# Snakes, snakes and more snakes....



## Master Brian (Apr 24, 2009)

I'll add when I get to the stumps with the hollow tunnels under them, I plan to create a ring around it and start a temp burn pit until the stumps are gone and the hole filled with ash. I still am not familiar with how far down snakes hide and their tunnel networks if any.


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## ZTMAN (Feb 19, 2015)

Best way to limit snakes is to eliminate hospitable habitat. If you have debris, leaves, stumps and dead logs, that is their play ground and where they find food.

If you are 4.5 hours away from your camp, consider hiring a local resident to visit your property twice a week to blow leaves, cut grass etc. Price is usually reasonable and they can check up on the camp for you as well. Our camp is secluded and a local fellow cuts about 2 acres of grass for $60 per cut. Well worth it.

If you have a lot of stumps etc, look on craigslist for brush clearing services . If you can find a fellow with a forestry head mulcher on a skid steer, it will make short work of stumps, logs, brush and any other noxious material in its way. They charge about $130 per hour around our parts for that service.


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## CrazyGuy (Nov 18, 2017)

Pretty much everything ZT said, eliminate their places to hide (get rid of debris) and hire someone to keep the grass cut short (just warn them to watch for snakes).

Always keep areas well lit at night that you will be walking in, and always wear boots, don't walk around in flip flops and shorts.

Snakes love fallen logs, so make sure you clean up any you have.


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## Master Brian (Apr 24, 2009)

ZTMAN said:


> Best way to limit snakes is to eliminate hospitable habitat. If you have debris, leaves, stumps and dead logs, that is their play ground and where they find food.
> 
> If you are 4.5 hours away from your camp, consider hiring a local resident to visit your property twice a week to blow leaves, cut grass etc. Price is usually reasonable and they can check up on the camp for you as well. Our camp is secluded and a local fellow cuts about 2 acres of grass for $60 per cut. Well worth it.
> 
> If you have a lot of stumps etc, look on craigslist for brush clearing services . If you can find a fellow with a forestry head mulcher on a skid steer, it will make short work of stumps, logs, brush and any other noxious material in its way. They charge about $130 per hour around our parts for that service.


Clearing the brush, debris, stumps, etc is my primary goal. It's just slow going. I know I could pay someone to come in, but my cousin and I actually enjoy going in the fall/winter and getting away and working on clearing the ground. I've been slowly working on creating a least a perimeter. I just didn't know if there was any good/effective granules or such that I could put down to keep the snakes more at bay. 

I had an issue with mice, so I started using the bait stations with the poison chunks and so far they haven't invaded the cabin I built this past fall. They did a number years before on a pop-up I have there. For the insects I spread granules every time I'm down and again am starting to try to create a perimeter. Hopefully, if I drive the mice/rats and insects away along with the brush and leaf clutter the snakes will follow.

Like I think I said, I was hoping to get some grass growing to keep the mud down in the areas I've cleared, but maybe that isn't a good idea. Any idea of a very low growing ground cover that wouldn't be much maintenance, especially if something snakes don't like. I have a feeling finding someone to cut any grass might prove a little tricky....hmmm!!

I read somewhere online that snakes don't like to be around humans and that spreading human hair keeps them at bay. This begs the question would urine do the same? Reason I ask is being primitive spot, I don't have a septic system at this point, so a tree or bucket(for the females) is the current solution to this issue. Would spreading that around prior to leaving also work? Currently we've been burning any solids and using the liquids to put out the fire before leaving. I wouldn't expect miracles with either.


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## SeniorSitizen (Sep 10, 2012)

Controlled burning when legally allowed is your best deterrent. I can tell you how to do it safety in small segments if you are interested.

In the meantime keep the zipper on the tent closed tight.:biggrin2:


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## Master Brian (Apr 24, 2009)

SeniorSitizen said:


> Controlled burning when legally allowed is your best deterrent. I can tell you how to do it safety in small segments if you are interested.
> 
> In the meantime keep the zipper on the tent closed tight.:biggrin2:


I'd love to hear what you have in mind for a controlled burn. What I started last time was I raked an area about 15'x15' to the dirt, then I created a small pile in the middle of leaves/small twigs only (all thick brush/logs to burn pit). I started that on fire and let it burn then I created another small pile several feet away. As the first pile burnt down, I raked what left to the next pile and repeated. I got a few piles gone and like I said an area about 15-20'x 100' cleared. I didn't let the flames get much over a foot off the ground, just a very low slow burn. 

As for legal....I found out they do have burn bans at times, but apparently don't enforce them. Another neighbor told me, he called in because someone else was burning some heavy brush while a ban was in place and the sheriff told him, nothing they can do and fire wouldn't either if they came out. That said, I don't want to be the guy that burns the forest down, so I'm all for overtly cautious. 

I learned my lesson the first trip down. We were clearing some brush and there was a pile probably 2' tall x 4-6' wide x 10' long and I lit it on fire, thinking because the ground was damp all would be ok. I also planned to work to keep it under control. Well, I had 4-6' tall flames and even though I was in a clearing I looked up and saw a 50-75'+ tall cedar with a smoldering branch about 20' up. This tree was a good 10-15' off to the side of the burn pile and the branch that was smoldering had no leaves. In any case, next thing you know it had a 2-4" flame popping up on the branch. Remember, no running water, etc....I ran to find anything to toss up and came back with water and cups. By that time, my cousin had managed to shimmy up the tree and was breaking the branch off. Next option was dropping the tree and hoping the fall would put it out or that we could deal with it on ground. NEVER AGAIN!!


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## SeniorSitizen (Sep 10, 2012)

When the leaf / grass litter is dry and suitable to burn I cover an area too be burned with a tarp. If there is dew on the next morning, pull the tarp and safely burn that previously covered area. Even then in an area where a garden hose isn't possible I keep a pump up garden sprayer handy. As you discovered there are times when a quart of water is much better than no water.

Wild fires aren't to be taken lightly.


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## Master Brian (Apr 24, 2009)

I have a pump sprayer I keep there, great idea! I also leave a fire extinguisher in the cabin, but that wouldn't go far.


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