Best for killing snakes

L

Leafs

New member
I assume a shot gun would be the best option for shooting snakes. I got some bird shot. Is that sufficient enough? We have little creek with a mudhole/pond in the little bit of woods behind our house. I killed a water moccasin last night with a shovel. The dog got him originally but it got away. I don't think the dog was bit as she seems okay.

I got two small kids that play out there and I missed the snake on the first chop and it got a little closer than I wanted.
 
The smaller the shot you use the better more pellets/square inch. I would imagine that snake shooting is a fairly close range endeavour so you could use something like a 2 3/4 inch target load with an IC or C choke to make sure you get em.
 
I like the Snake Charmer and the H & R clone in 410 when fishing or just poking around in the woods. Use 3" #8 shot. Expensive loads but effective.

Around home, I use snake shot in my 38 snub as a carry gun so that I don't upset the neighbors while carrying a long gun. Darned good medicine for snakes.
 
My neighbors are cool, walking around with a shot gun wouldn't spoke them. The 38 with snake shot seems like a good idea and I could keep it in my pocket while around the house.

Is there any such thing as a snake trap? I'd rather trap them at the perimeter and then shoot them. The dog does a decent job of keeping them away but I don't want her to get bit either.
 
Several years ago when I was a patrol officer in a very rural area, I had new partners assigned to me occasionally. While we were patrolling in the backside of nowhere, a huge snake crossed the road. I slowed the car almost to a stop and took my service revolver out and busted him but good. While he rolled over and over dying, my new partner was astonished at my shooting skills. What I didn't tell him was that while patrolling in areas known for snakes, I always had a couple of snake shot in the cylinder. It became a legend that I was the best revolver shot in the dept. Actually, I am a less than average shot.

I pulled that snake shot trick with several new officers. Very impressive as it is almost impossible to miss with snake cartridge. I never revealed my secret to them.
 
I like "snake shot" in a .44 mag revolver - it works well. If you are really using a shotgun I'd use 1 oz or 1 1/8 oz of 9's ( quail loads, heavy skeet loads ) and that should do it in a 12ga.

A 20ga would be ok too - maybe a .28ga but I wouldn't rely on a .410 unless you had to ( it's only 1/2 oz of shot ).

If you can't find 9's use 8's ( I don't like snakes ...).
 
I just moved to an old farmhouse and encountered a big rat snake on my back landing. I had no .22 ammo on hand. The only thing I had was my Glock 20. I now have several large bullet holes in my back porch, in addition to a pulverized snake. My one neigbor heard the several gunshots at 6:30 am. We all had a good laugh, but I'm looking at .410's. Hadn't thought about .38 "snake shot" that may be my answer.
 
i guess its just me but WTF is the point of shooting a snake crossing a road? or a rat snake that just eats rodents/isnt posionus ect? shooting snakes in the woods behind your house to get rid of them?, i dont think that is going to do anything but make you feel better. i can see the next day another one just wandering through

i'm all about guns, hunting, fishing ect, but killing stuff for the reason of 'its a snake' is pretty weak.

.......Ammo reccomendation has been covered no need for anything crazy, your typical #7-9 shot clay target ammo is fine.
 
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It's not "weak," it's stupid.
Snakes eat rodents. Rodents carry diseases. 98% of the snakes you see are harmless. If you leave them alone, they will leave you alone.
I guess people just like to kill things for no reason.
Bill
 
My snake catcher is a 5' length of 1" PVC pipe with cap glued on one end. There are two slots cut into the cap and a 10' tie down strap run through the pipe through one slot and then looped back through the other slot and returns the length of the pipe. The buckle of the zip strap is at my end of the catcher and serves as the handle to pull the loop closed. The capture is really simple, open the loop place it over the snakes head. They will then try to crawl through it and when they are about halfway tighten the loop. Then it's like picking up a stick. If you cinch the loop right behind their head they will fight you. Its not a lot different than fighting about 2lb trout on a fishing rod. A plastic bucket with a locking lid makes a good transport container. (I would advise against placing this all in your wifes car however) I used to photograph a lot of snakes and this method does'nt even ruffle thier scales. Not real good for their attitude though, and if you make em mad they will NEVER get over it.:eek:
 
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He did say it was a water moccosin in the orginal post.
Which I believe are poisonious.
So shooting it was warranted.

I think what happens is most people are scared when a snake appears.
First reaction,kill first,see what kind of snake later.

Key word is kill, the descision is made right from the beginning to eliminate the percieved threat.

Personally, I don't think I'd revert to my old boyscout training when it comes to determiing if a snake is friendly or not.
It would die no matter what, and by whatever means I had on hand.
 
Snakes are awesome, but people who are uninformed about snakes are simply amazing! They are so totally clueless that to them every snake is hell-bent on killing them. I'm not saying that killing snakes is wrong, some of them are lethal and it seems that all the lethal ones have nearly identical benign cousins. I completely understand the mindset of kill it first, indentify it later (especially if you have kids or pets).

I know the woes of the OP, those moccasins are about the nastiest little SOBs on the face of the earth. I recently found out, on a fishing trip to the camp, that my older brother could have competed in the Olympic 100m dash, at least when a moccasin was hot on his tail. I spent the better part of the weekend trying to rid the grounds of mocassins and copperheads. Once again, I recommend the Judge, it is perfect for this. I'll also use a .22 rifle when necessary.
 
I've been thumping muskrats with Federal Top Gun target loads (7 1/2) shot in a full choke and it works like a dream. Go with a cylinder bore and get that pattern spread out good to make sure you get em first go round.

Arent water moccasins extremely poisonous? I would want to get rid of them too. Especially if I had small kids and a dog around.
 
Most people wouldn't know a a water moccasin (cottonmouth) from a water snake. The coloration is the same, and they both swim, but there are major differences. Most "moccasins" are harmless water snakes.
Bill
 
By most you mean people who don't deal with them often in the woods?

I shoot snakes. Not on sight though. I also tan the skins and eat a few.

Most people I know who actually deal with Moccassins know exactly what they are. People I know in Washington would be the clueless ones. Of course they don't shoot them either...
 
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