Pond Boss Forums INTRO Questions & Observations Snakes

This is what greeted me yesterday morning in my office, have you ever seen a 270# man do the 10 yard dash in ½ second? Call me a sissy, I hate snakes.

hA Ha!

If you've ever had mice completely shred and foul your barn, black ratsnakes are priceless.

I got bit by one of these about 2 weeks ago at 2:00 am. I went out on the porch to "well you know" and look at the storm that was blowing in. When I stepped back into the house I felt a sharp sting on my right foot, I was bare footed. It was dark but I sensed I had been bitten by a snake. I found the kitchen light and glanced over at the door entry but I saw nothing. I looked at my foot and there were 2 holes I was bleeding some.I hunted down a flash light and went back out on the porch and looked around I saw nothing. I then came back into the house and my mind kept saying if it was a snake it is in the house cause I sensed it had been slung foward by my foot. I then begin to search the rest of the house and sure enough there he was laying under our rocking chair. Sense I had already been bitten I wasn't scared anymore it was too late for that. I caught it and after a indepth investigation disected on the kitchen counter top I determined it was not poisions.

I have killed many snakes on the porches ,mostly yellowed belly water snakes non venomous. The strange thing is my wife that very afternoon before hand out of know were ask "Don't you ever get worried about getting bit by a snake when you go out on the porch at night?", I replied Na not me. I turn the lights on now.

In the Bible is states two people walked on water. Christ and St. Peter. I think there is a third me. I think I could get traction on water I am scared to death of them.

Yet,,, you will catch a big ole ugly catfish and admire it.

Catfish are about 2 points higher on my "ick factor" than snakes. The only critter that really creeps me out are "mud eels". (Sirenidae) They're not just icky, they have a really nasty bite.

These have a nasty bite too. I keep some potted cactus down by pond during dry season.. found this little feller (about 2 ft) when i was weeding the cactus he liked the top of a 5-gallon pot full of dwarf barrel cactus.

In the future, I'd keep a box of Tide down at the lake!!

or just strap on the "depends" before going down there :rolleyes:

Interesting. I've heard of using Moth Balls (napthalene?), under the house, but what does Tide do? Does any powdered clothing soap work? What do you do with it?

I think he is refering to cleaning his pants after a close incounter with a rattler.

Duh! Can't believe I didn't see that one coming.

Sometimes this work stuff dulls your thinking.

Yeah, I'd rather be dreaming about the 15 acres I close the deal on 7/14, the .5 acre pond and the 2 acre pond I plan to build, and all that extra dirt I'll use to build up where I plan to put the house.

big mac congrads and enjoy, we just completed the pond & house pad thing but so far have just been admiring a 4.5 acre hole in the ground. It hasn't rained a drop in our neck of the woods.

Out of curiosity, what did that hole cost per acre? I'm new and have no real idea how expensive this "dream" is, yet. I've heard I should figure $5 to $7K per acre in East Texas, around Coldspring.

On the snake side, I recently saw a 4 foot water snake grab one of my 10" CCs, at my feeder. The snake was holding on and trying to wrap around the very alive CC. I was beside myself, with the shotgun in hand, wanting to shoot the snake, but not harm the CC. I used a cane pole to make the snake turn loose, then I blew the @%*($ snake in half. Snakes have become a real problem, since I sunk 70 Christmas Trees and began a full-time feeding program off the pier.

BigMac, I can tell you that when I was looking for somebody here in Coldspring to dig my .5 pond. I took 3 bids. The lowest one was $10,500 and the highest was $14,000. So I decided to do it my self. Especially after checking around and hearing all the bad things the locals had to say about the contractors in this area.

big mac I payed 1.30$ yd for the dirt moved. My project is a 4.75 acre lake on a 300 acre watershed. The primary spillway drop structure cost 8k installed itself. I didn't cut any corners on this project which is going to be up for sale when I complete it. My final cost was around 7k an acre overall, but I got a large house pad, earth fishing peirs, and a silt catch pond above that was included in the total cost. By no means do you have to spend this kind of money. If your watershed is smaller you won't need to spend any money on a expensive drop structure like I did. You might not even need a anything more than a natural spillway around the end of the dam. the cost will all depend on your pond site and how much dirt has to be excavated.
Word of advise don't pay any contractor by the hour. Plan it well and figure the yardage and hire a contractor that will do everything you want for a fixed price based on the yardage. Dozer have 2 speeds low is by the hour, high is by the job. Here is the link to the job we just completed.

http://www.pondboss.com/ubb/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=20;t=002671

If you need help figuring the yardage give me a call I can help free of charge I love this stuff. you can contact me thru my website www.rockytoppers.com

Tim Stuart,
Would like to speak with you. I sent you a PM.

rockytopper, good information. Thanks! I sent you a PM. I was afraid that I could only get a by-the-hour job, which is not copasetic, in my opinion.

Now, I'll quit hijacking this other member's thread and apologize.

Posting this pic for Meadowlark. The snake is from Fritch, TX "just North of Amarillo"; reportedly 9' 1", 97 lbs. Evidently they have some big whoppers in Texas.


ML also sent his Mama's rattlesnake recipe:

DEEP-FRIED RATTLESNAKE

1 medium-sized rattlesnake (3 - 4 lbs.), cut into steaks
1/2 cup flour
1/4 cup cornmeal
1/4 cup cracker crumbs
1/2 cup milk
1 egg
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder (not garlic salt)
1 teaspoon salt
dash pepper

No matter what anybody else tells you, kill the snake before you try to do anything else to it!
It's the safest way for you and the snake doesn't care anymore.

Mix dry ingredients. Whisk milk into beaten egg and use to dip snake steaks.
Then coat them with dry ingredients. Fry, uncovered, in 400 degree oil until brown.

I will note that when Bruce sees this, he's liable to get a long stick to hold fish with for pictures. :rolleyes:

never had one THAT big

we get anywhere from 1 to 3 dozen a year around my place. if around house, they go to pitviper heaven, if out and about i leave em be.....they help control our vole problems.

my wife will have nothing to do w/ RS cuisine, as such, never tried one. largest one i've seen in over 10 yrs was about 5 1/2 - 6 ft and only 14 buttons, but end of tail appeared broken off. mostly we have babys through 3 footers.

GOOD GRIEF!!!! That is a very large snake! I would fall in my own mess trying to get out of the vicinity of that monster, And I generally am not afraid of snakes, I would return though with a shot gun and a new change of britches. I would leave it be in the wild but around the house I would have to send it to "pit viper heaven"

I came upon a big one once while duck hunting several years ago that was sunning on a levee. It was a standoff between the snake and my partner and I. I had my 12 g model 1100 and the snake was no match for that. We pieced him together and estimated his length at minimum of 6 feet. It had 13 buttons, which still strike fear into me today, much like Trialsguy mentioned, every time I rattle them.

Never heard of one as big as pictured and would never want to meet up with it either.

Thanks, Theo for posting.

That's a BIG snake...but no 97lbs. Picture holding a 100lb bag of cement like that...no way.

But again...that's a big snake!

That's more to the story, Bruce.

Imagine holding a animal closer to the camera to make it look bigger!