Pyro-Gear

TWO dangerous reptiles on my property today -- a pygmy rattler right near the house, and 3-foot (1M) alligator deciding our front door was a target.

Both were dispatched as kindly as I could do, but the 'gator required a bit of effort (they're tough!).

Lloyd

I'm not sure how that post got tacked onto another existing topic, but I've moved it to a new thread.

And you are right; we don't see too many of either of those creatures around here.

I'm not sure I know, either. I thought I had created a new topic, but obviously I did not!

Thank you, sir.

Lloyd

Gators are tuff as old boots for sure and it’s hard to hit that sweet spot on the back of the head so well done Lloyd on a successful eviction.

I'm impressed! Most folks don't even know there is a tender spot just aft of the skull!

Even striking there, it takes a swift, hard blow with something that's got a good edge on it. I keep a 1.7 m long sharpened garden 'root cutter' in the garage for just such purposes. I sharpened both the bottom and sides, so it can be used for a normal down-thrust, or swung like a long-handled ax, when I feel the need to keep some distance from a creature. An adult moccasin or diamondback rattlesnake can strike more than half their body length, and I've dealt with diamondbacks longer than 2 m in length.

Heh, I once fought-off a large female moccasin with nothing but my weed whacker. She was determined to get me, and didn't remit until I had darned-near skinned her entire head with the trimmer! Now I carry my shotshell pistol when working around our pond.

Lloyd

Funny story a few years back I walked out the front door one day and something was off. Then I spotted a decent sized snake sunning in a privet at the front of the porch. While I’m not afraid of snakes all that much this house is only big enough for one of us.

I had an air soft rifle handy. One pop to the head and knocked clean out like the alligator trick. About 5-10 minutes later I was going to remove the critter not knowing it was just knocked out even though I was surprised the air soft rendered it lifeless.

I stepped out onto the little porch and started noticing the tongue starting to move. Well that required another pop. The second was a body shot and it slowly slithered away.

Yeah... they don't kill as easily as that. My 'airsoft' is a Taurus Judge with .410 shells in it! <grin>

Lloyd