Sooner or later the snake is going to win...

[Gary Roberson]

Last week while hunting in NE NM when I was walking into make the first call for coyotes in dim light, I stepped within 6 inches of a 4 1/2 feet long rattler. On the second call, I instructed Steve to set up with his back to a big cedar to break up his outline. When searching the cedar for a half grown cottontail that I had run over him, he found a rattler within arm's reach. Going to the third call we killed another smaller rattler sliding across a ranch road.
Yesterday while trying to get through a wire gap that had grown up from no traffic for several years, Steve stepped on a rattler before daylight. I think the only reason that the snake did not hit him was because the grass was so thick.
Later in the morning we killed another healthy rattler sliding across one of the ranch roads. All this unsettled weather has the snakes really moving so be careful out there. I am not sure how many "lives" we have before one of these rattlers wins one of these confrontations. I sure can't remember having three extremely close calls in a week.
Adios,
Gary

[tbgascorer]

Yep, I have heard it's a very bad year for bites. My neighbor stepped on one during her evening walk last week. The only thing that saved her was she stepped on it's head so it couldn't get her. Their dog got bit in the face also last month.

[AZST_bowhunter]

So what you are saying is to not go to NE NM.. Thanks for the heads up!

[Gary Roberson]

Or west Texas near Sanderson...that's where yesterday's event took place.
Adios,
Gary

[Walker]

One rattler is an accident, 2 rattlers are a coincident. 3 rattlers are an epidemic. More that 3 is a plague.

[Rem40x]

That's why you hunt yotes when cold.

[Gary Roberson]

Heck, if I am not hunting coyotes, I will be hunting coons or cats with the hounds or hogs with dogs. Can't stop hunting just because there might be a snake on the prowl. Just have to remember that they are out there and be as careful as you can.
Adios,
Gary

[tradtiger]

Heck, if I am not hunting coyotes, I will be hunting coons or cats with the hounds or hogs with dogs. Can't stop hunting just because there might be a snake on the prowl. Just have to remember that they are out there and be as careful as you can.
Adios,
Gary

Are y'all at least wearing snake boots or chaps?

[SaltwaterSlick]

Man, last fall while trying to recover my hunting locations post-Harvey I had 3 very close encounters with Moccasins and 2 with copperheads... Really gave me the heebie-geebies. ...so much so that I bought my first pair of snake boots ever... (rubber LaCrosse)... now have a new place in South Texas so I got me a pair of Chips... no sightings down south... YET!!

[Worksalot]

That is unnerving for sure. I used to jog/run across plowed crop fields at night. Thankfully never got bit. But I can say it is truely a bad feeling while jogging/running and you step on a thick bodied snake in the dark.

[okrattler]

I killed a rattlesnake a few days ago by a buddies house that had no rattles. My guess is someone disking a field ran it over and cut its tail off. I've caught or killed several like that over the years. I usually don't kill snakes,even rattlesnakes but I didn't figure that was one that needed to be around anymore.

I've lost count of the close calls I've had but I hunt them deliberately so that's no surprise. Can't say I've had that many close calls in a day before though.

Wait....I step on them to keep them from getting away sometimes so do I even know what a close calls is?.....probably not.

[xman59]

i have yet to see a rattler on my little place but i have killed a few moccasin's including one friday evening,,, walked out to the pond with some old bread to watch the fish,,, started back to the house and saw one in a shallow ditch ,,, i let the pocket 380 take a bite,,,, never had one that shot as accurately as this little Kahr.... i watched the garter snake go his way

[kumathebear]

All I can say is my oldest son got bit just under a year ago and after $30k+ in medical bills from anti-venom and ICU.....well, DON'T take it for granted and be smart...he's a HELL of a lot smarter than before..I hope!!??