the road, stop the car, Bessie holds the snake down with a flat shovel and mom cuts the rattles off with a pocketknife. no kill rattle removal. after about 4 the ranger caught them and what a fight-threatened those two old ladies he was gonna throw them out of the park kids and all. mom won. that was my first trip to penasco also. lee Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Big Browns Report post Posted May 16, 2020 Edge, I'm never going hiking with you!!! You are obviously a snake magnet. I hate snakes!!!!!! 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Delw Report post Posted May 16, 2020 As ole Bob mohhan used to say " anything with out eyebrows is evil and needs to die" Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
naturebob Report post Posted May 16, 2020 I lived on an Acre + for 15 years in Cave Creek . Would average about 8 a year in the yard ! They died as I had 3 Kids ,4 Dogs and a dumb wife who didn't like me killin them. If I knew u could get $ for them I could of got a bunch out of the wash out back.................BOB! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
