wood pile protection

[Junkrunner]

Well the weather is gettin warmer, the critters are out and about. Is there anything you fellas use around your wood area to keep the snakes out?
I don't mind 'em, but I'd rather not grab ahold of a big ole cooperhead, if I can help it.

I've bin using moth balls around mine, hoping If I keep the mice and such out, they'll stay away.. I have prime habitat for them, which is what scares me. I have a small crick , plenty of rocks and cover. I've relocated 6 copperheads and 2 timber rattlers since 1998. But none have bin around the wood..

 

[mga]

i only get garden snakes....lol....they bite some times, but nothing harmful. if they do, i just wait till they're done so i don't rip their teeth out.

i leave them alone because they keep other "things" out of the wood.

 

[jerrycmorrow]

i'm sure that copperheadedrattlemocassins have their place but their place is not on my place. only relocation i do with them is relocate their heads from their bodies. that would also go with coral snakes. my grandkids are more important to me than pit vipers. all other snakes are welcome, pit vipers/coral snakes must die.

 

[dave_dj1]

I just saw a thing a ma jig advertised on the idiot tube for a solar powered high frequency pest detterant device. For the life of me I can't recall the name of it and it was only on a half hr ago. I love getting older...............:bang:

 

[TMFARM 2009]

buy a mongoose and train it to live by the pile...lol
:hmm3grin2orange::hmm3grin2orange::hmm3grin2orange:

 

[Wife'nHubby]

No snakes here but moles and mice love my future BTU's.

Shari

 

[Sagetown]

Coral Snakes ! Jerry; I've only seen one in these parts, and that was long ago, but I'm enundated with these big Rat Snakes. I use bird shot in my .22 for these big guys, and it is really effective. Ordinarily I wouldn't mess with them, but they like to strangle my chickens, and that kinda ticks me off if you know what I mean.

 

[cuttingintime]

i'm sure that copper headed rattle moccasin have their place but their place is not on my place. only relocation i do with them is relocate their heads from their bodies. that would also go with coral snakes. my grand kids are more important to me than pit vipers. all other snakes are welcome, pit vipers/coral snakes must die.

I am with you on this one.

 

[styles038]

Coral Snakes ! Jerry; I've only seen one in these parts, and that was long ago, but I'm enundated with these big Rat Snakes. I use bird shot in my .22 for these big guys, and it is really effective. Ordinarily I wouldn't mess with them, but they like to strangle my chickens, and that kinda ticks me off if you know what I mean.

Not to hijiack, but I like your model 12 sagetown. I have always wanted one but whenever I see one I never make the purchase. Maybe because I get tired of the 6 or 7 .22's in my safe taking up so much room. My bigger calibers need some breathing space.

A snake that size would have won my 11-87 or XDM though. Anything with more/faster lead than one .22 bullet per pump.

 

[jerrycmorrow]

Coral Snakes ! Jerry; I've only seen one in these parts, and that was long ago, but I'm enundated with these big Rat Snakes. I use bird shot in my .22 for these big guys, and it is really effective. Ordinarily I wouldn't mess with them, but they like to strangle my chickens, and that kinda ticks me off if you know what I mean.

you got me curious now. never heard of using bird shot in a .22. how's that work?

 

[styles038]

.22 birshot is just a capsul that breaks apart very quickly after leaving the barrel. The bb's are very small. Best for the shorter shots. I carry my .40 cal with bidshot loads when rabbit hunting - besides a shotgun. The downfall in semi-auto's is the load doesn't have enough pow to cycle and chamber a new load. And they are not cheap.

It would be awesome for snakes. I overlooked that he said he used birdshot. I just thought he was using .22 bullets.

 

[jerrycmorrow]

well dang. just when i get to feelin i've heard it all. good to know bout the .22 birdshot. where do you get it? talk about old dogs and new tricks. always say if i learned something i've had a successful day. thanks much.

 

[Sagetown]

Hey Jerry; Been out clearing out some honey locusts and hackberry. Yeh; the .22 bird shot is VERY lethal on snakes. I don't know why, but it is. At 10' on the chicken roost they're toast. I've knocked 'em dead from the rafters 14' up. Just aim for the head and get outa the way.
Here are some brands of .22 birdshot.

 

[RandyMac]

Sagetown, nice Winchester. I have a 1906, the shorty version, my Dad gave it to me when I was 10.
I only had one wood pile that attracted snakes, had a medium brown mutt that went for every snake he saw. I rescued him from a bad owner, he stayed as close as a pair of boots. I didn't give him a name, didn't have to call him, he tied into a big Timber and got fanged.
I hate wood pile spiders.

 

[styles038]

Im sure sagetown will stop by and clarify, but he informed me that his 22 is a rossi replica NOT a winchester 62A or Remington 12. I guess im not the only one who made that mistake. I have a hard time telling the 62 from the 12, but at first site, this looked like a remington to me

Still a very nice looking gun.

 

[Sagetown]

Sagetown, nice Winchester. I have a 1906, the shorty version, my Dad gave it to me when I was 10.
I only had one wood pile that attracted snakes, had a medium brown mutt that went for every snake he saw. I rescued him from a bad owner, he stayed as close as a pair of boots. I didn't give him a name, didn't have to call him, he tied into a big Timber and got fanged.
I hate wood pile spiders.

Hi Randy; Thanks for the compliment. Wish it was a Winchester. It's an 18 yr old Rossi 62SA however. It differs from the Remington 12, in that it has an external hammer. I don't think the Remington has one.

 

[Vibes]

Check trapping supply places. The ones that cater to wildlife pest control guys. Theres a snake repellent available. I think I mite have a gallon of it around if you want to try it. You can have it if you pay the shipping.

 

[Scrapiron]

Winchester

My father-in-law gave me his Uncle's Winchester 61 last year. I've not had the opportunity to use it to kill a snake, but for being around 75 years old, it shoots like a dream and is accuate (iron sights). I'm grateful he gifted it to me. He told me that rifle had put plenty of meat on the table (including deer!) back in the day.

I've used my Ruger 10/22 with shotshell on snakes, as folks say- very effective.

 

[zogger]

I don't kill big snakes like that

Plenty of copperheads around here..but not close, because I DON'T kill big rat snakes or king snakes. They eat smaller snakes like copperheads.

Now I have chickens, too, but have never lost any to snakes. I have yet to see any of them big snakes strangling a chicken, and I would love to see a vid or a series of still pics of one of them actually eating a full grown chicken cuz I slap ain't believing it is even possible. Little biddies sure but not a full grown one.

Now they will eat eggs, but I pick my eggs three times a day so if I do lose any it ain't too many, and I don't care, them big snakes still do their job and keep the poisonous snakes and big rats way.


Maybe I am lucky there. I get all the free little pullets I want from birds the catchers miss every six weeks when they pull the flocks, so I don't care either, I'd rather have them big black and brown snakes around to eat the copperheads and big rats. Between my cats and the big snakes, and the big hawks I also don't shoot, we have few rats, although there were zillions when I first moved in, including inside the house.

Previous occupants did traditional redneck control, kill all snakes including them big rat and king snakes and put out poison and kill the cats that show up and shoot all the hawks calling them all "chicken hawks". My boss wanted me to do that here and I just refused, told him I would do my method only or it would be a contract deal breaker. Now we don't talk about it because the proof is there i was right and he wasn't and still ain't, and seeing as how he is my boss I don't bring the subject up anymore.

I save the cats that show up and get them fixed and shots and keep them as barn cats and pets and my rat problem disappeared for the most part within two years of my method of cooperating with nature and not trying to fight it.

Before cats, you could see rats by the dozens running around and going in and out of holes, right in broad daylight. Now, not killing the snakes and having half a dozen or so (varies with tomcat numbers...) cats between the barn and house..ain't seen a running rat in a few years now.

Now you go one mile over the other side of the farm, they still do the "kill everything" method and are still crawling with rats and venomous snakes....one mile difference, two different techniques..my technique works, their's doesn't and never did, despite thirty years of shooting snakes and cats and putting out buckets and buckets and buckets of poison to try and control the rats.

To each their own but I can see the results of the two methods just one mile difference.

 

[Sagetown]

by zogger ~ Now I have chickens, too, but have never lost any to snakes.

Hey zogger:
When my children were young I never had problems with snakes. I milked a cow twice a day, and had plenty of stray cats. They'd come within 6-8 feet of me and I'd squirt milk in their faces. My daughter was the only one they'd trust.

But since the kids have left I don't have dogs, cats, turkeys, or blue geese, so the snakes come. My chickens are Bantams. The snakes cannot swallow them, but strangle them in frustration I guess. One summer night I walked into the barn and found two large rat snakes on the roost. One had a beautiful half grown bantam as far in his mouth as he could get it. I don't think he could ever have swallowed it, but it was dead, and so went he with a load of birdshot. I don't bother the rat snakes in my wood pile, as they keep the copperheads at bay. But once they're in the barn they gotta go quick.
Sage