When in field, PLEASE be careful!!!!

[acloco]

Did not bring a camera, but a picture was captured by a cell phone. (owner of phone does not pay for the service to send the pic, otherwise, I would have it).

Having a VERY good day in the field shooting a 20 VT, 223, 223 AI, and touching off a couple of 6.5x06's.

Scanning the grass for prairie dogs, I thought I say a piece of chaff from a nearby cornfield that was bent in a U shape. Position of the chaff was next to a lower half of a body that was seperated from the upper about 45 minutes ago.

Curious, I looked again. WHOA! That piece of "chaff" was actually a 41" long rattlesnake that was making dinner out of an opportunity. Snake was dragging the body remnant to a hole to eat.

This snake is now hunting in prairie dog heaven as well, because the rancher runs 50-100 head of cows in this field. Rattlesnakes and cows do not get along very well. There are few things worse than watching a cow suffocate from a rattlesnake bite in the head/neck/nose area.

PLEASE, be careful.

[Keith in Ga]

We killed several rattlers last year in Montana. The first one was in the guides back yard. I walked by the snake (didn't see it), but it struck at our guide as he walked behind me. This was before we got our gear packed and fired the first shot. We killed several more after that one. Needless to say, most of my shooting was from inside the truck, or the table in the bed of the pickup.

[acloco]

Keith,
Where in Montana were you?

[Arizona Hunter]

I hate snakes!

Last year shooting p-dogs I kept looking around for snakes. About every 2nd shot I found myself scanning the ground around me. None of our group saw or heard any snakes-thank God.

[glenn asher]

2006 was my fifth PD shoot on the Rosebud. On the other four trips, I'd never seen a snake, but in '06 we killed four... Musta been the heat or something.

[Keith in Ga]

acloco, sorry for the late reply, my "honey-do" list finally caught up with me yesterday.
We shoot east of Billings, no towns or landmarks nearby, that I know of. I think we are 20-25 miles away from the SD line. We shoot with a guide, so we travel a good distance from area to area that we shoot. I hope the snake situation is better this year, we leave the middle of June for our next shoot.

[Captqc]

I hate snakes! I've had two run-ins with rattlers in my life and lucky for me I won both! In snake country I would suggest investing in a good pair of snake boots. My Gary

[Rick in Oregon]

+1 for what Captqc said. I also carry a belt gun in the field, usually a 22LR auto pistol or revolver, but when I'm in REAL snake country, it's usually my S&W 3" .44 Mag loaded with the CCI shot capsules and a load of #9 shot over Unique. Inside of 15' it makes short work out of every rattler I've ever encountered. I hate 'em too!

As an aside, the ranch here in Oregon we normally shoot squirrels has an abundant supply of rattlers. The rancher gal always carries a 3" S&W .38 Spl with slugs, and last year she dispatched ELEVEN rattlers with it! My kind of girl!