Snakes

[Laager]

Many years ago, I answered the duty phone and the result was we found this in the backyard of a Naval Officer's Post quarters. Evidently it ate their Doberman. Snakes and I do not get along.

[MPMalloy]

Many years ago, I answered the duty phone and the result was we found this in the backyard of a Naval Officer's Post quarters. Evidently it ate their Doberman. Snakes and I do not get along.

No planes involved?

[Laager]

Many years ago, I answered the duty phone and the result was we found this in the backyard of a Naval Officer's Post quarters. Evidently it ate their Doberman. Snakes and I do not get along.

No planes involved?

J.E.S.T. workers and assigned personnel caught that darn thing by hand and we put it in the mini zoo at the JEST Compound on Cubi Point.

[tony d tiger]

Many years ago, I answered the duty phone and the result was we found this in the backyard of a Naval Officer's Post quarters. Evidently it ate their Doberman. Snakes and I do not get along.

No planes involved?

J.E.S.T. workers and assigned personnel caught that darn thing by hand and we put it in the mini zoo at the JEST Compound on Cubi Point.

Did it put up much of a fight? As many dudes you got stretching it out, I would think it'd wriggle a bit.

[Laager]

Many years ago, I answered the duty phone and the result was we found this in the backyard of a Naval Officer's Post quarters. Evidently it ate their Doberman. Snakes and I do not get along.

No planes involved?

J.E.S.T. workers and assigned personnel caught that darn thing by hand and we put it in the mini zoo at the JEST Compound on Cubi Point.

Did it put up much of a fight? As many dudes you got stretching it out, I would think it'd wriggle a bit.

It fought like heck, even with all these guys and a few more it came close to kicking all of our rear ends. The picture was taken the next day if I remember right, even with a dog inside it was not easy.

[12_Gauge_Chimp]

I'm not a fan of snakes either.

I have a "Live and let live" policy with snakes in my AO, but if they decide to strike, all bets are off and the snake is getting taken out.

Preferably from a distance with something that launches lead at a high velocity. I'm not quite brave (or stupid) enough to get up close and personal with a snake using a machete or a shovel.

[Laager]

I'm not a fan of snakes either.

I have a "Live and let live" policy with snakes in my AO, but if they decide to strike, all bets are off and the snake is getting taken out.

Preferably from a distance with something that launches lead at a high velocity. I'm not quite brave (or stupid) enough to get up close and personal with a snake using a machete or a shovel.

You and me both, while assigned to a ACR my scout and I ended up with a serious sunburn thanks to Jake the Snake.

[NT2C]

Some good eating on one of them...

[12_Gauge_Chimp]

I'm not a fan of snakes either.

I have a "Live and let live" policy with snakes in my AO, but if they decide to strike, all bets are off and the snake is getting taken out.

Preferably from a distance with something that launches lead at a high velocity. I'm not quite brave (or stupid) enough to get up close and personal with a snake using a machete or a shovel.

You and me both, while assigned to a ACR my scout and I ended up with a serious sunburn thanks to Jake the Snake.

I used to get called that when I was a kid.

Probably didn't help my case that Jake "The Snake" Roberts was one of my favorite WWF wrestlers back then and we shared the same first name.

[tony d tiger]

I'm not a fan of snakes either.

I have a "Live and let live" policy with snakes in my AO, but if they decide to strike, all bets are off and the snake is getting taken out.

Preferably from a distance with something that launches lead at a high velocity. I'm not quite brave (or stupid) enough to get up close and personal with a snake using a machete or a shovel.

Funny story from northern Alabama: We had problems with beavers on Redstone Arsenal. They would dam up the little streams and waterways, diverting waterways.. you know, doing what beavers do best.

A couple friends made pretty good money trapping them, selling skins and tails etc... a regular side job. But, eventually they couldn't take enough beavers to control the wetland problems, and Uncle Sam gaves us the green light to go blow up a few dams.

Now, we all get outdoors, so you know what I'm saying when I tell you it was nasty work; hip waders and mosquito nets for your head... and I mentioned this was Redstone Arsenal, right? So water moccasins and a special strain of poison oak were out there too...

Anyways, this is Laager's "Snake" thread, so now that I've set the backdrop, we were out in the back forty, thigh high and picking our way through the water to place a few charges on a dam when one of the "sticks" in the water up ahead turns out to be a big assed angry water moccasin, and swims right at the lead man in our little team of three... and he had a shotgun.

Snakes in the water move pretty damned quick - especially if you're in the water with them.
Blam!
...Blam - Blam! "Shoot that MF Paul!!"
Blam!

Seems, in his anxious concern, old Paulie forgot about the difference between "point of aim" and "point of impact" and missed the first three shots. Point blank he did okay - but he was buying the beer that night.

[Laager]

Some good eating on one of them...

True, I have had my share of snake meat but I still shy way away from them.

Especially the poisonous ones or the ones that like to wrestle.

[Laager]

I'm not a fan of snakes either.

I have a "Live and let live" policy with snakes in my AO, but if they decide to strike, all bets are off and the snake is getting taken out.

Preferably from a distance with something that launches lead at a high velocity. I'm not quite brave (or stupid) enough to get up close and personal with a snake using a machete or a shovel.

Funny story from northern Alabama: We had problems with beavers on Redstone Arsenal. They would dam up the little streams and waterways, diverting waterways.. you know, doing what beavers do best.

A couple friends made pretty good money trapping them, selling skins and tails etc... a regular side job. But, eventually they couldn't take enough beavers to control the wetland problems, and Uncle Sam gaves us the green light to go blow up a few dams.

Now, we all get outdoors, so you know what I'm saying when I tell you it was nasty work; hip waders and mosquito nets for your head... and I mentioned this was Redstone Arsenal, right? So water moccasins and a special strain of poison oak were out there too...

Anyways, this is Laager's "Snake" thread, so now that I've set the backdrop, we were out in the back forty, thigh high and picking our way through the water to place a few charges on a dam when one of the "sticks" in the water up ahead turns out to be a big assed angry water moccasin, and swims right at the lead man in our little team of three... and he had a shotgun.

Snakes in the water move pretty damned quick - especially if you're in the water with them.
Blam!
...Blam - Blam! "Shoot that MF Paul!!"
Blam!

Seems, in his anxious concern, old Paulie forgot about the difference between "point of aim" and "point of impact" and missed the first three shots. Point blank he did okay - but he was buying the beer that night.

When it comes to snakes people tend to loose their calm very quickly.

I’ve been “gifted” with a few shotguns decades ago when snake panic mode kicked in.

Fastest way to ruin a nice shotgun is to fire it submerged.

[tony d tiger]

^^ ^^

[raptor2]

If you are ever out in the swamps with me and hear a 12 year old girl scream and someone jumping back 10 feet...that is me when my snake alarm goes off.

[Evan the Diplomat]

I love snakes! I think they are fascinating. I’m always looking for them. Last April I caught one at work. We went out to the patio dining area that faces an artificial pond and about 200 m further out an oak forest. Underneath the table I saw what I thought was a rubber snake meant to keep away birds. I picked it up and it moved! Turns out it was a juvenile black rat snake Pantherophis alleghaniensis. I moved him on to the grassy area so nobody would spook and try to kill him.

This summer at scout camp one of my sons shouted that there was a snake on the trail, I shouted back what color is it, and he said black so I told him to grab it by the tail until I caught up. It was a lovely black rat snake about 5 1/2 feet long. I swear when I hold a snake it feels electric you can just feel all the musculature through the body. My all-time favorite snake is the copperhead I think it is the most American of snakes. I don’t care for the big constrictors or most other exotics, you should keep snakes from your country of origin. American Snakes First!

[Laager]

I love snakes! I think they are fascinating. I’m always looking for them. Last April I caught one at work. We went out to the patio dining area that faces an artificial pond and about 200 m further out an oak forest. Underneath the table I saw what I thought was a rubber snake meant to keep away birds. I picked it up and it moved! Turns out it was a juvenile black rat snake Pantherophis alleghaniensis. I moved him on to the grassy area so nobody would spook and try to kill him.

This summer at scout camp one of my sons shouted that there was a snake on the trail, I shouted back what color is it, and he said black so I told him to grab it by the tail until I caught up. It was a lovely black rat snake about 5 1/2 feet long. I swear when I hold a snake it feels electric you can just feel all the musculature through the body. My all-time favorite snake is the copperhead I think it is the most American of snakes. I don’t care for the big constrictors or most other exotics, you should keep snakes from your country of origin. American Snakes First!

Everything has a job in life and snakes do play an important role in helping control rodents and in some cases two legged carmines.

I do think the Cotton Mouth is a beautiful animal, and I did get two shotguns from them but I don’t want to cuddle with them.

[raptor2]

I do think the Cotton Mouth is a beautiful animal, and I did get two shotguns from them but I don’t want to cuddle with them.

I agree...well maybe not the beautiful part...the term amazing predator comes to mind
I am a live and let live person. I leave snakes alone as long as they are not on my porch, dock or bothering my critters.
Cotton mouths/water moccasins a.k.a: agkistrodon piscivorus on the other hand have been known to violate all three of these criteria for interaction.

That said still remember if you are near me and hear a 12 year old girl scream ... that is the snake alarm...look around at your feet.

[Laager]

Yep they are not the most “shy” snake running around in North America.

I honestly believe in my 60+ years have only killed one snake, on purpose and maybe one on accident.

[12_Gauge_Chimp]

I've never had to kill a snake in my entire life.

Of course, I've also never really encountered more than a handful of them over the years and they were a pretty good distance from me when I spotted them.

Now, my brothers on the other hand, have killed plenty of snakes.

When we were all younger, two of my brothers got hired by a local grocer in Coyanosa Texas to keep the snake population down around his farm. My brothers did this by driving the store owner's old Willys jeep down a dirt road and zapping the crap out of any snakes they encountered with a cattle prod.

Given that I was about 4 years old when they did this and I was more interested in the Jeep and pretty much anything else my brain thought was neat, I'm not sure if this killed the snakes outright or if it just caused them a great deal of discomfort and made them avoid that area.

I'm going to assume this killed the snakes because I'm pretty sure electricity + snake = fried snake.

[Vicarious_Lee]

That looks like a big female reticulated python in the pic. The wild ones are incredibly reactive and bitey when attacked. I'm impressed y'all were able to subdue and capture it alive.

I love snakes! I think they are fascinating. I’m always looking for them. Last April I caught one at work. We went out to the patio dining area that faces an artificial pond and about 200 m further out an oak forest. Underneath the table I saw what I thought was a rubber snake meant to keep away birds. I picked it up and it moved! Turns out it was a juvenile black rat snake Pantherophis alleghaniensis. I moved him on to the grassy area so nobody would spook and try to kill him.

This summer at scout camp one of my sons shouted that there was a snake on the trail, I shouted back what color is it, and he said black so I told him to grab it by the tail until I caught up. It was a lovely black rat snake about 5 1/2 feet long. I swear when I hold a snake it feels electric you can just feel all the musculature through the body. My all-time favorite snake is the copperhead I think it is the most American of snakes. I don’t care for the big constrictors or most other exotics, you should keep snakes from your country of origin. American Snakes First!

Hey Evan! It's been a long time! I recently got into keeping snakes earlier this year. So far got a juvenile pastel ivory ball python and a baby Guyana red tail boa constrictor. As a redneck snake wrangler in my youth, I've had to pretty much un-learn everything I know about handling them because if you handle them the way you do a wild snake you're pretty much torturing them.

Alternately, a snake that has been bred for 5-10 generations in captivity, and has had a perfect, safe little environment, and lovingly warmed and presented thawed food and fresh water, and that has learned that these gigantic, lightning fast, hot blooded superpredators with their crushing teeth and scary meat claws are for some reason not going to murder them, and actually they seem to want to care for them....

Well they're about as much of what people generally consider "snakes" as a teacup yorkie is a coyote. With their natural fear and defenses overwriten, they're free to be their best primitive-brained goofball selves. Our ball python is so uttery fearless that she doesn't even bother to wrap a coil around our hand when we're holding her, assuming that her giant predators will keep her from falling.

She's only been wrong once so far.

[Laager]

That looks like a big female reticulated python in the pic. The wild ones are incredibly reactive and bitey when attacked. I'm impressed y'all were able to subdue and capture it alive.

I love snakes! I think they are fascinating. I’m always looking for them. Last April I caught one at work. We went out to the patio dining area that faces an artificial pond and about 200 m further out an oak forest. Underneath the table I saw what I thought was a rubber snake meant to keep away birds. I picked it up and it moved! Turns out it was a juvenile black rat snake Pantherophis alleghaniensis. I moved him on to the grassy area so nobody would spook and try to kill him.

This summer at scout camp one of my sons shouted that there was a snake on the trail, I shouted back what color is it, and he said black so I told him to grab it by the tail until I caught up. It was a lovely black rat snake about 5 1/2 feet long. I swear when I hold a snake it feels electric you can just feel all the musculature through the body. My all-time favorite snake is the copperhead I think it is the most American of snakes. I don’t care for the big constrictors or most other exotics, you should keep snakes from your country of origin. American Snakes First!

Hey Evan! It's been a long time! I recently got into keeping snakes earlier this year. So far got a juvenile pastel ivory ball python and a baby Guyana red tail boa constrictor. As a redneck snake wrangler in my youth, I've had to pretty much un-learn everything I know about handling them because if you handle them the way you do a wild snake you're pretty much torturing them.

Alternately, a snake that has been bred for 5-10 generations in captivity, and has had a perfect, safe little environment, and lovingly warmed and presented thawed food and fresh water, and that has learned that these gigantic, lightning fast, hot blooded superpredators with their crushing teeth and scary meat claws are for some reason not going to murder them, and actually they seem to want to care for them....

Well they're about as much of what people generally consider "snakes" as a teacup yorkie is a coyote. With their natural fear and defenses overwriten, they're free to be their best primitive-brained goofball selves. Our ball python is so uttery fearless that she doesn't even bother to wrap a coil around our hand when we're holding her, assuming that her giant predators will keep her from falling.

She's only been wrong once so far.

It did not go down easy and there were almost triple the amount of guys wrestling it down.

I thought it would win the battle for sure. JEST had a small zoo for training purposes that had quite a few local indigenous animals.

Our First Sargent used to love to run us through Monkey Town, let’s just say it encouraged the guys in the back (usually the ones who had drank to much and were falling out of formation to run faster.

Something about being pelted with rocks, twigs, monkey pee and poo made them run faster. Coupled with the fact that the First Sargent made them shower last encouraged them to give it their all.

Five miles every Monday, Wednesday and Friday.