# First Slingshot Kill (yes, Really) Updated!



## jskeen (Feb 7, 2011)

This is my first and possibly last post of the kind, because I don't hunt with a slingshot (intentionally). But This was, literally, on my doorstep, and I had a slingshot in my pocket at the time! I guess had I been packing my service carry, he would have been missing his head altogether, but that's not the case.

So, no, I did not go out looking for him to kill. Even poisonous snakes have a place in nature, as long as it's not in my yard with kids running around!

I even had a chance to snap a pic of him before I knocked him off his perch. Not exactly a super difficult shot, requiring unbelievable skill or nerves of steel, I did at least get the headshot on the first try (with a witness) even if it was at a range of about 2 feet! He's not exactly a monster either.










Happened to be shooting my wingshooter army ant, with a set of ZDP's fastbands and some half inch steel










It's not always easy for dad to impress a 9 year old, but I think I may have managed it this time, as he was standing right behind me.


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## reecemurg (Oct 9, 2011)

nice shooting mate !!


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## M.J (Nov 1, 2010)

That may not be a "big one" in Texas but that would be a monster in Indiana!
Way to be prepared


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## Btoon84 (Nov 22, 2011)

looks like a little copperhead... you had to do what you had to do







a man must protect his castle and family

PS nice wingshooter there : )


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## Thornbottom (Apr 9, 2012)

Good Shot! A head shot is a great shot, at 2 feet or 50 feet, doesn't matter. And that slingshot you got there is a looker to. And is that a Cotton Mouth snake? We have Timber Ratlers and Copper Heads here in PA but you don't see them very often at all.


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## jskeen (Feb 7, 2011)

It is a little copperhead. Probably from this springs crop. Nice and fat from eating frogs with all the rain we've been having, and shiny from a recent moult. He's gonna make a really nice hatband or something once I get him peeled and cured. He's the first one I've seen this summer. A few years a ago they were a lot more plentiful, and could be easily harvested with my '82 chevy. but they have been getting more and more rare lately. Some folks say it's the dry weather the last few years, others say the fire ants are getting more and more of the eggs and/or newborns. I'm not sure, but it has sure put a hurt on my snakeskin supply for tanning.


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## DracoUltima (Jun 14, 2011)

That's a monster compared to the ones ones we have down here! Are you gonna use his skin? Snake skin can be used for LOADS of things!


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## DracoUltima (Jun 14, 2011)

jskeen said:


> It is a little copperhead. Probably from this springs crop. Nice and fat from eating frogs with all the rain we've been having, and shiny from a recent moult. He's gonna make a really nice hatband or something once I get him peeled and cured. He's the first one I've seen this summer. A few years a ago they were a lot more plentiful, and could be easily harvested with my '82 chevy. but they have been getting more and more rare lately. Some folks say it's the dry weather the last few years, others say the fire ants are getting more and more of the eggs and/or newborns. I'm not sure, but it has sure put a hurt on my snakeskin supply for tanning.


Aw crud lol, you posted the answer to my question right before I posted it!


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## Rayshot (Feb 1, 2010)

Totally understandable why you took that one out.And you will use it's skin.

Ever eat one of the snakes that you have bagged?


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## jskeen (Feb 7, 2011)

Rayshot said:


> Totally understandable why you took that one out.And you will use it's skin.
> 
> Ever eat one of the snakes that you have bagged?


Sure, rattlesnakes are yummy. and big enough to be worth the trouble. Never tried copperhead, they are usually to small to mess with (like this one) I've about decided to make an ammo pouch from the skin, BTW. Will probably laminate it to some heavier leather first.


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## Thornbottom (Apr 9, 2012)

A Copperhead skin ammo pouch! That will be really cool!


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## sparrowslinger (Jun 19, 2012)

Post pictures of the pouch once the skin is on!


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## Charles (Aug 26, 2010)

Now that sort of thing is where slingshots really shine. No need for noisy, heavy duty fire power.

Cheers ..... Charles


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## Beanflip (Sep 11, 2010)

Is there a secret to getting some of ZDP's fastbands? Snake skin on a slingshot would be awesome.


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## Jim Williams (Jul 6, 2011)

Good shootin!


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## Tex-Shooter (Dec 17, 2009)

When we lived north of Houston in "LAKE CHATEAU WOODS" near a swamp we had Copperhead snakes up the boo-coo. We actually saw more copperheads than all other snakes combined. It was my wife's house before we were married and she had told me that, but I did not believe her until I had lived there. We killed a lot of them! Sometimes I would be mowing and whop, one would stick his head up at the wrong time. The only large (over one foot) snake that I have seen on this lot in Kerrville is about a 3 foot rat snake. He got in my garage and I caught him and put him in my back yard near my neighbor's yard's wood pile. I figured that he would get mice there. Yep I told my neighbor that I did and he said that was fine with him. -- Tex


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## jskeen (Feb 7, 2011)

Update.... I'd been calling my little visitor he. Turned out I was mistaken. Sorry M'am, wrong place wrong time.










The bark should be nice and dry by the time I get back from the Frio this weekend, and I'll see about turning it into something useful.


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## Imperial (Feb 9, 2011)

.way to go - 2 fer 1 ! ive never shot a snake but ive actually caught 3 rattlesnakes and 1 gopher snake in my time, all by hand . i have shot at snakes swimming in the local major canal out here, so close but yet all misses . 









 .


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## Chepo69 (May 1, 2010)

A lethal shot!

And that snake is James? a moccasin?

Beautiful colors


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## sparrowslinger (Jun 19, 2012)

It's a copperhead.


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## Charles (Aug 26, 2010)

Tex-Shooter said:


> The only large (over one foot) snake that I have seen on this lot in Kerrville is about a 3 foot rat snake. He got in my garage and I caught him and put him in my back yard near my neighbor's yard's wood pile. I figured that he would get mice there. Yep I told my neighbor that I did and he said that was fine with him. -- Tex


This is an excellent strategy, but folks need to be educated about snakes. My grandfather used to catch black snakes and release them in the barn and corn crib. They kept the rat and mice population under control. And as a bonus, black snakes also eat rattle snakes, or so I am told. Still, I managed to kill a few rattlers and copperheads around the barn. Nothing gets your juices flowing quite like reaching into a bin of shucked cobs of corn and encountering a rattler!!!

Cheers ..... Charles


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## Tex-Shooter (Dec 17, 2009)

Hmmmm, By any chance was you cooking with cobs? Been there and done that! -- Tex


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## e~shot (Jun 3, 2010)

Good shooting J!


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## Berkshire bred (Mar 4, 2012)

great shot, the only snakes that we get where i am from are grass snakes and adders and you are very privilidged to see an adder so to be honest i would not really want to shoot it if i did see one.


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