# Just killed another copperhead



## ponyboync (Jul 2, 2010)

That makes three this summer.  All right near the house.  Anybody have any ideas on how to keep those dern things away?


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## begreen (Jul 2, 2010)

Move the house about 20 degrees north. The snakes were there before you and will be there after you leave.


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## ponyboync (Jul 2, 2010)

BeGreen said:
			
		

> Move the house about 20 degrees north. The snakes were there before you and will be there after you leave.



Maybe I'll just do the snakes like I did the beavers.  Everytime I see one...BOOM!


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## mayhem (Jul 2, 2010)

Start keeping a few Mongoose as pets.


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## LLigetfa (Jul 2, 2010)

mayhem said:
			
		

> Start keeping a few Mongoose as pets.


Geese are pretty good at alerting of the presence of snakes.  They make good guards overall.  There were many a moonshiner that kept geese to ward off intruders, especially the moonshine sniffing ATF dogs.

Our geese on my dad's farm were fearless.  I can still remember visitors being chased back into their vehicle by our gander.  The funniest was one day the gander had a firm bite on our large Boar's ear with the Boar squeeling and running around the barnyard and the gander flying along like a kite.


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## Bootlegger (Jul 2, 2010)

Pets.  I've heard the don't like active cats and dogs in the area.  If you have some they will spend most of their time near the house which is where you don't want the copperheads.


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## semipro (Jul 2, 2010)

I think just about any type of fowl whether guinea, chicken, or geese will generally harass snakes until they leave.  My dogs also kill snakes but I'd rather they not tangle with a copperhead.


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## ponyboync (Jul 2, 2010)

Yeah, I have a Beagle.  He's always running around the yard and chasing things out in the woods.  I really don't want him to get bit.  He was right behind me when I walked up on the one last night.  If he had been in front of me he would have got bit.
I also have a three year old that likes to play outside.  These snakes are making me nervous.
Thanks for all the help guys.  Maybe I'll get some gooses.


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## Bootlegger (Jul 2, 2010)

I have small boys too and we've seen copperheads just not up near the house (except for one juvenile).  My understanding, again not an expert, is that copperheads don't like a lot of bustle and noise so active pets just running around will tend to make them look for other places to hunt.  I suspect that is precisely what the geese would do too and that would actually be kind of fun.


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## HittinSteel (Jul 2, 2010)

Gets some cats......maybe they'll eat what the copperhead is after. No food source no snake.

Get a couple King snakes. Maybe they'll eat the copperheads.

Call in a professional.

Try the geese method.

Good luck


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## firefighterjake (Jul 2, 2010)

HehHeh . . . I'm just a dumb hick Mainer . . . but I'm pretty sure there is a big difference between a mongoose and a regular, garden variety goose.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mongoose

vs. 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goose

Didn't any of you guys ever read Rikki-Tikki Tavi as a kid?


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## Bootlegger (Jul 2, 2010)

Since a mongoose may not like the North Carolina climate, I suspect the goose would be a better option to scare off an shy predator like the copperhead.


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## HittinSteel (Jul 2, 2010)

firefighterjake said:
			
		

> HehHeh . . . I'm just a dumb hick Mainer . . . but I'm pretty sure there is a big difference between a mongoose and a regular, garden variety goose.
> 
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mongoose
> 
> ...



I had a mural of the rikki-tikki tavi characters on my bedroom wall my mom painted as a kid.


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## fossil (Jul 2, 2010)

Friends of mine in central coastal California had a Dalmation years ago.  Rattlesnake bit the dog on the snout.  The only thing that saved the dog's life was quick action by the folks taking care of the dog, a vet clinic nearby, and a vet willing to stay late to tend to the dog's welfare.  It was very lucky to survive that snake bite.  I've yet to see a snake here in Oregon, but I wouldn't want my dog to come face to face with any venomous critter.  Rick


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## oldspark (Jul 2, 2010)

ponyboync said:
			
		

> BeGreen said:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 Bingo we have a winner! :exclaim:


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## Whitebread (Jul 2, 2010)

Note:  If you come across any black rat snakes, leave them be.  They generally do not cohabitate with venomous snakes because they are more active hunters and will out-hunt the mainly sendentary copperhead and rattlesnake.  The copperheads will usually move on to easier hunting grounds.  With a black rat snake around you generally won't find a lot of rodents either.  One adult black snake will keep a good sized barn free of other snakes and small critters.

I grew up in rural North Carolina where copperheads, water moccasins, and to some degree rattle snakes were quite common.  If  we found a venomous snake near a dwelling or high human-traffic area we killed it on sight.  If we killed a black snake it was a certain tongue-lashing if not an actual beating from whoever owned the property.  They have quite a reputation as nature's housekeeper in that area.

Sounds like taking frequent strolls and using the Boom method is your best bet for now.


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## Jags (Jul 2, 2010)

38 revolver and CCI Shotshells = snake burger.

Snakes with fangs will get an extra round. :sick:


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## Bootlegger (Jul 2, 2010)

Whitebread said:
			
		

> Note:  If you come across any black rat snakes, leave them be.  They generally do not cohabitate with venomous snakes because they are more active hunters and will out-hunt the mainly sendentary copperhead and rattlesnake.  The copperheads will usually move on to easier hunting grounds.  With a black rat snake around you generally won't find a lot of rodents either.  One adult black snake will keep a good sized barn free of other snakes and small critters.
> 
> I grew up in rural North Carolina where copperheads, water moccasins, and to some degree rattle snakes were quite common.  If  we found a venomous snake near a dwelling or high human-traffic area we killed it on sight.  If we killed a black snake it was a certain tongue-lashing if not an actual beating from whoever owned the property.  They have quite a reputation as nature's housekeeper in that area.
> 
> Sounds like taking frequent strolls and using the Boom method is your best bet for now.



+1

Even with the pets,etc., we have some rat snakes and other non-venomous snakes nearby, I leave them be.


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## LLigetfa (Jul 2, 2010)

firefighterjake said:
			
		

> HehHeh . . . I'm just a dumb hick Mainer . . . but I'm pretty sure there is a big difference between a mongoose and a regular, garden variety goose.
> 
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mongoose
> 
> ...


LOL

I was not confusing the two and certainly know the difference.


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## fossil (Jul 2, 2010)

Bootlegger said:
			
		

> Whitebread said:
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Black snakes were common when we lived in Virginia.  Even had a couple living in the generous crawl space beneath our weekend place on the Shenandoah River.  I always considered them beneficial and let them be.  I'm quite sure they helped keep the mouse population in check.  I'd no sooner kill a Black snake than I would an owl...meaning I _never_ would.  Rick


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## ponyboync (Jul 2, 2010)

Whitebread said:
			
		

> Note:  If you come across any black rat snakes, leave them be.  They generally do not cohabitate with venomous snakes because they are more active hunters and will out-hunt the mainly sendentary copperhead and rattlesnake.  The copperheads will usually move on to easier hunting grounds.  With a black rat snake around you generally won't find a lot of rodents either.  One adult black snake will keep a good sized barn free of other snakes and small critters.
> 
> I grew up in rural North Carolina where copperheads, water moccasins, and to some degree rattle snakes were quite common.  If  we found a venomous snake near a dwelling or high human-traffic area we killed it on sight.  If we killed a black snake it was a certain tongue-lashing if not an actual beating from whoever owned the property.  They have quite a reputation as nature's housekeeper in that area.
> 
> Sounds like taking frequent strolls and using the Boom method is your best bet for now.




Right on!  Glad to hear that because there was a black snake in the yard one night and I let him be because of exactly what you are saying.  I was thinking there can only be so much to hunt for snakes so I'll try and let the black ones move in.  He was actually in the same spot that the second killed copperhead was the night before.
Thanks again dudes.


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## semipro (Jul 3, 2010)

Whitebread said:
			
		

> Note:  If you come across any black rat snakes, leave them be.  They generally do not cohabitate with venomous snakes because they are more active hunters and will out-hunt the mainly sendentary copperhead and rattlesnake.  The copperheads will usually move on to easier hunting grounds.  With a black rat snake around you generally won't find a lot of rodents either.  One adult black snake will keep a good sized barn free of other snakes and small critters.
> 
> I grew up in rural North Carolina where copperheads, water moccasins, and to some degree rattle snakes were quite common.  If  we found a venomous snake near a dwelling or high human-traffic area we killed it on sight.  If we killed a black snake it was a certain tongue-lashing if not an actual beating from whoever owned the property.  They have quite a reputation as nature's housekeeper in that area.
> 
> Sounds like taking frequent strolls and using the Boom method is your best bet for now.



This seems to be true at our place.  We see black and garter snakes frequently but have yet to see a poisonous one though they are common in our area.


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## purplereign (Jul 7, 2010)

The absolute failsafe method of keeping nasty poisonous critters away from your home and property: Turn the OUTSIDE temperature down to minus twenty degrees for a few months, with an occasional dip to minus 40....voila!  Works for a surprizing amount of other riffraff as well...


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## Wood Heat Stoves (Jul 13, 2010)

Jags said:
			
		

> 38 revolver and CCI Shotshells = snake burger.
> 
> Snakes with fangs will get an extra round. :sick:



+1, when i lived in major snake country the first two rounds in my Smith were birdshot


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## Ratherbfishin (Jul 15, 2010)

On that show"Billy the exterminator" He said snakes hate the smell of garlic. He had some type of garlic spray he was using around the foundation and said the people wouldn't see anymore snakes. 

" food for thought" 

Steve


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## ponyboync (Jul 15, 2010)

Garlic.  I think I'll try that.  Thanks, Steve.


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