28 replies to this topic

[VarmintAir]

I had been hunting ground squirrels all day with my FX Whisper, and it was getting late in the afternoon when I spotted one with it's back to me at 57 yards. As I was lining up the shot, the squirrel started waving it's tail like we would a flag, left to right across it's body. From years of experience, I knew immediately, that there was a rattlesnake in or around that squirrels den. I passed on the shot, and went over to the den area and very carefully started looking for the buzztail. Sure enough, there was a nice fat rattler doing what I was doing, hunting ground squirrels.He wasn't an issue in any way for me, so I shot this video clip and kept on hunting. I'm sure he did too. I have a clip of the squirrel doing the tail waving thing, but for some reason the sound is WAY out of sync with video so I haven't included it here. This video clip is almost 5 meg, so it can take a bit to load. This is the fourth rattler that I have encountered this year. You really need to pay attention when hunting ground squirrels. So far, I have seen all of them way before I've gotten close enough for it to be an issue. Over the years I've encountered hundreds of them, and for the most part they're just out there trying to make a living. I've had a few give me a warning buzz, but usually I see them before I get close enough to warrant one.http://imageevent.co...=...amp;s=0&z=2

[Camoghost]

I kill everyone I see no matter if it's a threat or not. I may save a hunter or a hunting dog in the future.. Most importantly I may save a child.. I execute them with extreme prejudice. Cool video! Thanks for sharing.

[Jeff]

We came across one the other day, almost stepped on it. Got really lucky. We had our newest hunting lab puppy getting trained around guns and she almost stepped on it too. We BBQed it up that night. Mmmm. Mmmm. Good.

[VarmintAir]

It just depends on where I encounter them. If it's around the camping areas, or by the ranch buildings, I kill them too, but when I encounter them out in the back coutry, I just leave them be.

[ShooterJohn]

Neat stuff Cliff, I always enjoy your videos. I mostly leave the snakes be now, though I used to catch them to make hat bands and I liked to eat them. I can't tell you the number of people that have run for their life when I snatched a BIG rattler up to have a look at it.

[Frank]

I'm with Camo on this one... Now days, there are people walking almost everywhere on this planet, with little to no exception. Just a couple weeks ago while a friend of mine was out hunting, he came within an inch of being bit by a rattler that had struck at him... So while my friend was lucky the next person or pet may not be...Frank

[VarmintAir]

To each his own. The reality here is, I invaded his space, he didn't invade mine. Around the camping areas and buildings is one thing, out in the wide open spaces is another. You do it your way, I'll do it mine.

[Arise]

Thanks for posting.The only time I'll whack one is when I find it on my duck club.

[socal shooter]

very cool vid.. i like the commentary also. thanks for sharing

[Moe]

I find it interesting that you guys don't mind killing rabbits, squirrels, coyotes, etc, but won't kill a rattlesnake. lol I've invaded the space of every varmint I've ever shot and to me rattlesnakes are just another varmint only a little more dangerous. Trust me on this.....there are plenty of rattlesnakes out there. Suddenly, when it comes to rattlesnakes, you turn into Steve Irwin??A stretch of fly fishing only water up in Washington I like to fish is loaded with them and every time I encounter one there I kill it. It's just one less I have to watch out for the next time. If you've ever lost a prize bird dog to a rattlesnake I'm sure you'd feel the way I do.

[VarmintAir]

The Tejon Ranch doesn't allow any dogs on the ranch. They will be shot on sight. I kill what I'm hunting. I don't kill everything I see.

[Frank]

There ya go, Moe, putting L O G I C into this stuff again. Ya know that drives me crazy! I also always love the "invading their space arguement". Too bad it doesn't hold water though, especially since we've been doing that for, ohhhh several hundred years now or so? Didn't we do that to the indians too? Of course I realize they're only P E O P L E (& not snakes) for crying out loud. Frank

[VarmintAir]

Let's see, no dogs allowed on the ranch, there goes that excuse for killing it. I'm hunting on a 274,000 acre ranch, I'm hunting some very remote canyons on this ranch, I've never seen another person in these areas in over 15 years of hunting these remote areas, so the chance that someone's kid will step on it is slim and none, so there goes that excuse for killing it. I'm not intimidated by it, I'm not afraid of it, so there go those excuses for killing it. I'm out in the middle of nowhere, so run it by me again why I should kill it? Because I can? So I can say I did? Help me here, I'm trying to understand the "LOGIC" in killing something that is out in the middle of nowhere and no threat to me or anyone else. I tend to kill what I hunt not everything I come across in the process.

[Frank]

Help me here, I'm trying to understand the "L O G I C" in killing something that is out in the middle of nowhere and no threat to me or anyone else

You might start to "understand" real quick should you happen to get bit by one... especially since your "out in the middle of nowhere", with slim chances for survival. Hopefully that will "Help" you (understand). Frank

[PredatorMaster]

cool I use to go hunt them and catch them.

[VarmintAir]

You might start to "understand" real quick should you happen to get bit by one... especially since your "out in the middle of nowhere", with slim chances for survival. Hopefully that will "Help" you (understand). Frank

Well let me see, I've been doing this out in the middle of nowhere for over 45 years, and have seen literally hundreds upon hundred of these things, and in some circumstances I kill them, and in others I don't. When I hunt in snake country I'm always on high alert. That's one of the reasons that I have seen hundreds of these guys way before they are in anyway a threat to me. It's just a difference of philosophies. You feel a need to kill EVERY ONE you see, no matter the circumstances. I don't. You do it your way, and I'll continue to do it mine. I do believe we'll both be happier that way.I'm still looking for the "LOGIC" in killing something that is of no threat to me or anyone else.

[Moe]

I guess I'm just a bloodthirsty killer. I squash scorpions, black widows and hobo spiders, too, and if they're around, mosquitoes and black flies. I used to collect and sell rattlesnakes for venom research and anti-venom production. It was an easy way to make a few bucks when I was going to school. I've received two bites but not when I was catching and handling snakes. Both times I was bitten I was hunting. Once in the day and once at night. I lived in Taiwan for 2 1/2 years and when I did I killed cobras, Russel's Vipers, kraits and the occasional bamboo snake which kills roughly 2000 people every year. My yard is full of non venomous snakes and I leave them be as I do wherever I go but when I come across a rattler I will kill it even though it's no immediate threat to me. I'm not a fortune teller so I don't know if the next person or hunting dog will be as fortunate to be aware of that snake's presence. It's the snake you are unaware of that's dangerous and kids and dogs sometimes just don't know any better. As a matter of record you don't have to defend your position to me just as I don't have to defend mine to you. I was just making an observation. If you go back and read his post you'll see shooterjohn said he lets them go, too. My comment was directed both ways it wasn't meant to be personal. Sometimes you just need a sense of humor.

[ShooterJohn]

Where have I been while this has been going on. I hope we don't get to pushed out of shape here. Lets just agree to disagree and leave it at that. Moe you're right I don't kill snakes because I feel they have a beneficial purpose, yes even rattle snakes. One thing I have noticed over the years is that people that have a fear of snakes want to kill them. I have never found a snake that went out of it's way to attack me unless I disturbed it in some way shape or form. I did get nicked pretty good once playing golf. I reached into the cup to retrieve my ball and a small rattler that was curled up inside took offense. I just think they do more good than harm in their natural setting. I don't like spiders especially black widows but I let my chickens have them and they're happy to remove them. I understand people have their own views and I can live with that as I can live with the fact there are so damn many democrats also. Now if I could get away with removing them that would be a different story.

[Old timer]

AMEN to that

[wannakillacoyote]

I'm still looking for the "LOGIC" in killing something that is of no threat to me or anyone else.

To each his own. It just sounds weird to me for you to say that ^^^^ but go out and shoot squirrels all day long. I personally think Rattlesnakes are a higher danger than squirrels. It makes sense what you are saying about no one being out there. But, what if by chance you go back out to that area and happen to miss that snake and he gets ya? If you would have dispatched him, you would guarantee that couldn't happen from that snake. What if you are wrong about No one other than yourself ever going out there? It just seems to me if you are out killing squeeks and you come upon a rattlesnake, why not kill it just in case?Just my take on it.

[ShooterJohn]

But you have to remember those rattlesnakes are removing squirrels and other vermin every day of the year when nobody else is. If they didn't clean out some squirrel dens we'd be over run with the plague carrying squirrels in short order. Believe me I rather see a few snakes than get bit by a black plague carrying flea from a ground squirrel or the Hanta Virus from mouse dropping in a cabin or house. It's just a balance sort of thing nature tries to do it's best and maybe we just need to be more careful of where we step. Like idiot drivers, we'd like to shoot them but well you just can't.

[socal shooter]

Like idiot drivers, we'd like to shoot them but well you just can't.

Or can we???

[Moe]

John....As I said, none of my comments were intended to be personal. You're absolutely right about having a fear of snakes. I do have a fear of them. Maybe a better term would be respect. Even here in my own yard where all of the snakes I encounter are totally harmless to humans I get a start when I'm picking cucumbers, squash or strawberries and one is right next to my hand. It happens all of the time. Having lived in the Philippines and Taiwan I got a very healthy respect for the smallest of snakes and sometimes my sub conscience brain kicks in before rational thought takes over. One evening last year my wife and I were carrying groceries into the house and as I walked up to the porch a 2 ft garter snake, which is a big one, slithered across the walk from the lawn to the flower bed within a foot of my feet. I almost peed my pants before I realized there was no danger. My wife was laughing at me for jumping the way I did and I had to laugh, too, since I have a hard fast rule about leaving the snakes alone and have been known to lecture my neighbors about how the snakes are beneficial. I could tell you some hair raising stories about deadly venomous snakes I encountered in both the Philippines and Taiwan, tho, and then you'd understand. About the idiot drivers..........I know about you Californians......I read the news. You guys DO shoot them. lol And Democrats........Don't get me started.

[Shoot-it]

I am interested Moe keep going. I like catching the non venomous snakes around the farm then letting them go its hard finding garter snakes around here. i goggle CA garter snakes once there are a few different types very interesting.

[ehd]

very neat stuff .great video. I highly reccomend the rattlesnake booster shot for dogs. Makes the anti-venom treatment work alot better.

[peeker seeker]

I like to let them live. even the king snake I laid on. But I just got to poke a rattle snake and get it to rattle. 99% of the time it goes off unharmed . But if its a nice fat one it" might" get fried up and made into a hat band or belt. Most snake bite victims in the US are white males 20-30 and had ben drinking. Herd that someplace. I think on the boob tube discovery or something.. Bees kill more peaple

[nmlhunter]

WOW?! this is the hairiest thread I have ever read on here... I think the more of you that don't kill them.... the more there are for me to kill!!! I killed 2 of them locked up breeding at Pedro about 2.5 years ago. 1 had 11 rattles and one had 13. Nice skins I have. Don't hate they were happy when they died!

[Stan]

understand the "LOGIC" They Taste Great Fried Thats the Logic! Cooked wrong taste like Rubber

[Cranky Farmer]

When I read the title to this topic I thought you had one in your house!