Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire Red Rider to the rescue

Front step this morning...3 1/2 footer

You shot his eye out!!

Not quite but still had the intended results.

Just me, but it looks like it needs more bb's.

Good shootin' Tex.

Always use enough gun (per Robert Ruark), but in this case the Red Ryder was sufficient. Wouldn't be my first choice, though.

Good shooting, in any case.

Paul

Stunt shooter.

Can't downplay it with the old,"He was looking straight at the muzzle 'cause of the powder smell".

NICE, it is now a "good" snake!

Respectfully disagree. On July 3, I had a much scarier rattler show up in my front courtyard while the movers left the gate open for several hours.

It was a "Mohave Green" two and one-half footer. Not only is this species the most venomous in North America, but my neighbors say the little ones are the worst. Big rattlers are mature enough to be able to control their release of venom and frequently refrain on animals or persons that are too big to eat. Little ones release it.

Here in the Sandia Mountains, we have lots of critters, including hordes of deer mice and pack rats. The snakes keep them under control. I simply used a four foot steel rod with a forked end (used for turning off and on water) and nudged it out the gate. Bpy, was it cross. Rattled like fury.

OTOH, the neighbors all praised me for not killing it. As long as we knew it was there, it was not a threat to my kids or dogs.

I'd show a picture or two if anyone can post them for me. Thanks.

We don't say grace over snakes here!!

My M1911 shoots shot shells very good!!

Dude you did not do that with a Red Rider

Dammit Russ.... you're old enough to know the guy's name was "Red Ryder", aka Bill Elliot.

The BB gun was named for him.

The original ones didn't have the velocity of a single shot or pump.

I did do that with the Red Rider and a couple Packrats the week before

Is there a "hotrodding" tutorial I missed?

I've got a Red Rider as every red-blooded American should, but I've never considered it part of my hunting arsenal.

Thanks for sharing BTW.

Anjin - it's your prerogative to release rattlers, but I've had to many close calls - and too many critters bit (some fatally) to share your philosophy.
Any rattler dies - bull snakes, racers, etc. can fill the void, without danger, so are safe from me.

Respectfully, Mark

No trying to find the chamber of some heavy, half cocked springer with a microscopic lead pellet and sweaty, scared fingers in the dead of night when the Cuban Frogs are roostin' and poopin' on the window sills with a Red Ryder.
There's such a deadly meter to the clack of my repeater.

I know, but in my particular neck of the woods, or should I say scrub, folks like their rattlers.

Several neighbors did tell me where to go to get venom immunizer for the dogs.

The wigglers are around, for sure. I saw a five-footer scrambling across Route 14, the Turquoise Trail, a few days later and I ran right over it, but it contracted so I did not hit it. That was just north of my car repair shop, and when I told the owner about it, he said he had worked in the area for 30 years and only seen one in that time. I saw two in two weeks. Another customer said he was a contractor and sees many. He said almost every time his guys lift up a rock, they find something, including Mojave Greens.

Mark, in your area, I expect there are plenty, too. The data I looked up said the Greens are usually more likely to be found west and south, though.

I just shoveled a rattler down by the barn.

I let the other snakes alone, but with two kids around I'm not letting the rattlesnakes go.

I don't think they eat often enough to put much of dent in the mouse population anyway.

I know it was Ryder, mine never had enough power to kill a rattler. The Daisy pumps were a little stronger