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Let'sgoflying!

Let'sgoflying!

Touchdown! Greaser!
Joined
Feb 23, 2005
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west Texas
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Dave Taylor
Just got back from a snakebite case; the cowboy heard the dog barkin' and went out in the dark an hour ago, felt a thwang on his boot and jumped 10' (he knew what it was...(that's why they wear their boots everywhere!) so the dog got bit, he missed getting bit by a gnats whisker, and then he killed three rattlers right there, two 4 footers, one 5 footer which had a girth you could not encircle with two hands. This pic is a bull snake- we like em as they arent venomous (although they might still bite, they are fairly shy). I saw two this week just like this 5'5" version.
 

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And to think I once considered moving to Texas.

I really don't mind snakes as long as they're not within 100 miles of me!!
 
next time im in marfa i plan to spend as much time in the AIR as possible!
 
wsuffa said:
Texas has scorpions, too....
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And they've been a real problem this year in particular. You gotta be REAL careful walking around barefoot in the house at night lately! :hairraise:
Spray is keeping them somewhat in check, but just barely.

I should mention that I live in the boonies.. with lots and lots of woods and land around me. But we've never seen scorpions like we have this year. Funny though, I've yet to see a snake this year. Of course, now I'll go home and find one on my deck!
 
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Let'sgoflying! said:
Just got back from a snakebite case; the cowboy heard the dog barkin' and went out in the dark an hour ago, felt a thwang on his boot and jumped 10' (he knew what it was...(that's why they wear their boots everywhere!) so the dog got bit,
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Dave, is the dog OK now? What is the treatment?
 
HPNFlyGirl said:
(making note to self not to move to TX because of the snakes.)
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Put Eastern Colorado up to the foothills on the verbotten list while you're at it.
I'm temporarily in TX for the moment however we always go for 3 mile hikes very early on SA/SU mornings in SW Denver on a ridge near Red Rocks park and take the dog with us. We were concerned about rattle snakes as it warmed up and kept delaying the no puppy hike. The one day we finally gave into good judgement and decided the dog had to stay home while we went (poor neglected puppydog) we got a mile in and the first thing we did was run into a 3-3.5ft long rattle snake in the trail. He coiled up and threatened to strike without making a noise. That snake fully intended to strike without rattling. We brained him with a rock and tossed him into the rocks. The dog would have almost certainly gotten himself bit. My friend ran across another snake this last weekend along the trail and decided it was time to start killing snakes that don't rattle first. The poor puppydog will have to wait until it gets cool this autumn but it's for his own good even if he doesn't understand.

Anyone going to the foothills of Colorado, use caution and watch where you walk and put your hands. (There have been multiple bites at Red Rocks park this year). Always wear hiking boots with loose pants over the boots. It could save you a nasty bite.


Dave, is the dog ok?
 
wsuffa said:
Texas has scorpions, too....
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Yeah, but that's scorpions, not snakes!!

Of course I lived in Florida for 19 years. Lots of rattlers there too. Fortunately, I only came across the occaisional black snake in the back yard.

Did you know that I can levetate two feet off the ground for at least thirty feet after seeing a snake?? Also, I found out I'm pretty good at telekenesis when snakes are around. :hairraise:
 
Anymouse said:
Yeah, but that's scorpions, not snakes!!

Of course I lived in Florida for 19 years. Lots of rattlers there too. Fortunately, I only came across the occaisional black snake in the back yard.

Did you know that I can levetate two feet off the ground for at least thirty feet after seeing a snake?? Also, I found out I'm pretty good at telekenesis when snakes are around. :hairraise:
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Had a couple of water macossins swim over my head when I was swimming at blue springs once. Also had a couple of scorpions fall from the ceiling at work. And of course, gators. They used to crawl out of the swamp behind work and lay on the asphalt by our cars in the parking lot.
 
Patient is fine. Cowboy who got struck in the boot is still having palpitations, nightmares.
Treatments, Diana: ask 10 Drs, get 10 answers. Some of the old accepted meds are now frowned upon. By some.
Antivenin (I refuse to accept the 'new' spelling) is about $600 per vial cost, and dogs may need 2-10 vials. They may have a reaction, it may not work, its expensive - few go for it. Some swear by it. Pics of three from last night. All hacked up by cowboys, sorry. They give a person (even a snake appreciating one) chills to be that close to them, check out the rattles
 

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Let'sgoflying! said:
Patient is fine. Cowboy who got struck in the boot is still having palpitations, nightmares.
Treatments, Diana: ask 10 Drs, get 10 answers. Some of the old accepted meds are now frowned upon. By some.
Antivenin (I refuse to accept the 'new' spelling) is about $600 per vial cost, and dogs may need 2-10 vials. They may have a reaction, it may not work, its expensive - few go for it. Some swear by it. Pics of three from last night. All hacked up by cowboys, sorry. They give a person (even a snake appreciating one) chills to be that close to them, check out the rattles
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Those are pretty big snakes Dave. Most of the ones I get here at the house are around 3 feet. Did have a 4 footer out by the pool last summer. Our dog finds them, but she is smart and won't go within 20 feet of them. Stands there with this really alarming bark. I can always tell when she has one cornered. Most of the ones I have executed have been in September. Two years ago I had 5 in one week show up at my house, may they rest in peace. (pieces actually)
 
I just WISH our guys were smart enough to leave 'em alone ...
last summer we let the dogs out, then went back to bed for half an hour one saturday ... got up, let 'em in and thought, "dammit - snake bites".

ALL THREE were snake bit by a copperhead. Called the vet and said we're bringin' in all three - they had a room ready. $500 before breakfast! :eek:

Dogs do well with copperhead bites, though - I.V. fluids and a big ol' dose of anti-inflammatory and antibiotic and they're just fine in a day or two. :)
 
heh - nah, five acres of woods ... who knows WHERE that snake was by the time we might have gotten out there. Didn't even look - just called the vet, loaded 'em up in two cars and headed over there! :rolleyes:
 
just got back from hike, saw two more. I think they are having a really good year.
 
When I was growing up I would go to my uncles ranch in Oklahoma. He INSISTED you don't leave the house UNLESS YOU HAVE BOOTS on.
Can't tell the number of times we found rattlers on the front porch.
Be careful out there.
 
markb5900 said:
When I was growing up I would go to my uncles ranch in Oklahoma. He INSISTED you don't leave the house UNLESS YOU HAVE BOOTS on.
Can't tell the number of times we found rattlers on the front porch.
Be careful out there.
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If I ever go to Texas I'm taking a suit of armor!!
 
There is nothing I enjoy more than seeing chopped up snakes.

I really, really, really hate snakes. I have killed many a snake, and would kill many more if I could. If I could spend all day doing nothing but killing snakes, I'd have a hell of a day.

I'm very happy that the dog lived. I'm scared to death of a snake bite on Piper.
 
SkyHog said:
There is nothing I enjoy more than seeing chopped up snakes.

I really, really, really hate snakes. I have killed many a snake, and would kill many more if I could. If I could spend all day doing nothing but killing snakes, I'd have a hell of a day.

I'm very happy that the dog lived. I'm scared to death of a snake bite on Piper.
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Nick, I'm starting to see the basis of some of your political posts! ;)
 
Let'sgoflying! said:
just got back from hike, saw two more. I think they are having a really good year.
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Geez! Around here when I went down the quiet bike trail in the woods I was surrounded by hundreds and hundreds of baby bunnies and an occasional deer. I ain't trading with you.

The bunnies would be romping all over the warm asphalt and jump back into grasses alongside as I got within 50 feet or so. There were so many it was like a plague.
 
I wonder what he considers 'the head'. I couldn't see the video but if he chopped the snake in two for example, that ain't 'the head'. Or even the front 1/3. I suppose it could also be a reflex action after the snake dies; if it is truly the head he got.
I talked someone into using the antivenin today on a dog that has a bad diamondback envenomation....$1000.00 from the local hospital for ONE vial (yes I handled it very carefully!) and that is with no markup from me, and the hospital pharmacy says that's their cost too. We threw the kitchen sink at this one, it looks badbadbad. :(
 
When I lived in Colorado in the early 1980s a friend was a geologist. He never went in the field without a .44 magnum loaded with shot shells. He said it worked great on snakes by doing two things simultaneously. It killed them, and it moved them much further away.

At a rifle range in SW Kansas I stopped him from stepping on a snake. We were walking down range in the evening to see how some kids were doing mining lead from the backstop. I had someone bring me a musketoon (muzzle loading carbine) and I dispatched the snake with a .58 cal round to the head with the muzzle about 6 inches from the snake. Absolutely removed that threat.
 
SkyHog said:
There is nothing I enjoy more than seeing chopped up snakes.

I really, really, really hate snakes. I have killed many a snake, and would kill many more if I could. If I could spend all day doing nothing but killing snakes, I'd have a hell of a day.

I'm very happy that the dog lived. I'm scared to death of a snake bite on Piper.
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Heh... You'd love to see the one that I killed with a lawnmower once. Blade got him right in the mouth and sliced him lengthwise, all the way back to his tail. :D

I've only ever seen three snakes in Wisconsin, all pretty small and non-poisonous. It sure helps having nice cold winters to kill off all the nasty pests. :yes:
 

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