Timber Rattlesnake on Air Cleaner

[glcaines]

I always thought that rattlesnakes didn't climb much. Not true! I just sold my M35A2 and was in the process of checking the fluids, etc. before the buyer shows up tomorrow morning to pick it up. While pulling the dipstick out of the engine, I heard a rattlesnake sounding off and very close. At first I didn't see it because I thought it was on the ground. I moved slightly to the rear of the passenger-side fender, unknowingly closer to the rattlesnake, and then I saw the rattlesnake move out of the corner of my eye. He was coiled up and had his head up and ready to strike. I very slowly moved away and off of the truck. I then got my Ruger Mini-30 and had my wife hold it while I pushed the snake off of the air cleaner. The snake was then running all over the top of the engine, very pissed. He then got tangled up in the starter wiring. I finally got him onto the ground and pushed him to a spot where I could shoot him. I put the muzzle about 3 inches from the rattlesnakes head and then decapitated him with one shot.

I have a very serious snake problem where I live. I just shot a copperhead last night as well, but he was laying in the driveway next to my front stairs. I have now shot 39 copperheads and 11 timber rattlers, all near my house. I obviously have a snake den somewhere near me. We have had 8 snake bites of our dogs, fortunately all copperheads.

 

[Flyingvan911]

Wow!

 

[AZK9]

... 39 copperheads and 11 timber rattlers, all near my house. ....

That's crazy! We've got Diamondback rattlers out this way, but I've never encountered one on my property.

I've seen a few soaking up the sun on the roads at times, but nothing serious, or close by. I know they're out there,
but so far... no close calls! Your situation seems dangerous. Continue to keep a sharp eye!

Stay safe!

PS: The photo is awesome!!

 

[porkysplace]

I worked out in the Pecos, New Mexico area back in the mid 90's burying remote phone line and fiber optic cables and they loved crawling up on the equipment engines at night . We checked all the fluids and greased everything at the end of the day and left the buckets up in the air , just start them in the morning and get away for a little bit.

Edit; On the plus side it should keep mice from chewing you wiring .

 

[my blood flows OD]

I’m so glad we don’t have any bad snakes in the northeast.

 

[clinto]

How do you find a snake den?

You need to take some of that Deuce money and buy one of those flamethrowing Shermans.

 

[NV555]

You should find some king snakes and release them around your house.

 

[Menaces Nemesis]

I always thought that rattlesnakes didn't climb much. Not true! I just sold my M35A2 and was in the process of checking the fluids, etc. before the buyer shows up tomorrow morning to pick it up. While pulling the dipstick out of the engine, I heard a rattlesnake sounding off and very close. At first I didn't see it because I thought it was on the ground. I moved slightly to the rear of the passenger-side fender, unknowingly closer to the rattlesnake, and then I saw the rattlesnake move out of the corner of my eye. He was coiled up and had his head up and ready to strike. I very slowly moved away and off of the truck. I then got my Ruger Mini-30 and had my wife hold it while I pushed the snake off of the air cleaner. The snake was then running all over the top of the engine, very pissed. He then got tangled up in the starter wiring. I finally got him onto the ground and pushed him to a spot where I could shoot him. I put the muzzle about 3 inches from the rattlesnakes head and then decapitated him with one shot.

I have a very serious snake problem where I live. I just shot a copperhead last night as well, but he was laying in the driveway next to my front stairs. I have now shot 39 copperheads and 11 timber rattlers, all near my house. I obviously have a snake den somewhere near me. We have had 8 snake bites of our dogs, fortunately all copperheads.

Too bad you didn't have a clear path to gently "sweep" it off the air cleaner (with a 12 gauge, birdshot, followed by the garden hose)

 

[SCM35A2]

****, not going to lie I hate snakes.

 

[Mrmag1]

Snakes...why did it have to be snakes?

 

[Bill W]

Yeah
I would have fallen/leap off my deuce if I found that on my air cleaner.

 

[Tinwoodsman]

You need to get a 55 gallon drum of "Snake Away"

 

[Mrmag1]

You need to get a 55 gallon drum of "Snake Away"

Napalm?

 

[CMPPhil]

Worst critter problem I had here in the Northeast was having two chipmunks run across my chest while laying on a creeper under the truck in the shop.

Did you tell the trucks new owner about the snake?


Cheers Phil

 

[papabear]

Napalm?

That's exactly what I was thinking!! Well....maybe a "controlled burn" of the whole property is in order??

 

[Guyfang]

Anything, but a snake. Now I know I will never visit Georgia.

 

[eric67camino]

Wow. I've never found any in what I was working on, but I have found a couple of copperheads while weedeating. Two separate instances, and man did they startle the crap out of me both times!

After I gathered myself together, I went and got my catcher (I hunt rattlesnakes every spring, so I have a couple on hand). I got some pictures and dispatched them with a shovel. There's too many kids and pets around to release them. They were pretty good size, 30 and 31 inches, if I remember correctly.

Of course, I didn't bother to mention them to the girlfriend. She would have freaked out. She can't handle snakes.

 

[cattlerepairman]

The most remarkable thing to me is that glcines had the cool to take a picture of the snake on the air filter!

 

[M543A2]

Farmers know that a group of hogs will find and kill any snakes in the area. Probably not possible, but fence it in and get some hogs. You will see them going around snorting and chuffing as they find one, biting it to death quickly. They don't seem to mind strikes.

 

[glcaines]

Farmers know that a group of hogs will find and kill any snakes in the area. Probably not possible, but fence it in and get some hogs. You will see them going around snorting and chuffing as they find one, biting it to death quickly. They don't seem to mind strikes.

Actually, we have a severe feral hog problem on my property. I have a feeder and we shoot the hogs when they feed. We also have a lot of bears and the hogs stay away from the feeder when the bears are around. We have four dogs and the dogs keep the hogs away from near the house where I want them to kill the copperheads and timber rattlers. The bears apparently don't mind the dogs. I also have a lot of king snakes and other non-poisonous snakes, but most of my snakes are poisonous. Having a creek run by the house doesn't help either. I'm on 32 acres in the Blue Ridge Mountains in North Georgia surrounded by National Forest. We have a significant amount of wildlife here. We even saw a cougar about three years ago.