# Ridding property of snakes



## Master Brian (Apr 24, 2009)

About a year ago i purchased just shy of an acre of vacant/forested land just off Table Rock Lake. I've been been working on slowly clearing the ground of brush and dead trees as well as trying to figure out how i want to build on the ground. It's been a slow process as i live about 5hrs away and can't get there often to do lots of work, so it's a little here and there when we go for lake time. 

That said this past weekend i was laying out where i want to build a small tiny house on the property, so i can get someone in to bid the foundation. I've noticed a few 6-8" diameter "dens?" on the property. I'm guessing they are dens because they generally face the downhill slope and it's pretty rocky soil so doubting it's washout. In any case as i was using a machete to clear some overgrowth where i needed to put a stake in the ground, i briefly heard what i thought might be some bees. I stopped, sound stopped as well, and looked around and saw nothing, but i did see another tunnel/den under a stump about 3'away. I stood back and tried looking in but couldn't see anything in there. At the time i thought maybe a small animal like a fox or something maybe made a noise and backed further in after trying to scare me away. After that i continued to finish what i was doing but kept an eye on this and the surrounding ground. Never heard or saw anything more. 

Later i started wondering if maybe a rattle snake was living in there and if i got to close and it tried warning me then baked away itself. 

The other day i saw some stuff at lumber yard that was supposed to drive snakes away. Wonder if it works? 

What would you guys recommend to help eliminate something like this? I've thought about trying to throw dirt over hole and covering it, but loose soil is hard to come by and i don't really want to trap something inside so it can die and stink or just dig itself out later. I've considered a throwing in a smoke bomb to smoke it out first....maybe an m50,or similar big bang firework, to chase something out while standing by with a shotgun to shoot a bad something. 

I'll be honest if a snake like copperhead or rattler, I'll probably just shoot as i have young children and I'm not wanting to risk those creatures living there. Lots of bobcats as well. ....not sure if they live in dens under ground. 

Honestly I'm fine if it's something like a fox den, but not sure i can be picky. ...probably just need to close it up. This one in particular will likely be non existent if/when i have the foundation done, but that begs another part of the problem. ....i don't really want to send someone in to work the ground if there is a rattlesnake den right there. I can just imagine how that'd go over. Right now no idea if it's anything, but i also feel i should be upfront if there is a chance so the person could be warned, but i also don't want to scare anyone from going in. Of course going into untouched forest ground you'd think they'd understand the risk. ....


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## SeniorSitizen (Sep 10, 2012)

Lay a propane torch in the hole for 2 or 3 minutes valve on, no light and watch what comes out.


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## Master Brian (Apr 24, 2009)

SeniorSitizen said:


> Lay a propane torch in the hole for 2 or 3 minutes valve on, no light and watch what comes out.


 And if something ugly comes out? Do I throw a match down!!!!!


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## SeniorSitizen (Sep 10, 2012)

Master Brian said:


> And if something ugly comes out? Do I throw a match down!!!!!


You had a question of what may be in the den so to match or not to match is your choice.:laughing:


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## Master Brian (Apr 24, 2009)

SeniorSitizen said:


> You had a question of what may be in the den so to match or not to match is your choice.:laughing:


True!!!:thumbsup: 

I'll have to remember to take my manual light torch with me next time and I have a few feet of hose I can hook to a 20lb bottle, so I could shove it down there a ways! This could get interesting....hadn't thought of the propane idea!


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## SeniorSitizen (Sep 10, 2012)

If the den slopes down and with propane being heavier than atmospheric air it won't need to go in very far for very long. A 20 pounder should run a elephant out. I don't recommend that but a hand held a short time should do.


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## Master Brian (Apr 24, 2009)

SeniorSitizen said:


> If the den slopes down and with propane being heavier than atmospheric air it won't need to go in very far for very long. A 20 pounder should run a elephant out. I don't recommend that but a hand held a short time should do.


Not disagreeing, but I just figure the 20 pounder might be safer to place if it is indeed a snake. 

Also, any idea if the snake deterrent powders? work? If I don't have snakes, I don't want to get snakes. Or is it enough to just clear the ground of the low vegetation and occasional activity that should keep them at bay. I've been using moth balls inside and under my camper and so far so good. 

I've also been slowly starting to treat the ground with insect granules to help with ticks and such. Last time, two of the 6 found ticks, haven't seen any from this visit, but everyone seems to have gotten chiggers and maybe a few other bites....


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## ddawg16 (Aug 15, 2011)

Snakes are beneficials....they eat the other stuff you don't want around the property.

When the food source dries up, they will move. They will also move as you develop the land.

Let nature do it's thing.


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## ProGreen (Oct 2, 2014)

Rattlers don't have a lot of natural predators though, so what good are they being around?

Best to have a buddy or two with you if you do the propane in-the-den thing. As a kid, I lived in the woods next to a stone house foundation with an old lady owner. County had a lot of men there that day they cleared her foundation/basement of pit vipers.


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## ddawg16 (Aug 15, 2011)

I kinda doubt they are rattlers.....not exactly a common snake in KS.


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## Master Brian (Apr 24, 2009)

Lots of leaf cover on the ground, but like I said, I'm trying to clear it and get paths and such. 

As for Kansas and Rattlers....not real common here but they are around more than you might think, but I'm really asking about S.W. Missouri in the Ozarks. Still I wouldn't think they'd be real common, but it worries me because I heard something that seemed to buzz/rattle. 

I also, know I need to be more worried about the cottonmouth and the copperhead and I hear they are pretty thick in the area.

I think next time I head down, maybe I'll take my leaf blower along instead of trying to rake the debris from the ground....hmmm....


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## beenthere (Oct 11, 2008)

ddawg16 said:


> I kinda doubt they are rattlers.....not exactly a common snake in KS.


I believe the Western diamond back rattler, Timber rattler, and Prairie rattler are common in KS. And a few other poisonous snakes.


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## SeniorSitizen (Sep 10, 2012)

Master Brian said:


> Lots of leaf cover on the ground, but like I said, I'm trying to clear it and get paths and such.
> 
> As for Kansas and Rattlers....not real common here but they are around more than you might think, but I'm really asking about S.W. Missouri in the Ozarks. Still I wouldn't think they'd be real common, but it worries me because I heard something that seemed to buzz/rattle.
> 
> ...


And with the blower you hope a rattle snake leaves the area well in advance because I'm suspecting you won't be able to hear him rattle.

Have you considered waiting until winter or at least until Halloween to clean the area? This is getting really spooky  :laughing:


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## TheBobmanNH (Oct 23, 2012)

ddawg16 said:


> Snakes are beneficials....they eat the other stuff you don't want around the property.


Tell that to my wife  There was a little garter snake in our garden like two months ago and she's still afraid to set foot in there.


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## Master Brian (Apr 24, 2009)

I'm not expecting the blower to do anything other than move the leaves away much faster and with me at a safer distance than with the rake.


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## Startingover (Apr 18, 2012)

I'd probably check with a game officer to see if bobcats are protected or if you need to have it logged in if you shoot or trap it. (if its a bobcat). A few states protect them.

Too bad you don't have a GoPro camera. We have one and you can clip it on a long post. Maybe you could stick that down a hole and see something.

We had copperheads in Ohio. I'd read more people are bitten by them than any other snake, but they're rarely fatal.

Cottonmouths are in the SE so I don't know if you'd have any in Missouri. Are you near water?

I just bought another shovel to keep by the back door to whack snakes with.


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## Master Brian (Apr 24, 2009)

Yes within 1/4 mile of large lake. There are copper heads, cotton mouths and rattlesnakes in the area. Bobcats are definitely around and there have been cougars confirmed within 10 miles as crow flies and I'm pretty sure i spotted a black bear walking alongside the road about 15 miles away from my property when heading in late at night over memorial day weekend. 

BTW. ....the cougar isn't the fun kind!


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## beenthere (Oct 11, 2008)

Master Brian said:


> Yes within 1/4 mile of large lake. There are copper heads, cotton mouths and rattlesnakes in the area. Bobcats are definitely around and there have been cougars confirmed within 10 miles as crow flies and I'm pretty sure i spotted a black bear walking alongside the road about 15 miles away from my property when heading in late at night over memorial day weekend.
> 
> BTW. ....the cougar isn't the fun kind!


Might want to consider carrying.


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## Master Brian (Apr 24, 2009)

I take a small arsenal with me when going down!


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