Snakes

[Ridelght]

That is awesome !!!!! Thanks for that.

 

[NCL4701]

I think keeping the mouse population low discourages snakes. I keep several Tom cat mouse bait stations outside of the house, and around the barn.

Agree with that. It’s been a successful strategy in our yard and shop areas. Remove the prey and the predators leave.

 

[jyoutz]

Agree with that. It’s been a successful strategy in our yard and shop areas. Remove the prey and the predators leave.

They have to search elsewhere for food.

 

[Ridelght]

They have to search elsewhere for food.

Dont want to cause thread drift...but anyone have a good solution to woodchucks ? Read a lot of products that get them to go off to woods. So far no luck on using them. Now some up by pole barn.
Any ideas greatly appreciated

 

[NCL4701]

Dont want to cause thread drift...but anyone have a good solution to woodchucks ? Read a lot of products that get them to go off to woods. So far no luck on using them. Now some up by pole barn.
Any ideas greatly appreciated

Back when my father had a garden across the drive from my front yard, we used the Havahart live traps baited with whatever they’d been eating recently in the garden. The traps make them much easier to shoot.

 

[rc51stierhoff]

Dont want to cause thread drift...but anyone have a good solution to woodchucks ? Read a lot of products that get them to go off to woods. So far no luck on using them. Now some up by pole barn.
Any ideas greatly appreciated

Probably not that are PC…if that’s an issue I would not read my response any further…otherwise here are some options:
0. Blow the dust off Caddyshack…that’s a good start whether you like golf or not.
1. 6 pack, lawn chair and a pistol that you are competent with. If not competent with pistol, get rifle, if still struggle shotgun…but better scoot up to the hole.
2. If you have a little breathing room, any .224 caliber rifle would suffice….220 swifts do pretty well. Further back you get the easier it is…if you whistle, they will stand up….that’s your cue.
3. If two items above are not acceptable I suspect you could take a tv with long extension cord out and play either the news, or any recent speech from Mr potato head and I suspect after a few mintues the ground hogs might move if they don’t have a job, mortgage or family they care about near by.
4. Regarding one and two above, be advised that ground hogs usually are not spooked by machinerey that is moving…That’s all I am going to say.
5. If you are serious they do eat and stand up by a cadence…that’s a different issue…but will call that the sneak up / club option…not for beginners.
6. Get a Dachshund and combine with option 1 lawn chair and 6 pack. I am a GSD person but dachshunds have their place too.
7. There are other options but I would worry what it would do to the scavengers.

Goonga, goonga galoonga (option 0 reference).

 

[Ridelght]

Probably not that are PC…if that’s an issue I would not read my response any further…otherwise here are some options:
0. Blow the dust off Caddyshack…that’s a good start whether you like golf or not.
1. 6 pack, lawn chair and a pistol that you are competent with. If not competent with pistol, get rifle, if still struggle shotgun…but better scoot up to the hole.
2. If you have a little breathing room, any .224 caliber rifle would suffice….220 swifts do pretty well. Further back you get the easier it is…if you whistle, they will stand up….that’s your cue.
3. If two items above are not acceptable I suspect you could take a tv with long extension cord out and play either the news, or any recent speech from Mr potato head and I suspect after a few mintues the ground hogs might move if they don’t have a job, mortgage or family they care about near by.
4. Regarding one and two above, be advised that ground hogs usually are not spooked by machinerey that is moving…That’s all I am going to say.
5. If you are serious they do eat and stand up by a cadence…that’s a different issue…but will call that the sneak up / club option…not for beginners.
6. Get a Dachshund and combine with option 1 lawn chair and 6 pack. I am a GSD person but dachshunds have their place too.
7. There are other options but I would worry what it would do to the scavengers.

Goonga, goonga galoonga (option 0 reference).

I did not know about whistle. I sighted in my 22. 18 shot mag from 30 yards. Im more concerned with my neighbor. Im not really in to just killing animals but they are a pain. Chasing pets now if happen on them. These do run though ftom lawnmower. Read a lot of stuff on them. Im guessing 4 adults and 6 little ones on the 5 acres. They breed like crazy so i need to do something.

 

[Joisey]

Snakes follow food. Lots of mice/frogs/bugs, etc will attract whatever preys on them. Bought a house in WV last year. Was mowing some high grass when I smelled a cucumber smell. I stood still and looked around, and sure enough, there was a 3 foot copperhead sunning itself in a patch of lower grass.

I remained still, and he stopped watching me and slithered away to somewhere more quiet. We have a lot of black snakes around here, so our copperhead population is kept in control.

I have no outside pets, and the only reason why the snake was where it was is because the previous owner left the grass grow high. Since I have kept things cut, the snake has never returned. If he does return close to the house, he goes to snake heaven, express route.

 

[RCW]

Regarding woodchucks. Don’t know if they still make it, but there used to be woodchuck bombs for the burrows. Effective in a populated area, but you need to block the 2 or 3 holes that commonly make up their accommodations. 1 hole will have the mound; 1 or 2 others will not have a mound. Escape hatches, we used to call them.

They do whistle if startled as an alert to others. Some call them a whistle pig.

They can be easily live-trapped. Bait the trap with fresh peaches sliced up. They love them. You could trap other stuff as well. Be prepared for a skunk, raccoon or squirrels. NOTE - - relocation of wildlife is not legal in many states.

If neither works, a little .22 rim fire works fine. Need good shot placement.

Used to shoot 100 a year many years ago. Longest shot crowded 600 yards. Most was 11 in an evening.

 

[RCW]

I did not know about whistle. I sighted in my 22. 18 shot mag from 30 yards. Im more concerned with my neighbor. Im not really in to just killing animals but they are a pain. Chasing pets now if happen on them. These do run though ftom lawnmower. Read a lot of stuff on them. Im guessing 4 adults and 6 little ones on the 5 acres. They breed like crazy so i need to do something.

Note my earlier post on options.

if you have a close neighbor, you could be violating several laws by shooting them if if doesn’t meet separation distances, etc.

IN NYS, a small game hunting license is required to shoot them. However, there is no designated season or daily limit on woodchucks.

Not advocating one method over another. I’ve used all I mentioned.

If you do try to live trap, they don’t do well if trapped and left in the sun and heat for very long. Need to check traps quite regularly.

 

[Ridelght]

Regarding woodchucks. Don’t know if they still make it, but there used to be woodchuck bombs for the burrows. Effective in a populated area, but you need to block the 2 or 3 holes that commonly make up their accommodations. 1 hole will have the mound; 1 or 2 others will not have a mound. Escape hatches, we used to call them.

They do whistle if startled as an alert to others. Some call them a whistle pig.

They can be easily live-trapped and relocated without restriction in NYS. Bait the trap with fresh peaches sliced up. They love them. You could trap other stuff as well. Be prepared for a skunk, raccoon or squirrels.

If neither works, a little .22 rim fire works fine. Need good shot placement.

Used to shoot 100 a year many years ago. Longest shot crowded 600 yards. Most was 11 in an evening.

I am unsure of relocating here. Lot of golf courses in the area though. That would be my favorite solution. I ssw those bombs, also a thing that hooks to exhIst on Amazon. Not sure how i feel about that. Dead bodies in ground stinking. I wouldnt care if they were down in the wooded area, but getting close to house and buildings now. Anyone ever ise these sound things ?
Thanks for idea's

 

[RCW]

I am unsure of relocating here. Lot of golf courses in the area though. That would be my favorite solution. I ssw those bombs, also a thing that hooks to exhIst on Amazon. Not sure how i feel about that. Dead bodies in ground stinking. I wouldnt care if they were down in the wooded area, but getting close to house and buildings now. Anyone ever ise these sound things ?
Thanks for idea's

They aren’t in the woods because they’re grazing herbivores. Eat grasses almost exclusively… will burrow under your buildings if given an opportunity.

Just bomb them. Effective and quick. Doubtful you will notice a stink.

 

[Henro]

Snakes follow food. Lots of mice/frogs/bugs, etc will attract whatever preys on them. Bought a house in WV last year. Was mowing some high grass when I smelled a cucumber smell. I stood still and looked around, and sure enough, there was a 3 foot copperhead sunning itself in a patch of lower grass.

I remained still, and he stopped watching me and slithered away to somewhere more quiet. We have a lot of black snakes around here, so our copperhead population is kept in control.

I have no outside pets, and the only reason why the snake was where it was is because the previous owner left the grass grow high. Since I have kept things cut, the snake has never returned. If he does return close to the house, he goes to snake heaven, express route.

Copperheads smell like cucumbers? Learn something new every day...not disputing it, just never realized it...my nose is not that great in reality.

 

[Bmyers]

Copperheads smell like cucumbers? Learn something new every day...not disputing it, just never realized it...my nose is not that great in reality.

Yes, the snake will give off a musk/feces combination from the gland at its tail when it feels threatened that to some people smell like cucumbers. My nose isn't that good, so I would never rely on the smell.

 

[PoTreeBoy]

Yes, the snake will give off a musk/feces combination from the gland at its tail when it feels threatened that to some people smell like cucumbers. My nose isn't that good, so I would never rely on the smell.

I've read water moccasins smell like over-ripe watermelon. I didn't learn that until about 40 years after encountering that distinctive smell one day when I was about 15 in the pasture down by the creek. Didn't see a snake.

 

[Ridelght]

Note my earlier post on options.

if you have a close neighbor, you could be violating several laws by shooting them if if doesn’t meet separation distances, etc.

IN NYS, a small game hunting license is required to shoot them. However, there is no designated season or daily limit on woodchucks.

Not advocating one method over another. I’ve used all I mentioned.

If you do try to live trap, they don’t do well if trapped and left in the sun and heat for very long. Need to check traps quite regularly.

I can shoot here; neighbor is literal arms dealer with ccw classes and range. My other neighbor is against all guns. probably 2000 feet away but very "observant" It may seem wussy of me, but I struggle killing things for no reason other than pain in ass. I don't need to stalk a 6 pound critter to feel manly. With that said these things are getting out of control. I could catch and release elsewhere but I feel that's just kicking the can down the road. Ideally these guys can move to my neighbors property, Ill bet their stance would change. I'm going to try deterrents first. Shooting last. I don't see 2nd holes for gas bombs right now.
Today I mowed around my acre pond and saw 3 others running off up a hill near a church, don't think ill ever be free of them totally so if I can find things to spray around yard and house that makes grass taste bad ill be better in long run. no way out here in the styx that was sold off on 5 or 10 acre lots going to kill them all. Bob my neighbor does shoot them 1st. Then possums Racoons take care of.

 

[Joisey]

Copperheads smell like cucumbers? Learn something new every day...not disputing it, just never realized it...my nose is not that great in reality.

My nose definitely picked up the cucumber smell. Some 8 years back my testosterone level took a dive from exposure to chemicals at work. Went to the urologist to get testosterone shots, and now I finally give them to myself with quarterly monitoring. After each shot I would get an alcohol smell/taste in the back of my mouth.

The nurse said one in 500 patients get that sensation occasionally, one in 5000 gets the taste/smell all the time.

 

[imnukensc]

FWIW, relocating wildlife, whether a snake or a woodchuck or a raccoon, is illegal in most states. Dispatching nuisance pests generally isn't illegal unless you live in one of the more "progressive" states.

 

[Daren Todd]

Probably not that are PC…if that’s an issue I would not read my response any further…otherwise here are some options:
0. Blow the dust off Caddyshack…that’s a good start whether you like golf or not.
1. 6 pack, lawn chair and a pistol that you are competent with. If not competent with pistol, get rifle, if still struggle shotgun…but better scoot up to the hole.
2. If you have a little breathing room, any .224 caliber rifle would suffice….220 swifts do pretty well. Further back you get the easier it is…if you whistle, they will stand up….that’s your cue.
3. If two items above are not acceptable I suspect you could take a tv with long extension cord out and play either the news, or any recent speech from Mr potato head and I suspect after a few mintues the ground hogs might move if they don’t have a job, mortgage or family they care about near by.
4. Regarding one and two above, be advised that ground hogs usually are not spooked by machinerey that is moving…That’s all I am going to say.
5. If you are serious they do eat and stand up by a cadence…that’s a different issue…but will call that the sneak up / club option…not for beginners.
6. Get a Dachshund and combine with option 1 lawn chair and 6 pack. I am a GSD person but dachshunds have their place too.
7. There are other options but I would worry what it would do to the scavengers.

Goonga, goonga galoonga (option 0 reference).

Dachshund would keep them out of the yard preemptively.

Our mini dachshund ran a tight ship out there in the yard. No critters were allowed. Although he had a hate hate relationship with the squirrels And a crawdad would keep him entertained for hours.

 

[Ridelght]

FWIW, relocating wildlife, whether a snake or a woodchuck or a raccoon, is illegal in most states. Dispatching nuisance pests generally isn't illegal unless you live in one of the more "progressive" states.

i can see that, havent even looked in to laws but thanks.