Texas Star
US Veteran
I just remembered that about a year after we moved to Dallas, I looked out a screened window and saw what was probably a black racer or indigo snake at least six feet long. I knew the venomous snakes by then and wasn't too disturbed, but didn't run out and try to catch it, either. I was 12. The window was partially covered with ivy and the snake was moving through that.
About a year ago, my DIL called my son to see a large rattler, maybe 5.5 feet, that was sunning atop some expensive soil that'd been delivered for her flower bed. My son was wearing a H-K 9mm, I think a M-30. I have a photo of that gun, but am not really up on the Heckler und Koch line. He was loaded with Federal's 124 grain HST JHP's. I have a pic of the snake and one shot midway along it before he hit the head blew out a considerable chunk of snake. The next shot hit the head of the writhing snake and that was that.
They live in a rural area and see a number of snakes. One part of their property seems attractive to copperheads so they're especially cautious there. They had a son last year and he'll grow up learning about snakes and other wildlife. But I doubt he'll be able to get out on his own much, as they have not only snakes but coyotes and saw a cougar twice. And there are javelina and true feral pigs nearby.
I bet that boy will have his own gun by the time I did. Barring a .410 at age six, my first was a Webley revolver at 13. At 16, I had a Colt M-1917 .45. But I didn't live where I could shoot any snakes...
I doubt that my grandson will shoot them routinely when he can, and my son doesn't, unless they're near the house. He's well aware of the role they play in controlling vermin.
About a year ago, my DIL called my son to see a large rattler, maybe 5.5 feet, that was sunning atop some expensive soil that'd been delivered for her flower bed. My son was wearing a H-K 9mm, I think a M-30. I have a photo of that gun, but am not really up on the Heckler und Koch line. He was loaded with Federal's 124 grain HST JHP's. I have a pic of the snake and one shot midway along it before he hit the head blew out a considerable chunk of snake. The next shot hit the head of the writhing snake and that was that.
They live in a rural area and see a number of snakes. One part of their property seems attractive to copperheads so they're especially cautious there. They had a son last year and he'll grow up learning about snakes and other wildlife. But I doubt he'll be able to get out on his own much, as they have not only snakes but coyotes and saw a cougar twice. And there are javelina and true feral pigs nearby.
I bet that boy will have his own gun by the time I did. Barring a .410 at age six, my first was a Webley revolver at 13. At 16, I had a Colt M-1917 .45. But I didn't live where I could shoot any snakes...
I doubt that my grandson will shoot them routinely when he can, and my son doesn't, unless they're near the house. He's well aware of the role they play in controlling vermin.
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