D**n snakes!!!

[yotehowler]

Had a good thunder shower here last evening so I thought I'd go cut a load of wood this morning while it was still damp and I wouldn't have to worry too much about starting a fire.

I had a big oak that had been down for a while in a grassy area and I thought this morning would be a good time to get it cut up. I pulled up to it, got out and gave it a half dozen or so whacks with the splitting maul like I always do to give any snakes a warning that I'm there. I didn't see or hear anything so I pulled out the saw and limbed it up.

I marked it and started cutting rounds. I was about half way down the tree, I cut through a round and rolled it out of the way with my foot. The bark was loose on the tree and as the round rolled off the bark stayed where it was laying. All coiled up on the bark was a little rattlesnake about 12" or so long.:jawdrop:

The little sucker had apparently been between the log and the bark. Thank goodness the bark came off and I saw it. Hate to think of the bark staying attached and me reaching down and grabbing ahold of that piece.

Anyway you all be careful out there.

 

[clawmute]

This one was found around here by some utility workers last fall.

big or little, I don't want one to bite me. It's a big deal to get bitten by a poisonous snake of any size. Be careful, those snakes don't shed tears for us!

 

[avalancher]

Bugs? No problem.
Spiders?again, no problem
Rain, sleet, snow, etc...No problem.
Snakes? Yeah, the one thing that can make me screech like a little girl and make me question if I should have stayed home for the day.
Man i hate snakes. The sad part of it is, my wife is totally fearless of snakes. I spot one in the woods I will throw anything handy at it and haul butt. My wife will go pick it up and say something like, "Well,its not poisonous, what are you screeching for?Your scaring the kids."

 

[jags]

I hate snakes. Something that has no legs, no arms, no fins, no wings should not be able to move that fast

 

[Austin1]

Bugs? No problem.
Spiders?again, no problem
Rain, sleet, snow, etc...No problem.
Snakes? Yeah, the one thing that can make me screech like a little girl and make me question if I should have stayed home for the day.
Man i hate snakes. The sad part of it is, my wife is totally fearless of snakes. I spot one in the woods I will throw anything handy at it and haul butt. My wife will go pick it up and say something like, "Well,its not poisonous, what are you screeching for?Your scaring the kids."

Hmmm I have a similar problem, I have cut wood with Cougar tracks so big you would think you were in Africa all around me, Have had seen Grizzly only a Half mile from my cutting area yep still got out of the truck and cut wood. No poisonous snakes in the woods here but we get big prairie rattles on the Southsask River when I go fishing No problem for me. But put a bumble bee or Hornet in my truck, or it tries to land on me and watch me move! Oh yea I do the girly reaction on that one it must be the colour or buzzing sound but it gives me the hevy jevy's! Plus the yellow jackets and Hornets have them ugly hard body's.

 

[aquan8tor]

All coiled up on the bark was a little rattlesnake about 12" or so long.:jawdrop:

The little ones are Mojave rattlers, or something like that, right? I know there are a couple that don't grow more than 2-3ft. that are neurotoxic, like coral snakes.

 

[KMB]

I hate snakes. Something that has no legs, no arms, no fins, no wings should not be able to move that fast

+10

Kevin

 

[Wood Doctor]

I ran into one of these a few years back while cutting wood near a creek bed.

I quicky discovered that wolf spiders get a lot bigger than 2" across. This one was about the size of a tarantula. Scared the pee out of me. :censored:

You have to wonder what it eats? I don't care too much for big spiders or big snakes.

 

[jags]

Now THAT is an UGLY bastage.

 

[danrclem]

Now THAT is an UGLY bastage.

I bet his mama doesn't think so and she just might bite you for saying that.

 

[jags]

I bet his mama doesn't think so and she just might bite you for saying that.

His mama probably left him as a baby, so I doubt they are even on speaking terms.

 

[excess650]

I grew up in a rural area with lakes and trout streams around, so was familiar with snakes from a young age. They don't bother me. I HATE spiders and ticks.....:censored:

 

[RDT]

I can handle anything but spiders. And that picture gives me the creeps.

 

[Wood Doctor]

I can handle anything but spiders. And that picture gives me the creeps.

Perhaps "anything" except the tick. They are everywhere and can strike without warning, especially in the warm summer while you are working hard in the heat. Some men say that the tick is far worse than the spider. These are blood suckers that can carry a lethal disease.

When the tick's body expands with the blood that they have sucked from you body, it can easily balloon to ten times its normal size. Disgusting! :censored:
Note that like the spider, the tick has eight legs.

 

[BaldSawRunner]

Spiders, if I see 'em and know what they are, I leave them alone. There are far more "good spiders" than there is poisonous ones. Besides, do you know how much bigger you are than a spider? Snakes, I leave alone also, unless it is posinous and I know I am going to be in the area for a while. Most of the time, leave them alone, they will leave you alone.

I do remember one time helping my dad cutting up some tree tops loggers left, I was picking up wood and my dad said, "Terry, don't move. There's a copperhead right behind you."

Needless to say, I did move. I jumped about 3 foot backwards and hit the ground running. Turned out, the snake was under some bark, and part of the body was showing. Dad moved the bark, and the head and tail were both cut off by the chainsaw. Still, use caution out there

 

[Soilarch]

...and that is why I love permethrin. Not only do flying stinging critters act like there's a glass shield around you, ticks act the same.


And it KILLS the dirty mugs:greenchainsaw:


Of course, you have to ignore the "do not spray on skin" to really appreciate it!

(Don't smell funky like regular bug spray either! No oily yuck-skin either!)


Only thing that remotely compares is 100% DEET
I know there's a 50/50 I'll have a tick or two on me if I spend all day in the woods with DEET. But Permemthrin.....I don't know that I've ever had a tick on me after that...and back home they have "turkey mites" in some areas. Don't know what they are exactly but it's like instant poison ivy+chiggers raised to the power of Hell...twice! Deet don't seem to bother them too much.

Don't think it works for snakes though Unless I KNOW it's NOT a CottonMouth/Moccasin or Copperhead it's getting killed. Sorry, but I've personally witnessed too much with those to breeds to believe the "they're more scared of you" line. It might hold tree with other snakes...but with those two its flip a coin.

 

[Bruce Hopf]

I just have Garden Snakes around here. Every time I see one, I get a Chill down my Spine.
Growing up here on the Farm as kids, my Sister and I would play in the Bush, and when She would see a Snake, She would Scream the God Awfulest Scream, that would make your Blood turn Cold.
Then I would be the Hero, and Club it over the head with a Stick. Once after she was 20, she saw a snake, and took out her 12Ga, and blew that poor Snake to pieces. I was not home to see it. Would have looked good on Video. Bruce.

 

[Caz]

I'll take all the snakes i can git. Keeps the mice and firewood thieves in check : )
I even stop and pick em up off the road. Put em in a sack and bring them home to release.

 

[ropensaddle]

The little ones are Mojave rattlers, or something like that, right? I know there are a couple that don't grow more than 2-3ft. that are neurotoxic, like coral snakes.

Pigmy are the little ones and are no way similar to corral the
corral is certain death if medical treatment is not expedient.

 

[Bruce Hopf]

I'll take all the snakes i can git. Keeps the mice and firewood thieves in check : )
I even stop and pick em up off the road. Put em in a sack and bring them home to release.

That is what they made Rat and Mouse Bat for. Next time I see a snake, I'll package it up, and send it to you. Bruce.