Carry a gun on your mower?

[bigblock]

I'm almost sure that this will open a bag of worms here but I just have to ask.

In the last five years I have shot three poisonous snakes within 10 feet of my house. I was fortunate enough to see a cottonmouth crawling into the door of my shop otherwise I would never have known it was there. My dog has been bitten once in the yard, probably by a copperhead that I shot a short time later. She survived, probably because I get her a rattlesnake vaccine shot every year, but she was pretty sick for a couple of days. Shot a diamondback within 6 feet of my back door.

I am pretty much a "live and let live" kind of guy and I don't wish to harm anything unnecessarily but I have to protect my dog. I don't bother nonpoisonous snakes but the poisonous ones are history if I see them. If I'm mowing and spot a snake I can't stop and go fetch a gun because the snake will, most likely, be gone when I return. I have a Ruger 4 5/8" single action .22 that I stick down next to the seat on the mower. I move the gun to the tractor or the four-wheeler whenever I'm on them. I also carry a rifle on the four-wheeler for the occasional coyote that wanders into range.

I realize that all this sounds pretty strange to the city dwellers but life is a little different out here in the boonies.

How about it? Anybody else armed while mowing?

Bob

 

[reddragon]

no....but growing up with rattlesnakes as a kid..id use a 16 guage pump shotgun:laughing:

 

[KennyV]

I at times do... not necessarily for snakes...
Is your 22 Ruger SS or blue?
:smile:KennyV

 

[Two-Stroke]

There a lots of snakes around my place in Cleburne County, AL and I'm very careful about safety -- mine and my dog's. But my experience is that mowing makes so much noise that the snakes don't get near you or the mower.

The time you need to worry about snakes is when you walk quietly in the woods -- around sunrise or sunset.

 

[bigblock]

I at times do... not necessarily for snakes...
Is your 22 Ruger SS or blue?
:smile:KennyV

If not snakes then what? Tell me more. Are you in the Witness Protection Program?

The Ruger is blue.

Bob

 

[bigblock]

There a lots of snakes around my place in Cleburne County, AL and I'm very careful about safety -- mine and my dog's. But my experience is that mowing makes so much noise that the snakes don't get near you or the mower.

The time you need to worry about snakes is when you walk quietly in the woods -- around sunrise or sunset.

I've always heard that snakes have no ears. They sense vibrations in the ground. I'm sure that they can probably sense the mower but they don't always have time to get out of sight. I'm not hunting them. Just looking for targets of opportunity.

You're right about walking in the woods. I don't walk around in fear but I watch where I'm putting my hands and feet. Most snakes are not looking for a fight and will get away from you if they can. Cottonmouths are the exception. They can be quite aggressive when confronted.

Bob

 

[reynoldston]

When I fist seen the title I though we had nut case. Why in the world would you need a gun on a mower. Then when I read the forum I can well understand the gun. We don't have poisonous snakes where I live in NY , just small grass snakes, but I am sure if we did I would want to carry a gun for sure. I just don't like any snakes and a dead one is better then a live one. The problem I would have with that is in NY you have to be more then 500 feet from a neighbors house to shoot a gun and I am not.

 

[Steve0853]

I haven't carried while mowing, but I have dispatched a few snakes around the yard and pond.

If was going to carry while mowing, I have a Smith & Wesson Model 60 stainless that I would load with shot cartridges. Its very small and does the job out to about 20 yards. I would have to carry the stainless. In summer, I would ruin a blued gun with sweat.

Even a .22 with shot will do OK. You just have to get closer. With a handgun and shot cartridges, the shorter the barrel the better.

 

[originalswampfox]

In my neighborhood I carry one 24/7 to protect myself from the crime. I do have a permit. I have snakes buy they are nearly as dangerous.

 

[bigblock]

When I fist seen the title I though we had nut case. Why in the world would you need a gun on a mower. Then when I read the forum I can well understand the gun. We don't have poisonous snakes where I live in NY , just small grass snakes, but I am sure if we did I would want to carry a gun for sure. I just don't like any snakes and a dead one is better then a live one. The problem I would have with that is in NY you have to be more then 500 feet from a neighbors house to shoot a gun and I am not.

Many people dislike all snakes but they do provide a benefit to us by preying on vermin, even the poisonous ones, I just want to protect my dog from the ones that can harm her.

New York has some very restrictive gun laws and I knew that this would not be an issue for people living in populated areas. Well, it shouldn't be but I guess there are some that would do it anyway I'm sure.