My first track loader!

That's a big copperhead Boone. I haven't killed one that big in a while. I'll let the nonpoisonous ones live but not the ones with needles.

We have the little buggers around our place too, not near as big though. Biggest poisonous snake I have seen was in a HE salvage yard, when they killed and skinned it the Timber Rattler was just short of six foot long and spread to almost 8 inches wide, guy that got it had it 'tanned' and made a belt with it. Had to actually set the hide on cowhide to make the belt but looked great.

CM1995 said:

That's a big copperhead Boone. I haven't killed one that big in a while. I'll let the nonpoisonous ones live but not the ones with needles.

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You guys can keep those critters, I'll stick with our 100+ inches of snow. That seems to discourage those fellas from getting too comfortable around here!

I will take the snow as well. We got just shy of 6ft in 36 hrs in early Feb. Had a Grizzly amble across the street today and walk across the empty lot next to our shop. 6th one I have seen in/near town in last few days. Take a bear over a snake any day. We do have garter snake as well as a bigger, non poisonous snake that eats garter snakes( I think it is called a 'bull' snake) but have only seen one some 30 years ago, but see a few garters every year.

Keep the grizzlies, I'll handle the snakes.

Nitelite said:

A copperhead ant no match for a track loader! The loader has bigger fangs.

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I could have sent you a dozen mosquitos to cart it off. Although I have worked enough in snake country I prefur a warm blooded creature over them also.

CM1995 said:

Keep the grizzlies, I'll handle the snakes.

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While Grizzlies can pose their own set of problems, it is hard to accidentally step on them....LOL. I can go into a wooded area and know there is no bear around, to have to constantly "look" for snakes would drive me crazy. Do not know how people in snake country do it. My kids are always running around in the bush when we go for picnics and hikes etc. To have to worry that they step over a log or turn over a log etc. and could get bit must be a constant worry.

Cheers LD

lowbed driver said:

While Grizzlies can pose their own set of problems, it is hard to accidentally step on them....LOL. I can go into a wooded area and know there is no bear around, to have to constantly "look" for snakes would drive me crazy. Do not know how people in snake country do it. My kids are always running around in the bush when we go for picnics and hikes etc. To have to worry that they step over a log or turn over a log etc. and could get bit must be a constant worry.

Cheers LD

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Snakes are not that prevalent in my area, I hardly ever see them, it's not like they're under every nook and cranny. They usually slither away from human activity.

I guess it's all what you get used to living with. Can't imagine grizzlies wondering around nearby. I remember as a kid over at the farm, there were areas where my grandparents would warn us to watch for copperheads. Actually not far from where we found this one. But the whole time growing up and spending weeks in the summer there, I never remember seeing any. The cattle may have helped to keep them at bay. Remember seeing a few other snakes, but not many copperheads. It's kinda always in the back of my head to watch for them though, especially when my kids are around. Good thing, the snakes are seasonal - my snake radar is off in the winter.

old-iron-habit, your comment reminded me that as soon as we laid that snake up on the log, the gnats covered it up. It's like they came out of no where. Those little buggers are almost as annoying as mosquitoes.

I saw a dead coyote while bushhogging. They're usually not too threatening though...if you don't bother them. He was buzzard bait by the time I found him. Not sure how he died. Lot's of critters to watch for while cutting. Anybody ever had anything hop on the machine with you while operating?

boone said:

I guess it's all what you get used to living with.

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Same here in Aus
I'm not familiar with the US snakes but presume the copperhead is a common and deadly one
Here is a pic of my daughter with a brown snake, Very common and very poisonous this one was in my shed and got tangled up in some bird netting that I put down just for that purpose



They generally only grow up to about six feet max and my girl is about five foot so this was a big one, Piccy below of one with it's head still



I've found the bird netting works really well, Just lay it loose across where you suspect the snakes are crossing and they get tangled up in in it and can't escape
We just grew up with these things and in the warmer weather you just need to be aware that they could be around, I've always found that if you make plenty of noise you generally won't see them but there's always the exception

I hate snakes, I know there in gods plan for the enviorment so as long as they don't infringe in my life I let them be but if there where there not supposed to be then my colt will deal with them.

CM1995 said:

...They usually slither away from human activity.

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purnong said:

...I've always found that if you make plenty of noise you generally won't see them but there's always the exception

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Agreed, unless I slip up on one, by the time you see one, they've slithered off and away.

Don't think we have Brown snakes. That's a cool picture of your daughter and the snake. She's a brave one. Braver than me in fact

yep, I aint touching no snakes dead or alive.

boone said:

Don't think we have Brown snakes. That's a cool picture of your daughter and the snake. She's a brave one. Braver than me in fact

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Think yourself lucky you don't have king browns. Here's what happens when it goes wrong, although TBH the guy did have more than a bit of a hand in his own downfall. He doesn't have the hand any more though .......



Out of the Top 10 of the nastiest snakes, spiders, crocs, etc, etc, I think Australia has 9 of them .........

Nige said:

TBH the guy did have more than a bit of a hand in his own downfall. He doesn't have the hand any more though .......

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Wow, I'd say so. Lot of lessons in that story.

Nige said:

Out of the Top 10 of the nastiest snakes, spiders, crocs, etc, etc, I think Australia has 9 of them .........

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Coincidentally, my colleagues were just talking about this at lunch yesterday. Talking about places you've felt the most danger, mostly social situations, but it somehow got off into dangerous/deadly/poisonous creatures. Someone mentioned how Australia got all the "good" ones. It then wondered into safe places to live - territories where the least calamities take place (tornadoes, hurricanes, earthquakes, etc). The conclusions was that most everywhere and everyplace has something to avoid.

boone said:

Up in the woods we lucked out by not finding too much rock.

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The M series tractors in force.

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ooops...

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Nice Job
Must Be Nice to live in a state that doesn't require hundreds of feet of silt fence anytime the ground is scratched
Guv'ment watches thru Google Earth Sat

Makes a big difference in a large agri state... There are millions of acres of tilled ground around me.... Still have to play nice in town but out on the farms most anything goes.

boone said:

I saw a dead coyote while bushhogging. They're usually not too threatening though...if you don't bother them. He was buzzard bait by the time I found him. Not sure how he died. Lot's of critters to watch for while cutting. Anybody ever had anything hop on the machine with you while operating?

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About a year ago, we were bush hogging a field and there were an abundance of rats/mice that were scurrying everywhere. I was standing in the field and looked towards the tree line to see a very large coyote sitting there apparently looking right at me, which I'm sure he was looking for dinner.

I ran to the truck to grab my AR and he was gone before I got back. Don't like coyotes and I'll shoot them when I get a chance. They're not indigenous to Alabama, 30 years ago they were not here.

Hit post button by mistake.

Never had anything jump on my machine but a number of years ago a fellow running a JD 644 feller buncher for a friend had a porcupine come through his open roof escape hatch. His boss had warned him many times of the dangers of running with the hatch open due to a chance of a tree top breaking off and spearing him. The porcupine got the message home once and for all.