Tried to post a story of killing a Copper head, but problems with this site continue

Razorbacker

So anyway, I killed a snake in the yard and thought his hide might make a nice hat band. I tacked it to a board and rubbed in a thick salt slurry then salted it heavily. This has worked well for me with furry critters in Winter. But i've never tried reptiles and it was 90 degrees here today. Any suggestions?
Gonna try for pics before it makes me sign in again.

Weatherby

Good to see you...what's the gun?

Razorbacker

Weatherby wrote: »

Good to see you...what's the gun?

It's good to be back. Check your email.
It's an H&R .32 S&W Long. 2.5 in barrel. Circa 1979. Since we moved up here to God's country i rarely step outside without it. It's been my Kit gun for a while now.
It's got me thinking of a Ruger SA H&R .32 Magnum

CHIRO1989

Hope that works out for you, that will make an awesome hat band.

Oh yeah, buy the Ruger:tooth:.

Fat Billy

Aren't Copperheads Democraps? They bite anything and look like Hillary. Just asking. :uhm: Later,

Weatherby

Razorbacker wrote: »

It's good to be back. Check your email.
It's an H&R .32 S&W Long. 2.5 in barrel. Circa 1979. Since we moved up here to God's country i rarely step outside without it. It's been my Kit gun for a while now.
It's got me thinking of a Ruger SA H&R .32 Magnum

Ok I just checked and expected a picture somewhere are you as bad as me and forgot to include it ?
You really had some terrific news....Glad to hear it
32 S&W long eh......Mine fits my son perfectly he really likes it

Razorbacker

Weatherby wrote: »

Ok I just checked and expected a picture somewhere are you as bad as me and forgot to include it ?
You really had some terrific news....Glad to hear it
32 S&W long eh......Mine fits my son perfectly he really likes it

Well we can't all have collector's items as snake charmers ya know. And I did send pics, you know who even commented on them. Maybe you should tap your gun fund for some glasses:roll2::roll2::p

Weatherby

I'm wearing them to read the screen now....LOL
I'll check again

Razorbacker

CHIRO1989 wrote: »

Hope that works out for you, that will make an awesome hat band.

Oh yeah, buy the Ruger:tooth:.

Oh let me assure you my friend, you'll never meet a bigger fan of Ruger SAs. I need to make sure i can find rat shot for it. But the chambering has always intrigued me. What with our dogs and all it would also make excellent coyote medicine with the right loads. So I could see the first two chambers being rat shot with the remaining 4 'yote loads. Two quick thumb cocks and lowering the hammer. It'd be very versatile.

Back in the day we had a guy in deer camp that had a single shot .410 cut down with a pistol grip in a custom holster. It rode low on his thigh and was excellent for snakes. I feel certain it was illegally short but we didn't care and as far as I know he never shot up a school or anything.
Kinda like Randy Weaver.
Anyway that Ruger would be awesome. I could wear it in a real hip holster. I'd still have to wipe it down after 6 hours of mowing but not like I did with the little H&R carried IWB.
I'll let you guys know how the hat band works out.

Edit: I'd still like input on my original question which was am I doing the right thing in tanning this reptilian hide?
Thanks.

snake284

I think if copper heads had as potent venom as Rattlers and Cotton Mouths the human population would be in a tail spin. There's so many of em and they're so quiet and sneaky you'll be standing on one before you see it. Rattlers will at least make noise. Cotton Mouths are very stealth but they usually hang around water, so you at least know when to suspect 'em.

They really do have beautiful hide and make some classy hat bands and belts.

Razorbacker

Yeah, Snake the Copperheads are not to be trifled with. I've heard from old timers all my life that they're the most dangerous because they don't rattle and you can't smell them. But I'll tell you what when I shot this guy in his haid bone he scented.
I'm surprised it wasn't a visible cloud. It was that strong.
It looked to me like he had recently molted so I'm optimistic how it will look. That is if my technique works. His skinned hide had little to no flesh, so my fingers are crossed. The plan tomorrow is burn a ginormous burn pile the sellers left and haul off at least one truck load of crap they left in various piles behind the barn, which are now all grown over. I won't be the least surprised to see more snakes.

snake284

Razorbacker wrote: »

Yeah, Snake the Copperheads are not to be trifled with. I've heard from old timers all my life that they're the most dangerous because they don't rattle and you can't smell them. But I'll tell you what when I shot this guy in his haid bone he scented.
I'm surprised it wasn't a visible cloud. It was that strong.
It looked to me like he had recently molted so I'm optimistic how it will look. That is if my technique works. His skinned hide had little to no flesh, so my fingers are crossed. The plan tomorrow is burn a ginormous burn pile the sellers left and haul off at least one truck load of crap they left in various piles behind the barn, which are now all grown over. I won't be the least surprised to see more snakes.

I don't trifle with any snakes. There's a few Rattlesnakes that are really dangerous and Moccasins have a venom about as potent as the Western Diamondback, But any of them will make you sick as a dog. But snakes make me hurt myself more than they actually hurt me. The surprise is what does it. You're on top of em before you know it. Back in deer season I went to crawl in the deer blind (That particular blind you crawl in underneath) and what looked like a juvenile Water Moccasin attack me. I let him have the blind. I got in it later after he vacated the premises. I thought they were gonna have to use the shock paddles on me because I know my heart stopped.

Fisheadgib

I got a recipe from a friend for an easy tanning solution for reptiles and I've handled some rattlesnake skins that he did and I was impressed. I have a timber rattler skin in the freezer that I plan to use it on. He mixed a 50/50 solution of isopropyl rubbing alcohol and glycerin. (available at a drug store) He brushed the solution on the skin pretty heavily and let it sit for about five days and wiped off the excess. The skins turned out very soft and supple.

Razorbacker

Fisheadgib wrote: »

I got a recipe from a friend for an easy tanning solution for reptiles and I've handled some rattlesnake skins that he did and I was impressed. I have a timber rattler skin in the freezer that I plan to use it on. He mixed a 50/50 solution of isopropyl rubbing alcohol and glycerin. (available at a drug store) He brushed the solution on the skin pretty heavily and let it sit for about five days and wiped off the excess. The skins turned out very soft and supple.

Finally someone weighs in on the question, thanks Fishead. So is it safe to assume this solution is used on the meat side of the hide? I was looking at my hide today and i could see through the hide it was looking good. But as you say, soft and supple will be a factor.
Anyway, I think I'm gonna let it cure for a week or more, then see how it works out.

WheresMyGun

snake hunt this past weekend........ Pa frowns upon killer rattlers nowadays ... see if this pic thing works.............

Razorbacker

WheresMyGun wrote: »

snake hunt this past weekend........ Pa frowns upon killer rattlers nowadays ... see if this pic thing works.............

Pic thing worked just fine, good Lord that's a rattle.

snake284

The Buzz Tails are getting thick around here now that it finally started getting warm. In the Spring venomous snakes are at their highest potency and the rattlers around here don't use their alarm as much. They will bite unprovoked and without notice. Since they are coming out of hibernation (around here it's more like semi hibernation) and they haven't eaten (Bitten anything) their venom is more potent. Snake leggings are the order of the day.

bisley

I've seen and killed a bunch of copperheads - that one is about as long as most folks will ever see. I've seen fatter ones, but very few were over 36". That one must be close to 36".

Razorbacker

bisley wrote: »

I've seen and killed a bunch of copperheads - that one is about as long as most folks will ever see. I've seen fatter ones, but very few were over 36". That one must be close to 36".

His stretched hide measures right at 30"