Any knowledge out there to keep the snakes outta my wood stacks? I'm thinking about quarter-inch mesh around the perimeter of each stack, pallet, and shed and burying it about 12 inches and then up another foot.
I wouldn't be a sure fix but you could always put up an owl to help. Around here they sell plastic owls and people mount them on their barns to help keep the snakes away. I heard it helps but not a sure thing.
I'd be inclined to say it's going to be difficult to keep the snakes out if they're inclined to get in. Maybe try some moth balls. That may help keep the mice out, which could be why the snakes are there.
Having snakes in the firewood adds excitement to getting the wood, too. :D
I actually like the snakes, except rattlers, but sometimes I need the women to lend a hand and they're not too keen on it. Maybe if I store their shoe's out there I can get them over their fear.
I have a tent I was living in when I was building our log cabin. Had a mice and snake problem in the tent. Once I got all the mice trapped, the snakes went away, too.
I like snakes, but that comes from having no poisonous snakes in my area. Snakes are my friends.
I get along with snakes just fine. As long as they maintain my stay 4 miles away from me rule. :D
Quote from: Dave Shepard on March 30, 2014, 08:27:15 PM
I get along with snakes just fine. As long as they maintain my stay 4 miles away from me rule. :D
X2!!
I don't care how many bugs and mice they eat, I don't have any use for them. Around here we have "magic snakes", cause they usually dissapear!
We have a lot of garder snakes and they usually get a free pass. Last summer I was changing the oil in my truck in the garage and was under it. I laid the wrench down and I heard a hiss. I looked over to the size and here was a snake that looked like a copper head about 12 inches from my head. I could not get out of there fast enough and he met with mr shovel. That night I killed a second one about 3 foot long. They were blow snakes but I had never seen any the color of these. Later on I moved a pile of wood chips and it was full of them. I put the door on my skid steer as I did not want one in the cab. I had a big black snake try and play chicken while I was on my dozer and that did not last long. I don't care for snakes when the make me p### my pants
I like snakes in my woodpile a whole lot better than groundhogs underneath it. Around here, it is spring enough for them to have just come out of their burrows to mate. Hate to kill an animal when his mind is on something important, but they are too destructive around my place for me to tolerate.
I say moth balls too. Just be sure and get the cheap ones. I forget what ingredients are in them, but the "newer" more expensive ones aren't the same. They seem to work and are widely used in this area.
I like your shoe storage idea.
No poisonous snakes here and I have many garter snakes in my outside wood but not in my woodshed
I have a hen house attached to the back of the 10 cord wood shed. Plenty of room for critters of all kinds. Chickens + feed = mice. Mice = snakes. Last summer I was down at the shop working on a Saturday when I heard the distinct boom of a shotgun up at the house. Oh boy, running up the driveway and met my 13 year old boy flying down to meet me on his bike. My mind was racing but I saw the grin on his face. "Guess what?" he asked, and before I could guess, he gleefully told me that his mother had had enough of the black snake that lived in the woodshed going in and stealing eggs and she vaporized him with the shotgun. He was just beside himself that his cake baking, dinner making mother would do such a thing. Blood pressure and heart rate receding, I went back to wrenching. So, just get your wife some chickens and tell her the snake is eating the eggs and you will have a snake free woodshed. Personally, I leave the black snakes alone, they serve a purpose without any associated harm like the copperheads, I guess she didn't get the memo.
You need a pet mongoose .
Quote from: petefrom bearswamp on March 31, 2014, 12:27:48 PM
I like your shoe storage idea.
No poisonous snakes here and I have many garter snakes in my outside wood but not in my woodshed
If you don't like poisnes snakes get a black snake cats or hunting dogs they will let you know if a poison snake is close my black snake and my beagle and my two cat take care of the poison snake problem
@CRThomas (https://forestryforum.com/board/index.php?action=profile;u=15269) I think it is the rare cat that would go after a snake. Anyone else with experienceabout cats and snakes? Beagles mght be a good choice if you are hard of hearing.
We have had quite a few rat snakes and king snakes around our place over the years. The rat snakes, I'll relocate due to their fondness of my hen's eggs. The kings can have their run of the sheds and my shop. We all get along pretty well. Every once in a great while we'll have a copperhead show up. I had to dispatch one a couple of weeks ago actually. They can ruin you day quick , fast and in a hurry. The best defense against snakes would be to get rid of whatever is attracting them to your property.
My wife loves snakes. Me, not so much. Guess who always manages to see/find them....
I read an article about venomous snake bites . copperheads and rattlers snake bites cost as much as $450,000.oo per bite . The cost of the anti venom was aprox. $85,000.oo per dose . Many of the bites took more than ten doses of anti venom plus pain killers. Then there are hospitals that do not stock the stuff .
Quote from: r.man on March 30, 2014, 08:21:51 PM
I like snakes, but that comes from having no poisonous snakes in my area. Snakes are my friends.
You're not too far away from me.
I just wanted to hear about snakes and how other woodcutters around North America deal with them, seeing as we only have one poisonous snake that lives here, the Massasauga Rattle snake.
Welcome to the Forestry Forum.
With no location in your profile, we don't know where that is.. ;)
Click on your forum name and it will take you to where you can fill out some info. tks.
I like snakes, most of the time. I live "a house away" from the lake with a large park/land around it. Had a little Western Rattler come out from under my little tractor when I fired it up, guess he didn't like the noise. He didn't like the shovel, either ;)
About a week later, a skinny but long (3½') King Snake was poking his head out of some bushes on my drive way. He was a little aggressive (ready to bite) when I was approaching him. He ducked back in the bush and when I was poking around with a stick, he sat there wiggling his tail pretending to be a rattler :D