So I was moving some irrigation pipe about 30 minutes ago and heard a very faint rattle in the grass right below where my hands were pulling on the pipe. I jumped (oddly enough keeping ahold of the pipe) back and started looking for a stick or something but no luck. No pickup so no shovel. Just the tractor a couple steps away with my pistol in my EDC bag. Now I don’t have to worry about meeting this fellow again while irrigating here every day… For the squeamish or those offended by firearms I’ve used spoilers. The first is a dead rattle snake. The second is a dead snake and a pistol. Spoiler Spoiler
I was lucky enough too have had a shovel the last two times a copperhead snake came on my back porch but I did shoot a big fat old wharf rat that was perched on the edge of the kitchen trash can with a .44 magnum. All that was left was part of a head, a tail and a crimson, hairy mist after the blast that took hours to clean up. Does that count?
Yeh, shovels are the best tool for snakes for sure. The .44 was probably overkill but the animal certainly didn’t suffer which matters to me. So that’s good!
No, the rat didn't suffer and I hate to see any animal suffer. The main reason I carry a pistol now that I live in a rural area is in case I hit a deer or other animal I can put it out of its misery. Even though I don't hunt, I fully support those who do help control the deer population. Perhaps it is because of my time in the military that I can't look into the brown eyes of a beautiful deer and pull the trigger. On the other hand, I can think of at least 3 instances in which my .45 acp has saved me from miscreants whose intent was not to make me any happier, healthier or wealthier. Good luck with those rattle snakes...
Well the answer to your question is because it fits in your pocket a lot easier than a police officer. As for killing rattlesnakes shame on you sir! I would have took the poor thing in because he's obviously homeless and needs someone to look after him!
A Cleveland 56 degree wedge has come in handy a couple of times on the golf course. Have you ever seen what happens to a prairie dog shot with a 7mm rifle?
Yeh, I knew how you would come down on this one. If you lived closer I would have caught it and given it to you in exchange for a promise not to let it wander homeless on my place again! I’ve lost too many critters to rattlers to let them be here.
gun control.....'ara prefectural police arrested the alleged gunman -- identified as 41-year-old Tetsuya Yamagami -- and recovered a weapon -- described as a handmade shotgun -- at the scene of the attack on Friday, according to Japanese public broadcaster NHK, a partner of ABC News."- didn't work and could not work, the problem is not the tool, it's those who wield the tool. Former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe gunned down while giving speech (msn.com)
I don’t hunt either. No reason to. But also support it as a way to obtain food and manage wildlife populations. 1911 in 45 ACP I hope! I used to carry a full size 1911 in 45 but it doesn’t have a threaded barrel and I’ve transitioned to nearly 100% suppressed shooting so don’t carry it anymore. The 5.7 in the photo is much better for coyotes and other pests because it’s so flat shooting and capable out to 100 yards.
There are a lot of good reasons to carry a firearm. @FatBack @557 You two have already seen this, but if you go hiking or camping, there is wildlife out there that justify carrying a firearm. http://www.politicalforum.com/index.php?threads/share-your-photos.189880/page-23 And then of course, there are all the criminals and crazies that we don’t lock up …
There's a 'poof" and a cloud or vaporized prairie dog. It is also REALLY expensive way to address the prairie dog problems.
I'm a big fan of the 1911 and have 3 of them but my bedside table and occasional carry pistol is an HK45. Threaded barrels are available so I may do the same thing. Less noise is always better. Enjoy your weekend...
Yep. And I’d add survival of a serious injury in the back country is going to be a lot easier/successful with a firearm as well.
Capacity is the problem with 1911’s. I’ve thought about trying a really nice 2011 but don’t really have a use… I’ve heard good things about HK .45’s but have never pursued that angle. I’ve fallen in love with the 5.7 for it’s versatility. But it doesn’t have a 1911 equivalent quality trigger! Get the threaded barrel and suppressor. Especially for a nightstand gun. You will never regret it! Just my opinion from years now if suppressed shooting…
Here in Florida the Eastern diamondback rattlesnake is not considered threatened or endangered but is becoming increasingly rare. Primarily due to habitat destruction and suburban sprawl. You live in the midwest right? So you probably have what three species common to your land? Or more.... Was that a black tailed rattlesnake or a Western diamondback? Edit.... Having looked at the picture again perhaps a prairie rattler?
I’ve never seen anything besides prairie rattlers here in central nebraska. Where I grew up in south central Colorado we had diamondbacks at lower elevations and what we called timber rattlers at higher elevations. I think they were just diamondbacks with a little greener tinge though.
I carry a firearm for the simple fact that in every scenario in the history of human cognitive thought it's always better to have something and not need it than to need something and not have it. I live in bear country, real bear country, not those cute little black bears that you can fuss at and they'll run away. Given historical statistics and the amount of people who frequent the wilderness here the actual mathematical odds of me encountering a bear wishing to do me harm are slim. However, nobody ever in the history of humanity has ever actually once stumbled across a pissed off grizzly bear sow and her cubs and thought to themselves "Damn I wish I had some bear spray and a whistle instead of this .457 Casull or 12ga". Never once have I had an encounter to where I felt my life was in danger and I do carry bear spray as the primary deterrent. However, coupled with the bear spray is an extremely large caliber gun.
I'm generally a "live and let live" kind of person so I try to get intruders outside my domain without hurting them but I wouldn't hesitate to kill a rattlesnake....for this reason. Spoiler: Tragedy Many years ago, a friend's neighbor sent his three kids outside to play. Two boys and a little girl. The boys were tossing a ball back and forth and the girl was off playing somewhere with her dolls. Suddenly, the kids' parents heard a scream and the dad ran outside. One of the boys threw the ball out of bounds and his brother went to get it under the porch and a rattlesnake bite him. He couldn't get it off so his brother tried and he got bit. The dad races across the yard as fast as he could to help his sons, grabs them both up, throws them in the car and races to the hospital. Both boys passed away. The heartbroken father returns home to break the news to his wife and she had news for him too. In his rush to get the boys to the hospital, he didn't see his baby girl and ran over her killing her instantly. It stills makes me tear up. I think I would die if either one of my children died, let alone both of them. I am not inclined to let any rattlesnake take another slither anywhere.
And herein lies a big part of the gun problem: Most people don't live on a farm or in the woods. What makes sense on a farm doesn't makes sense in a school, for example.
I think a slug might be fairly effective. From 20 ft it will literally vaporize a watermelon... You might find a piece here and there half as big as a cell phone. Now It won't penetrate as far as a large heavy rifle bullet but it's damn sure going to dump a ton of energy. Probably be more than enough at 20 ft with decent shot placement
Some of the most dangerous and duplicitous animals you will ever meet walk on two legs. A man has a right to defend himself whether he's walking the city streets or in the woods
About the same thing that happens when one gets hit by a .22-250 round at 3500fps? Slugs or 00 buckshot with a choke would be good a lot further than that.
