Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire Snake handling

My little Chinese bride has been seeing a snake around the yard of late, a fair-sized garter snake. I've been telling her not to worry, he's a good snake to have around and that he won't bother her.

This morning, he showed up while we walked around the yard and I ran over and grabbed him so she could get a good look. While I was trying to get her to come closer, I suddenly got a whiff of something awful. Looked down and the bast*rd had pooped all over my hands. What a stink!

None of the other snakes I've picked up, mostly black rat snakes, have done that to me. Don't know if that's a good defense against predators, but it's sure a good one against this old fat man.

Take that poop and put it where you do not want any mice and the mice will be gone.

Uh....

Didn't save it.

lot of snakes use the poop as a defense mechanism.

uh, some of'em will pee on ya too. and some will attempt to bite. might even bring a drop or two of blood. my son got bit by a big rat snake when he was about 8 years old. he didn't stop handling them though.

I expect the biting, and don't give them the chance. The poop was a surprise.

Black rat snakes put up a big fuss at first, but settle down quickly. This guy was pissed, kept his mouth open the whole time. Read that their saliva is mildly poisonous, but not a danger unless you're allergic.

Snake...relax and KILL all of em

Found some snakes this morning myself. Think they were Siamese twins, seemed to be connected at the thorax or something. Largest one was about 8 foot. My wife got these photos for me.

I recken when yer got to go... yer got to go!

Oldgunsmith--what kind of snakes are those?

Bull Snakes. They hiss loudly and shake their tails to imitate a rattlesnake, but are non-venomous. Good ones to have around. Eat gophers and rats and such.

Could those be two bull snakes mating?

They look like King snakes but what do I know about snakes. They may be in a mating mode. Cheers NC

That connected at the thorax thing just might be a clue.🤔

Generally, when I'm connected at the thorax, that's the reason.

This ^^^^ Always try to grab as close to the head as possible and let the rest hang down. A 4 to 5ft black snake can put out a good bit of stench when so inclined...

Cool pics and definatly mating, 8' bull snake is a hellofa bull snake! All the constrictors, bull snakes, rat snakes, Indigos.... kill and eat other snakes including poisonous ones as part of their diet. Good snakes even when they poop on you.

My little bride saw a snake and left coconut water for it. She said he might be thirsty. No lie, Asian women are different.

Sure are apechit fond of turtles, too. I have a resident Desert Tortoise that a whole PACK of Asian women are hot for,......sorry, no WAY they're displacing that critter.

GTC

Probably picked up way to many snakes when I was a kid - they simply were fascinating. It was normal to grab and hold them right behind the head. Some would then wrap around the arm. The smaller snakes would go the "poop" route pretty quickly. If you could handle a larger one gently and it could stay calm, you might avoid the defecate. When we arrived in the SW I had a young wife and 1 yr. old daughter and catching rattlers was supposed to be off limits. I only did that two or three times, and they were not the Mohave variety. The last time I attempted to catch a snake was about 10 years later in our back yard in Tucson - the kids (4 by then) wanted to see up close the every morning invader. I simply failed - it was a Red Racer. Try that sometime.

Bull Snake, Gopher Snake same critter.
8 foot is longer than I have ever seen by a couple of feet.
Here in Idaho a four footer would be huge, have caught em over 5' south of here.
The ones here are faster to fight than the Western Rattlers which is the only rattlers here in SW Idaho.