rattlesnakes in montana

Contrary to popular belief, a snake tastes like a snake. To me, anyway.
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Similar to the Mythbusters episode I watched the other night. In a blindfolded test no one thought rattlesnake "tasted like chicken", even tho the snake and the chicken were prepared exactly the same way, one in large pieces, marinated, rolled in seasoned flour and then fried in oil by a renown chef, or two, ground, formed into burgers and then grilled by Kari. Same for other things folks claim tastes like chicken all the time, turtle, frog legs, etc, etc.
 
should have known... need more specifics.

1. I am only looking for the rules specific to Montana.

2. I don't want to kill every snake I find, but if I'm setting up a camp site I'm damn sure not going to set up my sleeping bag 10 feet from a rattler and I somehow think I'm more likely to get bitten trying to remove a snake from my camp site than by just killing it.

3. although snakes do control vermin, a single snake is going to remove, what? 1 mouse per week? a coyote or bobcat will knock out a half dozen mice per night if there is no other easy food source around, so will owls, foxes, etc etc. removing a single rattlesnake is not going to mean a huge difference against the vermin onslaught.
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On the trail, I'd walk around them. In camp, I'd apply common sense. The Prairie Rattlesnake is the only poisonous snake in Montana that I am aware of. I would try to not kill one these days if I had any other reasonable choice.
 
Whether you kill them or not make sure you don't get bit. You probably won't die from the snake bite but the medical bill will certainly send you into cardiac arrest. An employee and a customer of the hardware store I work at both got bit within the last few years. I won't say what their bills were because I'm sure I would be called a bold face liar. Let's just say, you better have very good insurance.
 
I believe it, a kid down the street broke his arm playing in the yard, parents took him to the ER. An X-ray, exam, and splint cost the other arm and one leg.
 
Why would you kill them?
I come across hundreds of them every single year while hiking & trail running, I simply go around them most of the time.
In the situations where I can't go around them I simply move them or prod them along.
 
I was born and raised in Montana. I killed several rattlesnakes, sometimes just ran over them as they were sunning on the road. One summer a neighbor found a den of rattlers after his dog got bit. We just burned them out and that was the end of the den. There was another guy who lived in town he would come out and hunt for rattlers. He would skin them and make belts out of their hides. I never ate one, so far, I just shoot them with snake shot in a 22 revolver or what ever I have with me. There is no law against killing them that I am aware of, I haven't seen too many in the mountains but you need to be careful around sandstone hills/cliffs as this is a favorite spot for them to den up and sun themselves. I wouldn't be too concerned as rattlers usually avoid people and are more of a POA than a serious concern. Just take your time when out hiking and keep your ears open and you should be fine. I am more concerned about stupid people when out hiking, hunting, or camping than rattlers. Yes, it is hard to believe but we do have some bad people in Montana who are just a waste of oxygen. just my thoughts from the Big Sky Country.;)
 
I have killed a few rattlesnakes in the past but I had decided "why" they aren't bothering me. Then Utah made against the law to kill them unless eminent danger. Others here mentioned leave them alone and they will just go away. That is how I feel now. Sorry I know this has nothing to do with killing snakes in Montana.
 
I live in Montana. There are places here where people let their kids run and play and, you know, be kids. In those places I kill every one I see. EVERY one. If you have to ask "why would you do that" you lack common sense.

Way out on the prairie? Well I can understand if you don't want to, but there is NO SHORTAGE of the things, and in some parts of the state they could use beaten back a little.
 
"...trying to remove a snake from my camp..." Kaa will do that himself if you leave him alone. So will Pepe and Yogi. None of 'em really like us.
Rules specific to Montana would best come from the State Fish and Game, or whatever it's called, types. E-mail 'em.
Killing poisonous snakes in your house is rational. Outside, not so much. "



Spoken like someone who lives in Canada where there aren't any poisonous snakes to speak of , and whom has never had to deal with Copperheads , Cottonmouths or the Mojave Green.

A clue , if they're close to the house and you don't eliminate them they may well end up IN the house , or you may have trouble with your kids , dogs or stock getting nailed.
 
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