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Okay, guys... question for y'all...

I live in one of those master planned communities on the outskirts of Austin by Lake Travis. We have an HOA with strict rules, however they aren't total jerks about enforcement like in some communities. One of the HOA rules is no firing of guns on property. We are outside of incorporated Travis county, and the city has not annexed us yet, but our mail address is Austin, and for all intents and purposes, my guess is that no firing of weapons is probably also the local law.

So, today I am out in my backyard, and there is a reasonably good-sized rattlesnake coiled up in the corner. I was surprised to see it out today, but I am guessing it got trapped outside it's lair on yesterday's hot day, and didn't feel much like moving on a cold day. I am a snake lover and own and have kept snakes on-and-off for most of my life. But my love stops at rattlesnakes. If the situation is right, I'd rather just leave such a snake alone and let it go on it's way. I also know a few guys who will remove them and relocate them. BUT... sometimes killing a snake is the best option.

For the purposes of this hypothetical, let's assume that killing the snake would be the best option. I don't want to debate whether or not it is humane or whether I should or should not have left it alone. For this question, let's assume the snake is dangerous enough and the situation is such that it is time for the reptile to meet his maker.

If it wasn't so cold, I might've let my kingsnake out and give him a big meal. But that wasn't an option. I've also killed rattlesnakes before with shovels, but two years ago a guy in Austin tried to kill one in his garage with a shovel, got bit, and died. I think my knowledge of a snake's strike capabilities is better than most, but I have stopped using shovels since that gentleman died.

Long winded, but here goes: If it were you, would you consider shooting the snake with .22 sub-sonic ammo? I am pretty confident that it is quiet enough that no neighbor would think to call the cops, or even think it was a gunshot if they heard it. I also am pretty sure it would be more than enough for the snake.

Opinions?

PS I just let the snake alone because he was probably wasn't going to last long above ground in this weather anyway.

The anwer to your question is http://www.silencershop.com/!!
Conveniently located next to Hobby Lobby on 183.

e-filed applications are supposedly taking about 90 days to come back.

I'm in Austin as well...actually outside the city limits in Travis County. I wouldn't have shot it with sub sonic ammo, I think the sound would have still attracted unwanted attention. It's for situations like this I keep a pellet gun handy.

I do have a buddy that has shot primer only 22 at targets in his garage...but I wouldn't do that either.

Coming from Alaska (where we don't have such unsavory characters) and with a huge snake phobia, I would have started with the .300 win mag at about 500 yards, and then finished it off with as many 12 gauge rounds as it took to turn it into pulp. Then I would have grabbed the flamethrower.

I've killed various varmints and critters with a pellet gun. Noise is not an issue.

However, if all I had was a .22, I'd use it. It is also really hard to know where a single shot comes from. Multiple shots give the brain enough information to gauge direction and distance.

In the late 60's-early 70's I did a lot of squirrel hunting with an original 1892 "gallery model" .22 short rifle. My favorite place was crawling with large copperheads that really needed thinning out, and I shot quite a few with the shorts.... sometimes successful, and sometimes not. It was pretty amazing how those shorts would often "roll off" and do nothing more than knock of some scales and give the snake a bad attitude. A big rattler ...???? .... your call on the subsonics.

I'm afraid that after shooting hay barn rattlers, a .22 (sub sonic or not) wouldn't be my first choice. There's a reason we carried a shotgun in the truck. The old Marlin 60 sometimes just ticked one off where I never had one slither away after a an ounce or so of #6 shot went sailing through its head. Might look into one of the smaller pistol caliber shot shells. I hear they do well in that fashion.

AlaskanInTexas wrote:Coming from Alaska (where we don't have such unsavory characters) and with a huge snake phobia, I would have started with the .300 win mag at about 500 yards, and then finished it off with as many 12 gauge rounds as it took to turn it into pulp. Then I would have grabbed the flamethrower.

I'm glad you wouldn't use the .50 BMG or call in an air strike. That would have been way too loud.

HKMike wrote:

AlaskanInTexas wrote:Coming from Alaska (where we don't have such unsavory characters) and with a huge snake phobia, I would have started with the .300 win mag at about 500 yards, and then finished it off with as many 12 gauge rounds as it took to turn it into pulp. Then I would have grabbed the flamethrower.

I'm glad you wouldn't use the .50 BMG or call in an air strike. That would have been way too loud.

That's only because I don't own a .50 BMG...but now you got me thinking.

android wrote:The anwer to your question is http://www.silencershop.com/!!
Conveniently located next to Hobby Lobby on 183.

e-filed applications are supposedly taking about 90 days to come back.

Not anymore, that was just the ones put in in the first weeks of e-file program to see if the program would work.

Probably wouldn't have shot it at all, unless it was in extremely close quarters (like the one I found in my wellhouse last year). I usually dispatch rattlers with a stick, my boot, and/or a big ol' knife. My current favorite for use on rattlers is a K-Bar Kukri machete, which is remarkably accurate when thrown, and hasn't failed me once. I've also used tire tools, rocks, and a pocketknife a couple times.

When I do have to shoot one, such as the one in the pumphouse, I prefer to use one of the snake or rat shot cartridges, to reduce the danger of ricochet or accidentally puncturing important things. I can personally attest that .22 shotshells do work on smaller rattlers, and my wife has used .38 shotshells on another one. Both snakes were DRT, and the problem was solved. That being said, we're out in the boonies and our nearest neighbor is a few acres away; I don't know that I'd want to shoot a snake in Lower Suburbia unless I absolutely had to. If nothing else, it's neighborly courtesy not to be making loud noises.

AlaskanInTexas wrote:Coming from Alaska (where we don't have such unsavory characters) and with a huge snake phobia, I would have started with the .300 win mag at about 500 yards, and then finished it off with as many 12 gauge rounds as it took to turn it into pulp. Then I would have grabbed the flamethrower.

I was raised in South Texas and I fully agree with the above recommendation! Kill 'em! Kill 'em all and by any means necessary!

That said, I've never heard of a rattler that could strike the 5+ feet of a shovel handle. I used to carry a couple of rounds of .38 shot shells when I hunted in Travis County but if you want a little more room for safety (me, I like about 10 yards or so, 100 is better...) get a 410.

I'd go with a high caliber garden hoe.

We have similar restrictions, but in meetings we have talked openly about discharge of firearms to dispatch pests, and a rattlesnake is a pest for sure.

I use 9mm Shotshell from CCI--the spread is just right from about 6-8 feet (yes my arm is fully extended!) such that one shot-to-the-head kills any rattler. I don't know if CCI makes this in .22 caliber...

Do you never (ever) hear gunshots where you live?

Just bite the head off, like a man!