Virginia Gun Owners Forum - VGOF

what's a good gun for snakes? I was looking at a Taurus Judge, any others you can recommend?

None. Snakes don't hurt you. The only thing that they do is decrease the rodent population.

HarrisonGust wrote:None. Snakes don't hurt you. The only thing that they do is decrease the rodent population.

they sure as hell scare the poop out of me and I need to do some work in the woods.

In general I agree with Harrison, but if you live, hunt, camp, or hike where poisonous snakes roam, a snake gun might come in handy. The Judge would work fine, but I'd check out the Magnum Research BFR as well. I've never fired one, but my dad has been looking into them lately. Since he retired, he's been spending more time camping.

HarrisonGust wrote:None. Snakes don't hurt you. The only thing that they do is decrease the rodent population.

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I have , man and boy, walked many a mile in the woods while hiking, hunting, fishing, and looking for ginseng, bear lettuce and dry-land fish. I've always been told snakes will almost always retreat if they can, but will sometimes also strike (presumably if they think you are a threat). I have seen both rattlesnakes and copperheads crawl away from humans and dogs many times. But I have shot many a copperhead and not a few rattlers when I waded onto them in heavy brush while squirrel hunting or "brushbusting" for other reasons. Maybe they didn't mean to bite me, but they were coiled and close enough to strike when I saw them, and I didn't give them the benefit of the doubt. Around here, the Copperhead is noted for striking. That may be because unlike the timber rattler they can't warn you so you don't know you're walking on them until it's too late.

Whatever the "truth" is, and whether or not snakes can think enough to follow the golden rule, my policy has always been to carry a "snake charmer" and kill 'em if there is ANY doubt. It's the Hillbilly Way.

Here is a web site that I use sometimes to identify snakes.

http://www.virginiaherpetologicalsociet ... rginia.htm

Unless the snake is poisonous, I would let it go. But that's me.

if you have a .38 special pistol get the shot shells and carry them with you

rlbellco72 wrote:Here is a web site that I use sometimes to identify snakes.

http://www.virginiaherpetologicalsociet ... rginia.htm

Unless the snake is poisonous, I would let it go. But that's me.

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I should clarify that I was speaking of the two primary poisonous varieties we have in the Appalachian Plateau. Non-poisonous snakes (primarily blacksnakes and garters around here) have never been an issue as they are not a potential threat. They usually run, and they seldom even try to bite even if you catch them (as we often did as boys). I once accidentally stepped on a blacksnake's head as I walked alongside a road and it coiled up around my leg, but didn't bite me.

I have a Taurus Judge and it works wonders. I've yet to shoot a snake with it, prefer to let them be, but if they're poisonous and around the house/barn, they'll get dealt with.

I have a Judge. Only problem with it is that it is pretty heavy. Probably need a belly holster if you plan to tote it around the woods much.

Box them up and send them to DC. Plenty of rats for them to eat there.

Kreutz wrote:Box them up and send them to DC. Plenty of rats for them to eat there.

I spend alot of time in the woods...Winter , Summer it doesn't matter , I see many , many Snakes. Especially in the late Spring and early Summer. I always carry My Bond Arms Snake Slayer Derringer . It's fairly small, easy to carry with belt mounted holster.I keep it loaded with 410 #4 Buck shot and at close range it is very affective. I shoot very few Snakes , usually only Cottonmouths.....the rest never bother anybody and as said eariler most Snakes do control rodent population. Black Snakes also control the poisionious Snakes .
Last year in early June while Ground Hog Hunting in Sussex Co. we came across a nest of Copperheads in a drainage ditch about 30' from where we do alot of shooting. It was also right next to a watering trough. We had a field day shooting them . We killed 27....The owner of the Farm said he had never seen more than 2 at any time in 45 years there.

Growing up, the general rule was that venomous snakes died on sight, and the rest got to live; unless they ended up in the house or the chicken coop.

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Taggure wrote:if you have a .38 special pistol get the shot shells and carry them with you

that'll work but I don't get to buy a new gun

cyras21 wrote:

Taggure wrote:if you have a .38 special pistol get the shot shells and carry them with you

that'll work but I don't get to buy a new gun

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Obviously, this boy is a right-thinking individual. I'm sure I'm gonna like him.

If I lived where snakes were a concern, my first line of defense would be chaps, leggings, or Gaiters. A pistol that will shoot .410? Sure, that's what I would want.

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I carry a Heritage Rough Rider .22 with CCI shotshells when I go to the farm or in the woods.

Been out here in the mountains west of Front Royal for nigh onto 14 years. Last year was the first time I have ever seen a copperhead. Was working on splitting up a pile of cut logs. Two of them were at the bottom of that pile. Poked them with a stick and they ske-daddled. One of them was stupid enough to come back.

We have copperheads and all other types near our Farmville site. Ugliest I've run across is a Hognose. They flare their head and rise up like a Cobra. Outright scary. I tend to kill the hognoses and copper heads and let the others live.
I find new skins in our cabin on a regular basis of one about 6' long, but haven't met it yet. Sometimes when i find a King or Corn, they'll bite me, but I just wait until they release so it doesn't break the skin.
I watched afriend get bit by a copperhead and he said to kill it, which I did. I asked if he wanted to got o the hospital, but he declined. Not really a biggie according to him. Take some Benedryl to fight the poison and you'll be alright in a day or two. Just makes you a bit sick feeling. I haven't tested that yet, but I know two others that said the same thing. One of those made the news some years back when she got bit in the median by Cloverleaf Mall on Midlothian.
We saw a 6'+ Black in the woodpile last week, but he was too fast to catch and measure.