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Snake repellant?
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Picture of daniel77
posted
I'm also posting this in the Misc.

I take my 4 yo son camping quite a bit. Griz78, who also posts on AR, and his son, come with us most of the time as well. We most frequently go to some family property not too far from the house, but far enough from the hwy. This is a convenience spot and since it is used frequently, I've stocked firewood and we have limestone rocks in place for a campfire ring. I also mow trails and our campsite area ever couple of weeks or so.

My problem is that this campsite is right along a good sized drainage ditch, which has water in it nearly year round. It also holds wood ducks year round, which we like. Unfortunately, lately, we've been seeing quite a few cotton mouths (aka water moccasin), and my son has had two close calls already. Luckily, I was right there both times, but what if...?

For those of you who aren't familiar with cotton mouths, they are a very aggressive snake, and are poisonous. Unlike many other snakes, they don't tend to mosey on about their business if left alone, but tend to come to you and try to chase you away. Both of the snakes that I killed with my son came right out into the freshly mowed grass towards us after we'd been there and making noise for a while already. I kill every damn one I see, but I know I can't kill them all.

Sorry for being long winded. I'm just wondering if anyone has a good, reliable way of keeping snakes away, maybe a product we could spread around our campsite, or something along those lines? I'm pretty well turned off of camping there for now, as I can't see taking the chance of Wyatt, or anyone else, getting bit. Thanks in advance.

Daniel
 
Posts: 3628 | Location: cajun country | Registered: 04 March 2009Reply With Quote
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I too would be interested in a solution to this. We dont have cotton mouths in Australia, but where i hunt we get a lot of king browns and they are nasty!
 
Posts: 69 | Location: Sydney | Registered: 14 March 2004Reply With Quote
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You can buy repellant that you can put out, I think the kind that I have seen is called "Snake Away" or something like that.
I have also heard the old timers talk about using sulfur to keep them away.
Jeff


No people in history have ever
survived who thought they could protect their freedom by making themselves
inoffensive to their enemies.
 
Posts: 1689 | Location: North MS U.S.A. | Registered: 31 March 2007Reply With Quote
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We used to use-horse hair- scattered around our camping area. Can't swear if it worked but saw no snakes.
 
Posts: 1096 | Location: UNITED STATES of AMERTCA | Registered: 29 June 2007Reply With Quote
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People also say that mothballs will repel snakes.


DOUBLE RIFLE SHOOTERS SOCIETY
 
Posts: 16134 | Location: Texas | Registered: 06 April 2002Reply With Quote
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22 LR with bird shot - I am of the class that believes a good snake is a dead snake. In S. Texas we have had so much rain that the rattlers no longer have holes to hide in and they are absolutley everywhere you look, from 6'+ to babies - yuck!
 
Posts: 1324 | Registered: 17 February 2004Reply With Quote
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.410 works amazingly well. All repellants are more feel good than real.


Jim
 
Posts: 1210 | Location: Memphis, TN | Registered: 25 January 2008Reply With Quote
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Also Sulfer may repel snakes.


DOUBLE RIFLE SHOOTERS SOCIETY
 
Posts: 16134 | Location: Texas | Registered: 06 April 2002Reply With Quote
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We used to spray our duck blinds with carb. cleaner that contains toluene. Seemed to work.


velocity is like a new car, always losing value.
BC is like diamonds, holding value forever.
 
Posts: 1650 | Location: , texas | Registered: 01 August 2008Reply With Quote
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Posts: 513 | Location: Alaska | Registered: 25 October 2003Reply With Quote
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Thanks akpls !


Don't take the chip !
 
Posts: 578 | Location: PA | Registered: 21 March 2007Reply With Quote
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Picture of Oday450
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quote:
Originally posted by akpls:
Might be worth a try: http://www.pestproducts.com/snakeaway1.htm


The active ingredient is napthalene the primary volatile ingredient in moth balls. Mothballs from K-Mart may be just as effective and less expensive.


"Cleverly disguised as a responsible adult."
 
Posts: 1313 | Location: The People's Republic of Maryland, USA | Registered: 05 August 2006Reply With Quote
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Not exactly a 'keep away' repellent, but if you encounter a snake (with or without legs) where you can't kill it, a blast of aerosol Wasp & Hornet Spray in the face will put it in a world of hurt. It will reach out to 20 or so feet.


NRA Endowment Life Member
 
Posts: 1642 | Location: Boz Angeles, MT | Registered: 14 February 2006Reply With Quote
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Get a Mongoose or Mer Cat. Big Grin
 
Posts: 242 | Location: Florida | Registered: 18 September 2008Reply With Quote
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Garden stores sell this stuff which is supposed to work pretty good.

 
Posts: 49226 | Registered: 21 January 2001Reply With Quote
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put pictures of nancy pelosi around your camp and on your pant legs. all the mean snakes will flee in terror. dancing
 
Posts: 325 | Registered: 12 July 2006Reply With Quote
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Picture of D99
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quote:
Originally posted by N E 450 No2:
People also say that mothballs will repel snakes.


Google search it, can't remember what kind of moth balls. Your looking for a certain chemical.
 
Posts: 4729 | Location: Australia | Registered: 06 February 2005Reply With Quote
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Hell the snakes are Nancys babys they will go to her.
 
Posts: 74 | Registered: 20 March 2006Reply With Quote
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quote:
Originally posted by daniel77:
I'm also posting this in the Misc.

I take my 4 yo son camping quite a bit. Griz78, who also posts on AR, and his son, come with us most of the time as well. We most frequently go to some family property not too far from the house, but far enough from the hwy. This is a convenience spot and since it is used frequently, I've stocked firewood and we have limestone rocks in place for a campfire ring. I also mow trails and our campsite area ever couple of weeks or so.

My problem is that this campsite is right along a good sized drainage ditch, which has water in it nearly year round. It also holds wood ducks year round, which we like. Unfortunately, lately, we've been seeing quite a few cotton mouths (aka water moccasin), and my son has had two close calls already. Luckily, I was right there both times, but what if...?

For those of you who aren't familiar with cotton mouths, they are a very aggressive snake, and are poisonous. Unlike many other snakes, they don't tend to mosey on about their business if left alone, but tend to come to you and try to chase you away. Both of the snakes that I killed with my son came right out into the freshly mowed grass towards us after we'd been there and making noise for a while already. I kill every damn one I see, but I know I can't kill them all.

Sorry for being long winded. I'm just wondering if anyone has a good, reliable way of keeping snakes away, maybe a product we could spread around our campsite, or something along those lines? I'm pretty well turned off of camping there for now, as I can't see taking the chance of Wyatt, or anyone else, getting bit. Thanks in advance.

Daniel


I used to have a domestic cat, who volunteered for the job (of being my cat) one summer day... anyway to make a long story short, ALL of the cottom mouths I've ever seen around here were, while very much alive also extremely pissed off.
As at the time I saw them were functioning as a "Cat toy".

If you took one away from him (carefully of course) or it stopped struggling he'd simply get another one...

I'm afraid to know where he found them

It seems he knew EXACTLY what he was doing and the snakes didn't like it.... not the least little bit... but my finding him to be a completely autonomous self-targeting snake control guardian was pure serendipity...

BTW, he would eat the snake when he was done playing with them but never ate the heads.

Funny thing is we also have an abundance of Milk Snakes and Rat Snakes around here, but he had no interest in them at all.... it seems they weren't any fun to play with, so he didn't bother them.

I've seen him walk up to one that was trying hard to convince me it was a rattle snake by wiggling it's tail against some dry leaves
swat it once with a front paw, then tilt his head and watch as the snake, out-bluffed departed...



AD


If I provoke you into thinking then I've done my good deed for the day!
Those who manage to provoke themselves into other activities have only themselves to blame.

*We Band of 45-70er's*

35 year Life Member of the NRA

NRA Life Member since 1984
 
Posts: 4601 | Location: Pennsylvania | Registered: 21 March 2005Reply With Quote
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