# Snake problems....



## Dustymick64 (Sep 24, 2006)

I live outside Benson, Arizona which is about 25 miles north of Tombstone and man oh man do I have a darn problem with snakes. They killed the dog that lives next door. My boss had his dog bitten but the lucky boy lived.. Have found them along the house and a friend of mine almost stepped on it. I have been thinking about a small 4" .22 L.R. revolver with shotshells. I am wondering if they are effective or am I gonna just piss them off. Last thing I need is a mohave or a large diamondback ****** off in the yard. What would the range of these shotshells have? 10-15ft? Can use some advice. Thanks..... 
Mick


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## H2OfowlND (Feb 10, 2003)

If you live in an area where you can shoot a firearm, get a cheap break action .410 and some #6 shot, that'll fix them good. I think with a .22 you'd just be making them more mad and I'm sure you don't want that.

H2OfowlND


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## Plainsman (Jul 30, 2003)

The effectiveness of a 22 shot shell is lost rapidly over distance. They are absolutely devastating at six feet, will get the job done at ten, and have little effect at 15 ft. They are even less effective if you get the old fashioned kind with the crimped fore end. If you get some purchase the CCI which have a plastic shot capsule. This type holds much more shot, and makes it more effective. The bottom line is they are effective much further than the snake can strike. Snake heads are not that tough. At six feet the head disappears, but any further and it remains intact. The nervous system in a reptile may still be functional for a few minutes after they are brain dead so don't get careless. Maybe someone like Gohon who lives further south and has more experience can lend some better advise.
I have used 22 birdshot in the past, but it has been years. Now I carry CCI 44 mag shot capsules. I should mention that I have only shot it out of pistols. I have a friend who has an old Remington pump action 22 rifle that has a special smooth bore. It is effective much further.

The rifling messes up birdshot. I have often wondered how one of those cheap derringers with no rifling would work. They had some 20 years ago for about $75.

Please keep in mind I have only shot a half dozen, and there are people out there with much more experience than I. I have killed nearly as many with a walking stick.


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## Remington 7400 (Dec 14, 2005)

Any caliber pistol will work assuming you are a good enough shot to hit the head. I don't really like shotshells in handguns past the .38/.357 variety. If you are dead set on a shotshell handgun, I'd try one of these.

http://www.taurususa.com/products/product-details.cfm?id=199&category=Revolver


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## Bobm (Aug 26, 2003)

There is a highly successful vetinary vaccine for rattlesnake bite especially developed for the area you live in, get your dog vaccinated


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## dlip (May 16, 2004)

I live in the south, along with Gohon, as we both live in oklahoma. I've had quite a few run ins with snakes this year, more than any other year, and I've killed probably 25 with a .410 so far. Mostly copperheads and water moccasins. I'd think that any size shot, even #9's would do some pretty sweet damage on a hisser. I have an single shot .410 with an IC choke that I've shot atleast a dozen and a half with #7 1/2, and there is no wounding to it. But like what was said earlier, don't get careless, I've had several try to get nasty even after the first shot. Get them in the head and take no chances.


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## Gohon (Feb 14, 2005)

I use the same method as dlip. A 410 Mossberg in the garage and a 410 Rossi single shot in the barn, both loaded with #9 shot. When out and about on the property I carry a little Ruger Bearcat 22 with the first two chambers loaded with CCI snake shot and the remaining four chambers with regular 22 rounds. I don't know what it is about it but that little 22 snake shot out at 6-10 feet simply kills them dead. They will squirm and flop a little but they are going to die. A Copperhead got my lab year before last right on the snout. By the time I got him to a vet his head was swollen like a pumpkin. He pulled through all right but he sure was in a foul mood the rest of the night. Lucky for him it wasn't a Water Moccasin. If you want to roll your own you might be interested in this. Been thinking about giving this a try myself. http://www.gunblast.com/Snake_Stopper.htm


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## sotaman (Apr 6, 2004)

I don't think I could ever live down south because of snakes.. Man I hate them. I would run like a little girl if I ever saw a rattle snake.


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## Horsager (Aug 31, 2006)

I was in Sedona, AZ last year an got a smaller rattler with my Driver (golf club). I don't think that'd be very handy everyday weapon though. You'd look pretty funny with the shaft of a golf club pushed through a belt loop, wandering the countryside in search of snakes.


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## ruger1 (Aug 16, 2006)

Why do you have to kill them? I've been hunting in Montana for years. Had my fair share of run ins with rattle snakes. Haven't had to kill one yet. I've killed a lot of game over the years. Makes me feel bad that people feel the need to kill for no apparent reason.

Can the snakes be relocated? Or at least eaten, then they aren't wasted. :lol:


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## Dustymick64 (Sep 24, 2006)

I don't have the option of using a shotgun. The fella next door had a ****** off snake in his yard and his wife was screaming at him not to kill it. They called animal control who never responded, then they called the police and were told it was not their line of business (although they have removed pests in the past) and in the end the fire dept came out and picked the snake up. They only relocate the non poison variety of snakes and endangered species so I'm sure the snake was probably done in. The next day another snake crawled into the yard and killed their dog. I have no grudge against any kind of snake. If encountered in the wild I leave them alone after I get a picture with my zoom. But in the yard or around the buildings is another matter altogether. There is no shortage of snakes and other creepies here. Although it repulses me to kill an animal for no reason, when they pose a risk to children and pets they have to go. Not being a professional snake handler and being older and less spry than I used to be, I just don't want to take a chance on moving the snake myself or waiting a half hour or more for the FD to show up. If the snake crawled into someone elses yard while I waited and bit a child I'd feel pretty bad... I guess a .22 revolver with shot is my best bet and "only if I have to" option. I'm going to try spreading some snake repellent (liquid fence) and see if that works also. Cooler weather is a couple months away so the risk of seeing a snake will be much less. By next year I want to have a snake proof fence installed. That will help.


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## Bobm (Aug 26, 2003)

use a shovel I've killed lots of copperheads with one and then just pick it up and dump it in the trash can.

About 15 years back near Madison Georgia I as entering a small parking area near aboat launch on the river. I saw a diamondback laying all the way across a two track it had to be 7-8 feet long and 5 inches thick. Its was at least two feet longer than my full size chevy was wide

I didn't run it over because I was one of those don't hurt the poor rattlesnake fools. About a month later a guy cutting wood was bitten by a huge rattlesnake in the same spot and died.

I caught hell from my friends down here for that. Stupid yankee this ect...

I still feel bad about it.

Those things are really dangerous because their venom is neuro-toxic(nervous system) copper heads and moccasins are cytotoxic (venom just damages the cells arond the bite).


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## Dustymick64 (Sep 24, 2006)

Point taken. Thanks..


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