First trad bow kill with my first self-fletched arrows. :D
(http://i1138.photobucket.com/albums/n527/whuget/BowSnake.jpg)
I felt "crushing the head of a serpent" on Easter Eve was fitting. :p
Hit him on my second shot at about 15 yards while he was swimming in some very shallow water and pinned him. My brother who I rarely get to see was with me - it was exciting.
Going on my first hog hunt this weekend!
What kind of snake is that. up here in the great white north we dont have snakes so im not familiar with them
The more you kill, the safer in this world I feel.
Good shot! Looks to be a good sized one.
We have plenty to share! I see one pretty much everytime I spend time around water in warm months.
Thought it was a water moccasin (saw a few and just missed one against the bank). But it was some kind of water snake. May have let him go if I had known. We had a lot of kids around the pond and ditches and have tons of snakes, so I try to put the fear of man in the poisonous ones!
It was rough on the arrows - lost one and the muddy clay water was rough on my fletchings. Need to get a bowfishing rig for this.
Nice shooting...
Has the coloring of a water moccasin. I've killed my share of them but never with a bow. Great shot!
The main thing was, it was fun! That and shooting with folks who don't shoot much. My brother was making his second shot ever with a longbow or recurve at almost 20 yards on a can, I told him, dude you are way high, he lowered and then hit the durn thing. :thumbsup: Think he's hooked now.
Could a been, I've also killed more mocassins than I can count and he didn't look much like any I'd seen. After some google work, think he was a yellow bellied water snake.
there are currently only two species of snakes on the planet earth cobras and rattlesnakes. If'n it ain't one its the others period :eek: :eek:
Seems like a waste of a good predator of vermin to kill one just for the heck of it.
Got to go with Keith here.
thats the good kind of snake!good shot
Nice! Well-done.
I'm with keith and reddogge. Not trying to rain on your first trad kill, but I have never understood why snakes have such a bad reputation. They are exceptional predators and effectively control rodent populations particularly near human habitation where mice and rats aren't so popular and are know to transmit diseases. Most snakes I see killed here in NJ are harmless water snakes or garter snakes. We have both Timber Rattlesnakes and Northern Copperheads here. They are both now quite rare for various reasons, one being senseless slaughter. Unfortunately most people have no idea how to identify them from non-venomous snakes and kill them unnecessarily. I can't tell from your picture, but I have a strong feeling that this was just a harmless watersnake of which there are many species that superficially resemble the cottonmouth.
Snakes have been persecuted for millennia around the world. You mention that killing a serpent on Easter Eve seemed fitting. If I recall correctly The Bible relates that evil took the form of a serpent in the Garden of Eden. It does not say that all serpents are evil. Sorry, but stuff like this makes me want to jump up on my
(http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/ii31/mikebiz/soapbox.gif?t=1303775854)
mikebiz,
I understand some people feel strongly. Maybe shouldn't have posted. The excitement in my post was really about shooting with my family members and sharing memories and making archery converts out there, not bloodlust!
Crushing the serpent was an attempt at humor given the timing (but thanks for the theology lesson, albeit very incomplete).
We have a ton of poisonous snakes (no endangered species here I assure you), and I personally know of copperhead/mocassin bites that have caused life long pain and dogs getting killed. We have a pond that is always full of mocassins (yes, I know what they look like). My goal that day was to put some fear in them because of a family reunion out there and get some skins for a bow. I thought this snake was a water moccasin, but on close inspection it wasn't. It is a water snake.
Since it's causing some people issues, let's just have this thing slip to page 3, 4, and on into the history books . . . . :D
Hogs are efficient predators of snakes and will eat every one they catch so you can even the score by killin' some hogs. Good luck on your hog hunt! Gotta love hogs. You can kill every one you see and be the hero for the day. And they eat better 'n snakes too!
QuoteOriginally posted by mikebiz:
I'm with keith and reddogge. Not trying to rain on your first trad kill, but I have never understood why snakes have such a bad reputation. They are exceptional predators and effectively control rodent populations particularly near human habitation where mice and rats aren't so popular and are know to transmit diseases. Most snakes I see killed here in NJ are harmless water snakes or garter snakes. We have both Timber Rattlesnakes and Northern Copperheads here. They are both now quite rare for various reasons, one being senseless slaughter. Unfortunately most people have no idea how to identify them from non-venomous snakes and kill them unnecessarily. I can't tell from your picture, but I have a strong feeling that this was just a harmless watersnake of which there are many species that superficially resemble the cottonmouth.
Snakes have been persecuted for millennia around the world. You mention that killing a serpent on Easter Eve seemed fitting. If I recall correctly The Bible relates that evil took the form of a serpent in the Garden of Eden. It does not say that all serpents are evil. Sorry, but stuff like this makes me want to jump up on my
(http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/ii31/mikebiz/soapbox.gif?t=1303775854)
I feel the same way. I've caught I don't even know how many snakes since I was a little kid. Got tagged by a copperhead on my thumb when I was 8yrs old. An accident, didn't even know he was there. Went to pick up my "spider web stick" after a couple hours of horny head fishing in the creek one summer. He was laying in the tall grass with my stick...
I'm fascinated by them actually. I catch all kinds every year while out on my hunting/fishing forays.
Looks like a Red Bellied Water Snake at first glance. Harmless... And actually the term for a snake that can kill you with venom is "venomous" not poisonous.
Here in Ga it is illegal to kill any non venomous snake. I've only killed 2 snakes in my life. A canebreak that was in my hunting camp and a copperhead in my yard. Both were highly agitated and I didn't feel I could catch them without paying a high price if y'all catch my drift. Didn't want them so close to where people were hanging around on a daily basis.. Felt horrible for killing both of them...
Like Mike said, snakes have their niche in the environment like every other creature does.
A little education about snakes goes a long ways in helping people identify the venomous ones from the harmless ones. I've never met a snake that was out for my blood. They all just want to get out of dodge or hide and hope I walk right past them. Lord knows how many rattlers, copperheads, and cottomouths I've walked by and never knew they were there.
I must say there is a great sense of satisfaction in running down a Black Racer. Still hoping to catch a Coach Whip. They make a Black Racer look like a Box Turtle on the run. lol!
I agree to let this one slip into cyberspace. I just spend a lot of time as a biologist and naturalist trying to dispel myths and reduce the fears folks have for snakes.
Hey BuckyT. You mean a coachwhip like this. Not from here in NJ, but Southeastern Arizona. This thing was over 6 feet long. An absolutely beautiful specimen. Pink as a chunk of bubblegum.
Western Coachwhip
(http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/ii31/mikebiz/snakes/IMG_8119_web.jpg?t=1303785217)
Good shooting now you can skin your bow :thumbsup:
Some of my most memorable shots were at rattler heads. Don't believe I've ever needed a second shot. I take that back . Whenever I'm hunting in snow and decide to see if I can come close to that little black rock at 50 yds. Guess what?
Larry
If you are "agreeing to let it slip into cyberspace" stop posting Mikebiz! I'm not embarrassed at all by my post (if that's what you think), but I do recognize how others could get a little offended and that's why I would like to get it off the first page (out of respect for the site).
My quotient of lecturing and biology lessons is now quite full. :thumbsup:
I don't mind if you kill every snake you feel like killing. I don't have any fear of them, in fact I only kill cotton mouths and copperheads around here. There are plenty to go around and if it keeps one of the youngens from getting bit, go for it.
As far as the theology lesson goes, the "bruising the head" comes from this passage.
Genesis 3:15
And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.
It is a prophecy of Jesus overcoming Satan. You would have to read the entire context to really understand it, but I thought I might clear that up a little.
God Bless,
Nathan
That's a harmless water snake. Cottonmouths have very heavy and thick bodies, and when they are swimming only their head is above water. Easy to tell the difference. If you can see its body while it's swimming, it's harmless.
A pic about a vanquished snakes turns in to biological and religious teaching, and condemnation because it turned out to be a water snake. Lol
I say nice shot and nice pic. Hope you find a nice pair to skin your bow.
Take care
Fin
QuoteOriginally posted by MTArrowLauncher:
A pic about a vanquished snakes turns in to biological and religious teaching, and condemnation because it turned out to be a water snake. Lol
I say nice shot and nice pic. Hope you find a nice pair to skin your bow.
Take care
Fin
That is awsomely funny if you think about it!!
God Bless,
Nathan
QuoteOriginally posted by mikebiz:
I agree to let this one slip into cyberspace. I just spend a lot of time as a biologist and naturalist trying to dispel myths and reduce the fears folks have for snakes.
Hey BuckyT. You mean a coachwhip like this. Not from here in NJ, but Southeastern Arizona. This thing was over 6 feet long. An absolutely beautiful specimen. Pink as a chunk of bubblegum.
Western Coachwhip
(http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/ii31/mikebiz/snakes/IMG_8119_web.jpg?t=1303785217)
Pretty much Mike, but the eastern variety.
http://www.google.com/search?q=Eastern+Coach+Whip&hl=en&rlz=1T4DGUS_enUS308US239&prmd=ivns&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=cQS3Tb-cEIGztwfjvcyfAQ&ved=0CD0QsAQ&biw=1003&bih=539
good job! shoot all of them you see...more snake skins for bow limbs:)
Nice shooting brother :thumbsup: Last I looked this was a Trad hunting forum so if its a legal kill congratulations.
Shoulda ate it... That would make this whole conversation moot. :bigsmyl:
Limbender, Nice shot, sorry you are catching all the grief. If some want to be picky, every animal etc has its place in this world. Squirels, chipmunks, frogs, do they harm us no and some folks shoot those and don't catch the grief you did. You should be proud, its your first kill, had it happened to be a water mocassin or copperhead which both have there place in our eco system, I 'll bet you would not have caught the grief. Congrats to you.
Nice post congrats on first with self made arrows. Always nice when your efforts are successful.
Killem all. I hate those things.
Betcha if that snake got strategically placed in someone's sleeping bag at hog camp, all that "harmless" and "killed for no reason" stuff goes out the window!
QuoteOriginally posted by The Vanilla Gorilla:
Betcha if that snake got strategically placed in someone's sleeping bag at hog camp, all that "harmless" and "killed for no reason" stuff goes out the window!
A-MEN
Betcha if that snake got strategically placed in someone's sleeping bag at hog camp, all that "harmless" and "killed for no reason" stuff goes out the window!
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Don't ya know it.
I've "transplanted" a few harmless snakes over the years, but I've also had some run-ins with timber-rattlers behind my place (Maquoketa river valley, lots of bluffs). They get terminated with extreme prejudice!
I Found a rattler shed in one of my buildings a few years back. Never did see the owner of the shed, but it had me walking cautious for a while!
The only good snake is a dead one way to go!
Really nice shot, glad not to have them up where I live.
Went turkey hunting once in Oklahoma. Week after I got home the friend back in OK almost sat on a rattler right in the same spot we had hunted. Gators won't help when you sit on the bastages.
Really nice shot, glad not to have them up where I live.
Went turkey hunting once in Oklahoma. Week after I got home the friend back in OK almost sat on a rattler right in the same spot we had hunted. Gators won't help when you sit on the bastages.
good shot! im not a big snake killer, besides venemous ones, but great shot none the less. the first blood is always exciting, mine was a rabbit. :archer2:
I've been a hunter for almost 60 years and when I was young I, just like most of the guys I ran with, would kill anything when we were out with our guns or bows. After hit my mid 20's I realized that any time I was armed I was the Lord of the Forest....so to speak....when it came to having the power to kill and it was at about that time that I quit shooting things that I wasn't going to eat. I also realized I loved just about everything that I ran into in the woods except cotton mouths. I've let dozens of copper heads and the few rattlers that I've encountered go but cotton mouths are another thing altogether and I'll kill them every time if I can.
Some people are just ignorant. I wonder sometimes if God punishes people by bringing them back as a snake or a turtle crossing a 4 lane highway.
No need to get hateful. I suppose you ^^^ have never done anything that someone else doesn't approve of?? Right?
Being on a trad hunting site, I assume most of us hunt and kill animals also. There are people who would try to bash us for that. I would hope that folks on here would have a better personality and higher respect for others than to stoop to that level.
God Bless,
Nathan
That was a great shot. Congrats.
Gilbert
Sorry you caught all the lecturing and grief, good shot, well done. I got a kick out of Landman's comments above. If you live with Cottonmouths they absolutely take top billin' for snake killin'.
Growing up in Louisiana, I can tell you for sure. If it looks like a water moccasin, shoot. Don't worry too much about the yellow belly water snake, or whatever they think it might be. The only snake I don't mind is a king snake. I just saved one on the road today. I like those, they eat bad snakes. I will go out of my way to help a king snake. Every other snake... meet my arrow, or Ruger or mossberg or whatever it takes.
My dog got bit by a rattler 3 weeks ago. He is just now starting to look and act normal (finally doesn't have a basketball sized pouch of swollen puss on his neck). I figure the vet bill will be equal to about 200 rattler hides. I plan to get my money back on that deal...
Rat control? King snakes eat bad snakes AND RATS... and I have two boys under 12, with bows and pellet rifles. Between the king snakes I save, and the boys, there aren't too many rats around here... God willing, soon there won't be many, if any, rattlers around here either.
Jeez Keith, thought we had made up. :bigsmyl:
Thanks for the kind words guys, this is a great site! Hopefully I will kill a pig in a couple days. That being said, I'm letting the word out now that I will be discarding the hocks instead of pickling them. I'm hoping this will not be the start of another controversy. :p
Good grief, the man killed a potentially poisonous snake and just wanted to bring his first traditional kill to TG for a few accolades.
Yet he was slammed; well I say good on you and you are welcome at my camp fire any time.
Mods please kill this "snake" it has gone poisonous to it's readers.
Quote
Some people are just ignorant. I wonder sometimes if God punishes people by bringing them back as a snake or a turtle crossing a 4 lane highway.
If god didn't want us to kill animals why did he give us the ability?
Don't feel bad there's lots if people who don't like things like this, they go by a 4 letter acronym. Ill let you figure out which.
Limbender, like we were talking about before, keep doing what your doing brother and post a pic of the hog your gonna kill
Fin
Good shot, man!Congrats and good luck on those hogs!
My comment was directed towards the guys who kill all snakes. All snakes are beneficial. Some need to be removed...around houses and kids, etc. But to kill them just to kill them just doesn't make sense to me. You might not like them, but that doesn't mean to kill them on sight anywhere.
This one went the Chevy vs Ford way eh :dunno:
Good shot LimBender...Keep up the good work...Mike
In all honesty this is an awesome site, but some guys need a chill pill. :)
Good shooting LimBender!
As hunters it is necessary to protect our resources, but that does not mean we cannot harvest animals from those resources. From everything I have heard Cottonmouths are bad beasts to encounter and as such many people kill on site. I think that if you use your harvest for a logical purpose there is nothing wrong with killing a snake or twenty. :bigsmyl:
Now get a matching skin and trick out your bow :thumbsup:
(p.s. I really hope I don't offend anyone with what I said, :dunno: if someone takes issue feel free to pm me and keep it off the public forum)
Nice shot!!! RJ
Congrats on the shot and sharing it with family.
I haven't been to church in a while so I'm glad I read this, we have some wonderful sermons within these pages...
QuoteOriginally posted by mikebiz:
I'm with keith and reddogge. If I recall correctly The Bible relates that evil took the form of a serpent in the Garden of Eden. It does not say that all serpents are evil. Sorry, but stuff like this makes me want to jump up on my
(http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/ii31/mikebiz/soapbox.gif?t=1303775854)
LOL...you guys are nuts....do you have pet spiders and flies...
BTW, does your bible say that snakes are NOT evil (what is evil??)...maybe it is optional...pet them or kill them....or even eat them. HA!
I wish Dan Quillian was alive to read some of these snake-hater comments. Dan caught and kept snakes, including the dangerous ones, all his life. He would release them when fall came, so they could find a natural wintering place.
My brother and I once stayed in his Airstream while visiting him, and he told us as an afterthought that a copperhead had escaped its cage in the trailer, but not to worry about it because he thought it probably had gotten outside.
We slept rather lightly.