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1 members (David Williamson),
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Forums10
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Most Online1,344 Apr 29th, 2024
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Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 433 Likes: 42
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 433 Likes: 42 |
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Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 7,703 Likes: 103
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 7,703 Likes: 103 |
Those hip boots won't turn a cottonmouth strike...Geo
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Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 433 Likes: 42
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 433 Likes: 42 |
They sure won't. They are still the best thing I've found for hunting in Florida weather. The season is still young and eventually the mud will get crusty from frost but so far I've hunted more days when the teperature was above eighty degrees than below. That snake had the right attitude. It allowed me approach from behind and walk around and squat for a closeup shot. I kept my barrels between me and it just in case it got stupid. It never opened its mouth and only extended its tongue to smell the barrels which were less than a foot from its head.
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Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 7,703 Likes: 103
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 7,703 Likes: 103 |
I usually don't kill them either, unless they get aggressive which moccasins are liable to do. I enjoy your snipe shooting updates...Geo
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Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 433 Likes: 42
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 433 Likes: 42 |
I appreciate that. My policy with venomous snakes it simple, their attitude determines their fate.
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Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 4,085 Likes: 478
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 4,085 Likes: 478 |
Skip, as bright as those colors are on the cottonmouth, I suspect it recently molted. I saw a big one while turkey hunting last spring and the coloration wasn't as pronounced. I've heard varying appraisals of the aggressiveness of cottonmouths from docile to damn near full speed ahead charging. I've never had one act agressively, but then I don't try to pick them up or engage with them. I know you eagerly await cooler temps so Jackson can tag along or vice versa. Gil
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Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 13,173 Likes: 1158
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 13,173 Likes: 1158 |
Great pics, Skip. Always enjoys yours. What percentage of flushes would you say give you a shot?
I've had cottonmouths act as docile as lambs, and as aggressive as anything you could imagine. Herpetologists boo-hoo any claims of aggressiveness with them. Call it what you will, but when I was a kid I had a big one try his best to climb in the boat with me while I frantically emptied a Nylon 66 at him. Never hit him .......... 14 times. I was a touch excited. He finally made it to the other end of the boat where Grandaddy swiftly brought his cypress boat paddle to bear edgewise upon the swimming moccasin, who also politely, ceased to try to enter said boat. End of moccasin. Back to fishing.
I remember Grandaddy saying he had broken several good boat paddle on moccasin's backs.
SRH
Last edited by Stan; 12/02/15 05:44 PM.
May God bless America and those who defend her.
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Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 2,990 Likes: 302
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 2,990 Likes: 302 |
Skip is a fabulous shot, so his results will be different than those of mere mortals.
Stan, I get a shot "on the rise" most of the time. When they then tower, I only get a second shot when the wind brings them back over me at about 40 yards height.
They don't take much to kill, but they fly like nothing else. Did I mention they mock you as they tower away?
The densities in the GL region ebb and flow with rain and migration. Skip shoots where they winter, so, in a good pasture he should see man, many more than up here.
If you can shoot swing through and kill snipe as they tower, you're a hell of a shot.
Out there doing it best I can.
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Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 1,224 Likes: 3
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 1,224 Likes: 3 |
neat post! I don't mind snakes providing a little extra "excitement" to a bird hunt. When the "terror" starts, I start shootin'! (I consider having them anywhere near a bird dog, terrifying....).
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Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 2,990 Likes: 302
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 2,990 Likes: 302 |
A couple ruffies
Out there doing it best I can.
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