rattlesnake hunting

[blitz]

sounds good i should be able to find it pretty easy.
i remember last time i went around those parts this time of year you couldnt have fires or smoke unless you were in the river or in your car, does anyone know if you can use propane grills? i am guessing that should be ok but figured i would ask on here to make sure with people that know.
EDIT: also from what i understand you cannot discharge firearms down there so again can someone correct me if i am wrong on this?
i was planning on using a 357 with snakeshot, but i guess if i cant a snake tool and a machette will work. or just a plain ole shovel..

 

[blitz]

well found one after we had given up and were on our way home, we were on our way back home (around 9pm) on 197 heading towards maupin and the road was closed due to the fire so we had to take a detour down bakeoven road.
ended up finding him about 6 or so miles before maupin.
here is a pic of him in my snake noose that i made up for the occasion
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he was only about 2' long so he wasnt much of a meal but atleast i can say that i have tried it now.

 

[salmonriverjohn]

SUCCESS! How was the meal, how did you prepare it,, and what did you think of the canyon down at South junction???

 

[blitz]

it was good i think i just cooked it a little too much, i marinated it in teriyaki sauce and baked it.
the campground down there was awesome, we enjoyed ourselves.
found a couple bull snakes at the campground, was gonna keep one for a pet but i decided it was probably happier there.
the outhouse there was filled with black widows and we had to terminate them though.

thanks again for all the replies and i am still looking for more ideas of places to go if anyone wants to throw more out there.

 

[salmonriverjohn]

I spent a bunch of time there, starting say 50 or so years ago. We always caught a pan full of redsides rainbow and a few Rattlesnakes. Sorry it didnt produce any for you Blitz, their usually abundant.
P.S. Bull snakes are kind of like mother in laws, they never really warm up to you and turn into anything you want to keep around the house too long!

 

[blitz]

lol, yeah they sure are bitey little fellas.
i am sure if i head down there at spring time i will do a lot better.

 

[sava6e]

as muich as they are out there, they arnt, they are somewhat shy creatures i raft the deschutes often and have only seen 1 and that was 3 or so weeks ago when it came into our camp site, with no real weapons i had to improvise and go bear grylls on it.

 

[blitz]

do they get any bigger then this in oregon? (2')

 

[blitz]

here are a few more pics for anyone that cares to see them, the second to last is us letting go one of the bull snakes at the end of the trip, he was just a little guy (about 6"), the first one i let go right after i caught it and looked at it for a bit.
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[yotehunter]

I shot a rattle snake in burns 3'9" with 11 buttons on it a couple years ago There are rattle snakes all over the place down there.

 

[blitz]

here is a video of us rounding it up
(naughty language beware)
ImageShack® - Online Photo and Video Hosting

 

[salmonriverjohn]

Yep, they get quite a "bit" bigger, but you got one! Does size really Matter?
I trick my Grandfather showed me= Take a stout fishing pole with a three foot section of heavy line attached to the tip, use a sharp treble hook and snag the snake. Then slap the snake repeatedly into the ground until thoroughly stunned. After the snake is immoble, "USE CAUTION", he isnt dead yet,,, cut off and bury the head. The head will bite long after being cut off.

 

[blitz]

yeah i was noticing after i cut the head off it was still trying to strike and the tongue was still flicking out.
i really wanted to pick it up and get a good fang shot but i figured since i didnt get bit rounding it up i might as well keep it that way.

 

[Medic!]

I know a good place.

 

[blitz]

I know a good place.

care to share?

 

[Sgt Nambu]

My take? Textures like chicken but tastes reptilian. Snake the other white meat! Good hunting!