Suggestions for neighborhood snek shooter?

GoBrandon

GoBrandon

Member
Joined
Feb 16, 2022
Messages
33
Location
Charlotte
Rating - 100%
7   0   0
We have a number of copperheads where we live and I'm trying to find a neighborhood friendly solution that's a little safer than a shovel (the other week a friend saw a 4+ footer and I'd rather not get within shovel distance of him).

I've considered getting a PCP shotgun and putting a suppressor on it since it wouldn't be NFA, but are there any out of the box solutions you'd suggest? (I'm on .5 acre in a neighborhood)
 
Shot shells. They are made for 38 special, 22lr, 44 special, etc. You will need to be within 10 feet or less which means you should be pointing the firearm well downward. I would still rather use a shovel tho. Some good snake boots and a long shovel will work. A snake usually can't strike more than half of it's length. So....a 4 footer should have a striking distance of no more than 2 feet.
 
Last edited:
Pellet gun will kill a snake if you can hit it and they tend to be pretty quiet with factory "suppressor" options.

If you are living more on the edge a single gun shot typically is not noticed. Multiples draw attention.
 
Hmm, any of you heard of the Umarex T4E.
Looks like you can remove the Chamber spacer & put in a new valve to get over 20 Joules.

And then you can use some shotgun shells filled with 6mm ball bearings (#000)

Thoughts?
 
GoBrandon said:
Hmm, any of you heard of the Umarex T4E.
Looks like you can remove the Chamber spacer & put in a new valve to get over 20 Joules.

And then you can use some shotgun shells filled with 6mm ball bearings (#000)

Thoughts?
Click to expand...
If you are concerned about a ricochet and your neighbors, 000 is overkill. Heavier shot retains its energy longer than a lighter shot. Lighter shot is all that's need for a snake.
 
GoBrandon said:
We have a number of copperheads where we live and I'm trying to find a neighborhood friendly solution that's a little safer than a shovel (the other week a friend saw a 4+ footer and I'd rather not get within shovel distance of him).

I've considered getting a PCP shotgun and putting a suppressor on it since it wouldn't be NFA, but are there any out of the box solutions you'd suggest? (I'm on .5 acre in a neighborhood)
Click to expand...

Yes, I've got a great suggestion: A stick.

Seriously.

Am I against shooting snakes as a defense? Nope. Have at it. I'm just against people thinking that a gun is "THE THING" for snakes in general.

Snakes don't chase people. The danger with venomous snakes is stumbling upon them and startling them OR screwing with them and not leaving them alone. That's it. With snakes, you are best served with a good eye to your surroundings and a walking stick. If you're really concerned, then appropriate clothing to ward off an unexpected strike you didn't see coming, like leather boots and at least jeans. By far, the best general defensive weapon against a snake is a handy walking stick, something many people might already have with them when walking on trails or wooded areas anyway.

This isn't a plea to "leave the poor snakes alone", because I'm all about killing venomous snakes around the house or areas where children frequent. But outside of that, leave them be.

If you are in a position were you can take the time and steady stance it takes to hit a small diameter snake where it counts with a gun, then you're safe enough to figure out how to extend your reach enough to take it out with a shovel or stick.

THAT SAID...I'm not against shooting them. But I'm not going to carry the weight of something extra like a PCP shotgun "just in case I run across a copperhead". I already habitually carry concealed and if I couldn't hit a snake's head at the distances you're worried about, I'd be ashamed of myself.
 
RetiredUSNChief said:
This isn't a plea to "leave the poor snakes alone", because I'm all about killing venomous snakes around the house or areas where children frequent. But outside of that, leave them be.

If you are in a position were you can take the time and steady stance it takes to hit a small diameter snake where it counts with a gun, then you're safe enough to figure out how to extend your reach enough to take it out with a shovel or stick.

THAT SAID...I'm not against shooting them. But I'm not going to carry the weight of something extra like a PCP shotgun "just in case I run across a copperhead". I already habitually carry concealed and if I couldn't hit a snake's head at the distances you're worried about, I'd be ashamed of myself.
Click to expand...

Sorry, I should've clarified, I'm just looking for something to keep in the shed/garage as I do have 2 toddlers and lots of nope ropes like to hang around their playground. I do carry, however, given that I'm in a neighborhood I'd prefer not to have neighbors calling cops whenever I dispatch a snake.
 
GoBrandon said:
Sorry, I should've clarified, I'm just looking for something to keep in the shed/garage as I do have 2 toddlers and lots of nope ropes like to hang around their playground. I do carry, however, given that I'm in a neighborhood I'd prefer not to have neighbors calling cops whenever I dispatch a snake.
Click to expand...

I hear you. And certainly, my post wasn't meant as a slam.

We occasionally get the odd "snake gun" thread here, so similar questions do come up.

I don't think an air gun in the shed would be out of place at all, because I can think of a ton of uses for one. Yes, snakes would be one of those uses. But if push comes to shove, don't waste your time looking specifically for that air gun when you're headed to your shed in a hurry...grab whatever's handy that will do the job and get to it. Snakes may not chase people, but they sure won't stick around when you walk away to get something.
 
RetiredUSNChief said:
I hear you. And certainly, my post wasn't meant as a slam.

We occasionally get the odd "snake gun" thread here, so similar questions do come up.

I don't think an air gun in the shed would be out of place at all, because I can think of a ton of uses for one. Yes, snakes would be one of those uses. But if push comes to shove, don't waste your time looking specifically for that air gun when you're headed to your shed in a hurry...grab whatever's handy that will do the job and get to it. Snakes may not chase people, but they sure won't stick around when you walk away to get something.
Click to expand...
Oh no, I didn't take it as a slam at all, but I get your point. Honestly this was just something for big boys that I'd rather not get within arms reach of. I've taken plenty of 1-2 footers with a shovel but the 4footer kinda threw me and had me looking or options that I could handle from a distance.
 
GoBrandon said:
Oh no, I didn't take it as a slam at all, but I get your point. Honestly this was just something for big boys that I'd rather not get within arms reach of. I've taken plenty of 1-2 footers with a shovel but the 4footer kinda threw me and had me looking or options that I could handle from a distance.
Click to expand...

OBVIOUSLY what you really need is a bigger stick...

Meme Hulk Tree.jpg
 
Have you checked to see if there is a "snake rescue" person in your area? I've seen some that will do venomous snakes for free just to keep people from messing with them.
 
Bean hook.
Slingshot.
Axe.
But a sharp garden hoe is great, even a 4’ snake isn’t gonna strike at full length. The trick is not to be hesitant, just do it.

I stomped one in the yard while wearing crocs and I don’t suggest that.

Oh, and lawnmowers of ll sorts are very effective.
 
I just leave them the hell alone. That’s it. Most people get bit trying to kill them. They don’t want to bite you, they don’t chase people. Anyone that says they’ve been “chased by a snake” is full of crap, I said what I said. They may have startled the snake and been in the same direction the snake wanted to go, or the only direction the snake could go. There’s a teaching moment in every situation. Teach kids to leave them alone. Teach them the difference between venomous and non. We have several snake gun threads a year. Little education goes a long way. Watching where you put your feet and hands, and leaving them alone are 100% guaranteed ways to not get bit, and to not need a snake gun. You’re better off carrying a gun to protect yourself from the local crackhead
 
Burt Gummer said:
I just leave them the hell alone. That’s it. Most people get bit trying to kill them. They don’t want to bite you, they don’t chase people. Anyone that says they’ve been “chased by a snake” is full of crap, I said what I said. They may have startled the snake and been in the same direction the snake wanted to go, or the only direction the snake could go. There’s a teaching moment in every situation. Teach kids to leave them alone. Teach them the difference between venomous and non. We have several snake gun threads a year. Little education goes a long way. Watching where you put your feet and hands, and leaving them alone are 100% guaranteed ways to not get bit, and to not need a snake gun. You’re better off carrying a gun to protect yourself from the local crackhead
Click to expand...

I honestly had a young copperhead come out of our yard and up on our patio and make a b-line toward my daughter years ago. We had 4 people on the patio with music playing and food cooking. It was weird. I grabbed her and put her up on a little pedestal. The damned thing hovered below the pedestal. Wife and other daughter hauled ass. I had time to run to garage and grab the hoe. Damn thing was still there. With wild critters you never know. I let rat snakes and most of their relatives live and let live. Copperheads don‘t get the chance to be a-holes here anymore. Maybe there are mentally ill snakes just like humans? Who knows? Normally snakes try to avoid humans. But that one time. Weird.
 
Burt Gummer said:
I just leave them the hell alone. That’s it. Most people get bit trying to kill them. They don’t want to bite you, they don’t chase people. Anyone that says they’ve been “chased by a snake” is full of crap, I said what I said. They may have startled the snake and been in the same direction the snake wanted to go, or the only direction the snake could go. There’s a teaching moment in every situation. Teach kids to leave them alone. Teach them the difference between venomous and non. We have several snake gun threads a year. Little education goes a long way. Watching where you put your feet and hands, and leaving them alone are 100% guaranteed ways to not get bit, and to not need a snake gun. You’re better off carrying a gun to protect yourself from the local crackhead
Click to expand...
Yep, don’t go looking for snake trouble but if he comes up to close to your (and your family’s) stomp grounds I say a good old bush axe … about 5’ long so you get about a 7’ reach.

865DFE6A-2C35-4E00-9683-9C1699975FFE.jpeg
 
Burt Gummer said:
I just leave them the hell alone. That’s it. Most people get bit trying to kill them. They don’t want to bite you, they don’t chase people. Anyone that says they’ve been “chased by a snake” is full of crap, I said what I said. They may have startled the snake and been in the same direction the snake wanted to go, or the only direction the snake could go. There’s a teaching moment in every situation. Teach kids to leave them alone. Teach them the difference between venomous and non. We have several snake gun threads a year. Little education goes a long way. Watching where you put your feet and hands, and leaving them alone are 100% guaranteed ways to not get bit, and to not need a snake gun. You’re better off carrying a gun to protect yourself from the local crackhead
Click to expand...
Many years ago at the farm when I was a kid we had a tree to cut down. It was some form of evergreen, tall and narrow, been there since my mom was a kid, it was half again as tall as the peak of the 2 story farm house. Anyway, cause we were dumb male teens my grandpa gave us an axe and some basic instruction. All was well until it wasn’t, my brother was on the axe and the tree started to fall in an unexpected direction, right at where I was standing just a few feet away. Well I turned and started running like the devil was after me, and the top of that tree just barely hit me on the shoulder as it came down.

In case you’re wondering why I’m posting this story in a thread about snakes, it’s because most snakes are like that tree. If you don’t go in the direction they want to go, you can breath a lot easier.
 
Burt Gummer said:
I just leave them the hell alone. That’s it. Most people get bit trying to kill them. They don’t want to bite you, they don’t chase people. Anyone that says they’ve been “chased by a snake” is full of crap, I said what I said. They may have startled the snake and been in the same direction the snake wanted to go, or the only direction the snake could go. There’s a teaching moment in every situation. Teach kids to leave them alone. Teach them the difference between venomous and non. We have several snake gun threads a year. Little education goes a long way. Watching where you put your feet and hands, and leaving them alone are 100% guaranteed ways to not get bit, and to not need a snake gun. You’re better off carrying a gun to protect yourself from the local crackhead
Click to expand...

Was at job today where the homeowner had chopped an enormous, beautiful king snake. She was as big as my wrist and near 4ft long.
😔
 
In town those shot shells spoken of would do it. I used to shoot rats down in GA. Better than any shovel is a briar knife. In farm life a shovel typically buries death not take life. Too many other deadlier tools. You can likely still get a briar knife. Dont let the word knife fool you. You could cut a man in half with it. A four foot long copperhead was likely another snake that looks like a copperhead.
 
NCFubar said:
Yep, don’t go looking for snake trouble but if he comes up to close to your (and your family’s) stomp grounds I say a good old bush axe … about 5’ long so you get about a 7’ reach.

View attachment 600903
Click to expand...
This is what I now have at the house for dispatching copperheads. Before I got a bush axe, I came across a copperhead on the road while driving home one night. The only thing I had in the truck at the time was an estwing double bit hatchet. After a few unsuccessful attempts at running the darn thing over, I chucked the hatchet at it from about 3 feet away. I was lucky and separated head from body! What a rush!!
 
8d37c690-7098-4038-b655-dbbaa4bbccfa_1.709cf410b883319079b1bb65dfecf80c.jpeg

We keep one of these on the golf cart. Wanted something lightweight and easy to use for my daughter. And she's deadly with it. Stand off capability with the flat and deadly with the edge. She chops them up pretty good. And we have plenty to black snakes we leave alone. Actually, we protect them from the dog, that has declared war on all snakes since he got bit on the snout by a copperhead. Luckily there's an all night vet available.


Years ago I went to NCSU with a cute little redhead that was from Asheville, when Asheville was still Asheville. Somehow we got to talking about the danger of snakes. She said they don't bother her. She carried a pocket knife and if the snake was a problem, she would just cut off a skinny little branch and wack it in the head. "It didn't take much to kill them."

Don't know why I didn't marry that girl.
 
Last edited:
A few decades ago, a buddy's dad related the story of the time his wife shot a snake in their back yard.

She was gardening at the other side of the back yard from their house when she saw it. Went into the house, got their .22 revolver, stood on the back porch and shot at that snake until the revolver was empty, but didn't go NEAR the garden to check it out.

He came home to hear about the snake and went out back to check it out. Poor garter snake, less than two feet long.

Shot six times.

From across the yard.

He decided that day that getting his wife p*ssed off at him probably wouldn't ever be a smart idea.
 
I use a fiberglass tree rod about five and a half feet long and 3/8” diameter if they’re in the open. .22 rat shot out of my revolver works well too and is fairly quiet. It varies year to year but around September as they’re migrating I’ve killed anywhere from two to ten copperheads a year. I’m in a travel path and since my wife likes to wear sandals all the time I actively look for them at night. I’ve killed several pairs within feet of each other.
 
What about a flame thrower? I suspect they are quite so the neighbors won't here it and maybe ok to use in the city limits, but not sure about that one. If the snake tries to strike, it gets fried mid strike.

1680179305341.png
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom