Snakes

RCW

Well-known member
Lifetime Member

Equipment
BX2360, FEL, MMM, BX2750D snowblower. 1953 Minneapolis Moline ZAU
Apr 28, 2013
9,109
5,140
113
Chenango County, NY
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.
This is true. My statement earlier was incorrect. I will edit to make note of that.

It is often done around here for woodchucks, but doesn't make it legal.

The ones I trapped 30 years ago were taken by a person that raised and sold them for some type of medical research purposes.

Thanks for correcting my error.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user

Ridelght

Well-known member
Lifetime Member

Equipment
2022 Kubota L4060 Polaris Rangerxp800 Ford 3400
Feb 16, 2022
434
293
63
Ohio
This is true. My statement earlier was incorrect. I will edit to make note of that.

It is often done around here for woodchucks, but doesn't make it legal.

The ones I trapped 30 years ago were taken by a person that raised and sold them for some type of medical research purposes.

Thanks for correcting my error.
I researched a little, as long as you have permission its fine. These woodchucks go where they want on thier own. Doubt any you moved are talking.
Myself and neighbors get blessed with dogs and cat's like this.
 

Henro

Well-known member

Equipment
B2910, BX2200, KX41-2V mini Ex., Beer fridge
May 24, 2019
5,779
2,963
113
North of Pittsburgh PA
Not sure why, but I have a good feeling towards snakes. I appreciate them and would never harm them.

Ground hogs, neutral, as long as they dig their burrows where I don't care. They are welcome to eat my short weeds and grass, as long as they go back to rest where they don't bother me.

Years ago I felt differently. I think I was influenced by the thinking of others. Don't have that 22 cal rifle anymore.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user

jyoutz

Well-known member

Equipment
MX6000 HST open station, FEL, 6’ cutter, forks, 8’ rear blade, 7’ cultivator
Jan 14, 2019
2,964
2,007
113
Edgewood, New Mexico
I was walking up to the house from the barn this afternoon. I saw a small 2’ prairie rattler stretched out straight across the road. I ran to get my shovel and the snake was headless soon after. First sighting of the year and I hope the last.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user

jyoutz

Well-known member

Equipment
MX6000 HST open station, FEL, 6’ cutter, forks, 8’ rear blade, 7’ cultivator
Jan 14, 2019
2,964
2,007
113
Edgewood, New Mexico
Not sure why, but I have a good feeling towards snakes. I appreciate them and would never harm them.

Ground hogs, neutral, as long as they dig their burrows where I don't care. They are welcome to eat my short weeds and grass, as long as they go back to rest where they don't bother me.

Years ago I felt differently. I think I was influenced by the thinking of others. Don't have that 22 cal rifle anymore.
I appreciate and enjoy any non-venomous snake. I won’t permit venomous snakes on the property around buildings.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 users

Flintknapper

Well-known member
Premium Member

Equipment
L2350DT
May 3, 2022
1,762
2,216
113
Deep East Texas
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. 🤣😂🤣😂😂
Same here. We have two Dachshunds and also live out in the county. We have NO unwanted critters around the house. Plus they are just a hoot! So entertaining.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user

Old_Paint

Well-known member
Lifetime Member

Equipment
LX2610SU, LA535 FEL w/54" bucket, LandPride BB1248, Woodland Mills WC-68
Dec 5, 2020
1,732
1,727
113
AL
I appreciate and enjoy any non-venomous snake. I won’t permit venomous snakes on the property around buildings.
Same here. I'll even tolerate venomous snakes away from the 'occupied' areas as long as they're helping control rodents and vermin that the smaller non-venomous snakes can't deal with (squirrels/chipmunks). For the most part, if you let it, a snake will try to avoid anything that it knows it cannot eat. Rarely are they actually aggressive, copperheads being the exclusion to that rule, unless they're close to or have recently molted. Then they're pretty pissed off for a few hours. I don't mind a snake that I get to see first that poses no danger to my grandkids. The missus is a lot less tolerant of 'nope ropes'.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 2 users

jyoutz

Well-known member

Equipment
MX6000 HST open station, FEL, 6’ cutter, forks, 8’ rear blade, 7’ cultivator
Jan 14, 2019
2,964
2,007
113
Edgewood, New Mexico
Same here. I'll even tolerate venomous snakes away from the 'occupied' areas as long as they're helping control rodents and vermin that the smaller non-venomous snakes can't deal with (squirrels/chipmunks). For the most part, if you let it, a snake will try to avoid anything that it knows it cannot eat. Rarely are they actually aggressive, copperheads being the exclusion to that rule, unless they're close to or have recently molted. Then they're pretty pissed off for a few hours. I don't mind a snake that I get to see first that poses no danger to my grandkids. The missus is a lot less tolerant of 'nope ropes'.
Where I live the bull snakes are larger and better at rodent control than the prairie rattlers. The rattlers are the only venomous snakes we have.
 

Flintknapper

Well-known member
Premium Member

Equipment
L2350DT
May 3, 2022
1,762
2,216
113
Deep East Texas
Where I live the bull snakes are larger and better at rodent control than the prairie rattlers. The rattlers are the only venomous snakes we have.
Yes, Bull-snakes eat many more times the rodents a rattlesnake will kill and consume yearly.
 

jyoutz

Well-known member

Equipment
MX6000 HST open station, FEL, 6’ cutter, forks, 8’ rear blade, 7’ cultivator
Jan 14, 2019
2,964
2,007
113
Edgewood, New Mexico
Yes, Bull-snakes eat many more times the rodents a rattlesnake will kill and consume yearly.
I’ve also found them in the chicken house eating eggs. I picked them up and relocated them a distance away from the barn.
 

ehenry

Active member

Equipment
BX22, FEL, BH, 40" pto tiller, 42" Bushog Squealer, pto hole digger, B7300 w/60"
Mar 25, 2014
358
89
28
Canton, MS
Those Cotton Head Rattle Mouth Copper Backs will make a good man holler like a girl ! ! !

We have all three down here along with Coral Snakes that can be easily mistaken for a Kind snake.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user

PoTreeBoy

Well-known member
Lifetime Member

Equipment
L35 Ford 3930
Mar 24, 2020
2,796
1,517
113
WestTn/NoMs
I’ve also found them in the chicken house eating eggs. I picked them up and relocated them a distance away from the barn.
One of my mother's childhood stories involved a chicken snake in the hen house. Her mother had sent her out to gather the eggs. The top boxes were too high for her to see into, so she would just reach over her head to get them. That day, the snake beat her to the eggs in one box and she reached in and patted the snake! When I was a teenager she got her revenge on an innocent garner snake. She encountered it around some flowers in the yard. When I got there she had chopped it into a dozen pieces with her hoe.
 

lugbolt

Well-known member

Equipment
ZG127S-54
Oct 15, 2015
5,201
1,887
113
Mid, South, USA
Spotted last weekend in 54 degree water. It was crossing the river which is roughly 150 yards wide at that point. I spotted it getting into the water, watched it cross, and motor'd over to it to see what it was...sure enough...Copperhead. By time it got to the other bank it was VERY slow, swimming in that cold water.
 

Attachments

Flintknapper

Well-known member
Premium Member

Equipment
L2350DT
May 3, 2022
1,762
2,216
113
Deep East Texas
Spotted last weekend in 54 degree water. It was crossing the river which is roughly 150 yards wide at that point. I spotted it getting into the water, watched it cross, and motor'd over to it to see what it was...sure enough...Copperhead. By time it got to the other bank it was VERY slow, swimming in that cold water.
Yep, Copperhead. They are very much at home in the water.
 

Botamon

Well-known member

Equipment
M7060HDC12, John Deere 2020 diesel
Mar 26, 2018
283
512
93
Winnemucca, Nevada
I have nests all over my barn. This nest was at the top of a post, 13' off the ground and full of baby birds. I walked in the barn one day to hear the birds all in an uproar...and saw this. Bull snake just had breakfast. I still have no idea how he managed to get to the top of that post! (The post is at the back wall, up against metal siding, so he couldn't wrap around the post to climb.)
bull snake & bird nest.jpg
 

Botamon

Well-known member

Equipment
M7060HDC12, John Deere 2020 diesel
Mar 26, 2018
283
512
93
Winnemucca, Nevada
Oh crap, I have never seen a Bull snake, and had to use Google to find out a bit about them.
Don't know if you ever watch Matt's Off-Road Recovery channel...check this video at 2:00 minutes to see the bull snake they moved off the road.
 

DustyRusty

Well-known member

Equipment
2020 BX23S, BX2822 Snowblower, Curtis Deluxe Cab,
Nov 8, 2015
6,237
4,813
113
North East CT
Last night I encountered a 3' snake of unknown heritage in the garage. I grabbed a stiff bristle broom and pushed it outside. I looked up what type of snake it was in my snake identification book, and it said it was a venomous snake, but I might have misidentified it. I don't care, as long as I don't see it again. I respect snakes living in the wild, but not living in my garage.
 

RCW

Well-known member
Lifetime Member

Equipment
BX2360, FEL, MMM, BX2750D snowblower. 1953 Minneapolis Moline ZAU
Apr 28, 2013
9,109
5,140
113
Chenango County, NY
Little garter snake is getting a little bigger. Shed is maybe 18”. Seen it several times this spring.

439D72A9-ED7C-494F-9958-ECDC0616811F.jpeg