yeeeww SNAKE!

[livie1205]

yesterday we were outside in the yard when a little girl ran up to my dh and said there is a snake in another neighbors driveway! My dh and his best friend ran down there and there was a 5 ft Water moccasin in the yard! My dh called the women and asked her if she wanted him to take care of it and she screamed "yes! please shoot it" They have a 5 yr old who had just told her he was running outside to play...if that snake would have bit him OMG we live so far out.They have a pool and it was probably looking for water.My dh put 2 bullets in it! The husband was not home and he called my dh and THANKED him about 10 times.
We always tell the kids to keep a eye out while outside because we have rattlers and Water moccasins in the area...we kinda live out in the country.We do try to leave the black snakes alone though because they keep the bad ones away.This was the thickest Water moccasin we have seen out there! I freaked out knowing that little boy would have just run out into the grass and probably not seen it until it was to late or jumped in the pool without noticing first.We made sure to show the kids so they know for sure what it was and how to tell that it was just not a reg black snake, but then again we tell them if they see ANY snake to tell us right away and NOT go near it!

 

[Mermaid02]

That's one pro for living in Maine!

Glad everything turned out well!!

 

[Jsme]

I would have been scared of the fact he used a gun too. We have guns so do not think I am anti-gun/weapons. I grew up and still somewhat live in the country. We have always used hoes or shoves to kill snakes. Where I live now all we have to contend with are Copperheads but I grew up with copperheads, rattlesnakes and moccasins. Please do not think I am saying anything bad because your DH used a gun.

 

[Disney Doll]

A gun, safely used, in a rural area, is not an issue. I am going to assume that the OP's DH told all the kids to go in the house etc., and didn't come flying out of the house waving the gun around like a madman.
And much safer than having to get with 4 feet of a water mocassin if one used a hoe or shovel.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

Bleech. Just what I need to read before going camping and floating on the river.

 

[Jennasis]

He shot the snake? That seems overly "enthusiastic". He must be a good shot...it's not like snakes are a big target. I prefer a nice heavy metal shovel to cut 'em in half with.

 

[JR6ooo4]

Kind of makes our predators pale in comparison... you know, we have a lot of mosquitos!

And I am not that good of a shot to hit a mosquito.

Mikeeee

 

[LindaR]

Oh, HECK yes!!!! I would have used a gun, too! I am an excellent shot and would never want to get close enough to have to use a shovel or hoe!

I had to shoot a rattlesnake one time when I was living in the panhandle of Florida........all I had was a .357magnum....loaded with hollowpoints! There was absolutely no head left on that snake after one shot! Works for me! (The gross/freaky part was it still moved when the head was gone!)

 

[java]

We are further north but will also be tubing in the Delaware river soon- and I know in NC they have water moccasins in the river- let's hope they can't swim very far. I have not heard of those up here yet.
We did have a copperhead earlier in the year. and that was My lawn guy "disposed" of it.

 

[SCHBR'smom]

My DH has killed snakes with a shovel before (coral snake crawling up our house was the worst!), but he's not against using a gun. When there was a snake in my yard making a ruckus with the dog, I got my neighbor who's a cop and he came and shot it. When my other neighbor had a snake living in his pool waterfall, he borrowed my DH's gun to shoot it. (never did, though) I have no problems with snakes.......... as long as I don't see them.

 

[GeorgeG]

In an area where it's safe to shoot, my first choice would be a gun for any poisonous snake. I have snake shot in two different calibers and that works well. Here, the only safe shot would be downwards in the grass, not on a paved or concrete driveway, but we don't see a lot of snakes. There are plenty around, but usually away from the houses.

A few months ago I did have a small snake on the driveway and just stepped on it's head to kill it before my wife saw it. Most of the snakes we see are along the roads.

 

[Jennasis]

In an area where it's safe to shoot, my first choice would be a gun for any poisonous snake. I have snake shot in two different calibers and that works well. Here, the only safe shot would be downwards in the grass, not on a paved or concrete driveway, but we don't see a lot of snakes. There are plenty around, but usually away from the houses.

A few months ago I did have a small snake on the driveway and just stepped on it's head to kill it before my wife saw it. Most of the snakes we see are along the roads.

 

[MerMom60_94]

OK, I just have to ask at the risk of being flamed.....I hate snakes. I mean I really, really hate and fear snakes, but why wouldn't you have called a wildlife officer to have them come and relocate it? Am I being naive? Of course, everyone in the house in the mean time. I'm asking this seriously. Is this not a viable option?

 

[Minnesota!]

god bless minnesota!!!!!!!

 

[NEVERENOUGHWDW]

OK, I just have to ask at the risk of being flamed.....I hate snakes. I mean I really, really hate and fear snakes, but why wouldn't you have called a wildlife officer to have them come and relocate it? Am I being naive? Of course, everyone in the house in the mean time. I'm asking this seriously. Is this not a viable option?

When you see a snake it's not like you can say "stay" so it waits for a wildlife official.

Snakes are a major reason I'm scared to buy a house in Florida!

 

[Singleminnie]

I was just watching some news program about how people turn loose their snakes when the get too big, or some snakes were unfortunately let loose during the huricaines are taking over Florida. Since there is a lot to eat and the environment is perfect, they have been finding larger and larger snakes in the southern part of the area. UGH Sorry for you who live there. I grew up in Missouri on a farm where we had gardner snakes and black snakes who would get into our chicken house and eat the eggs. I remember my father taking a hoe and our very long shears to some snakes. I could not watch b/c I was so scared for my father. He was fine, but I HATE SNAKES!

 

[livie1205]

My dh would not ever try to kill a 5 ft cottenmouth with a shovel...they will come after you.The kids were not standing there and him and his friend are cops and know how to handle a gun.There are tons of kids in the area and a cottenmouth looking for water is not a good thing.he shot it and all rounds hit the snake..then his friend got it with a shovel.We would never do this to a harmless snake...those are good but this one oh yeh!
My dh has been a cop for almost 11 yrs so I am not afraid of him with a gun,he is very safe.If he had been on duty and the homeowner wanted the snake killed on there property he would have done the same.They do not try to catch this type of snake.The snake would have hid before someone else would have got there and my dh would never be able to live with himself if that sweet little boy would have got bit later. Like I said we live out in the county...very rural...no one else was put at risk by him shooting except the snake of course.

 

[AshleyW]

Yuck! You know.. my fiance's family all lives in Mississippi and we've talked a little about relocating down there, or somewhere down south, eventually.. but I always forget about the SNAKES!! In Iowa we only have garter snakes, and they eat the spiders and don't hurt people, so I'm okay with them. If we had to deal with poisonous snakes or spiders though.. I'm such a scaredy cat with that type of thing.

 

[livie1205]

A gun, safely used, in a rural area, is not an issue. I am going to assume that the OP's DH told all the kids to go in the house etc., and didn't come flying out of the house waving the gun around like a madman.
And much safer than having to get with 4 feet of a water mocassin if one used a hoe or shovel.

no he didnt!! lol I did not he relize he had it until he told the kids to go away..he had it in his holster...he would never walk down the rd with his gun out.

 

[OctMtnWoods]

I would have been scared of the fact he used a gun too. We have guns so do not think I am anti-gun/weapons. I grew up and still somewhat live in the country. We have always used hoes or shoves to kill snakes. Where I live now all we have to contend with are Copperheads but I grew up with copperheads, rattlesnakes and moccasins. Please do not think I am saying anything bad because your DH used a gun.

There are copperheads as far north as CT. I'm not sure if any further than that.

Timber rattlesnakes in parts of CT, RI & MA. Protected species and illegal to kill.

But you've got to be out in the woods in their environment to find them. Not common, but they are there.