Anyone know how to kill a rattlesnake with out destroying it?  I was thinking of pinning its head/neck to the ground with a forked stick but then what?  I've always just shot them but yesterday I got one by pinning its head by pinning it through its head with an arrow, when I got it home and skinned it and stretched it on a board I realized it would look way better with the head on it.

One more thing, I have no interest in handling or noosing one I'd prefer to keep them on the ground at some distance.


Picky picky picky

Topic Moved

Carbon Dioxide works well if you want to preserve it, without physical damage.

Just breathe out into its mouth


 

Maybe if it bought me a beer first or showed me a good time

This. Make a capture pole out of a long piece of PVC pipe and cord, lasso the thing and drop it in a tall, large trashcan with a lid. Then drop chunks of dry ice in through an opening in the lid.
The CO2 is heavier than air and will slowly fill the can while displacing any breathable air.

Came on here to post this.  We used to make these when we were kids to catch rattlesnakes (but we kept them alive as pets).  Very easy to be made, and we had all the parts laying around the house.  But you could prob buy all the parts needed for $10-20.
Start with whatever length PVC pipe (However far you feel comfortable being from them, the longer it is the harder it will be to grab them, but it will be safer).  I think we used 5-6 footers.  You wanna get small enough diameter so it doesnt pull the head thru tho but still be rigid.  I think we used 1".
Get about a foot of rope,and attach one end to the outside of the end of the PVC. We attached it by wrapping the PVC with electrical/duct tape.  We attached the other end of the rope to a piece of (rigid) wire a little shorter than the PVC pipe.  This way you can also push the lasso back out (in case you miss) otherwise you have to flip the pole over and pull out the rope (if that makes sense).  Then run the rope and wire back thru the PVC pipe.  We would attached the wire to a lawn mower pull start handle to do the pushing/pulling.  Worked perfect!

Ah reminds me of the good ol days catching snakes!

This guy.. this guy knows! Lesson learned in the past, but snakes can hold there breath for a pretty long time. Give it plenty of time or find a way to seal it to ensure it's definitely gone! Venom is potent for up to 72 hours but never assume anything either.

ETA: Second best method of preparing snakes for dinner! Soak in a light milk bath and sprinkle some "Texan armadillo type dust" for some good eats! Works best wrapped in tin foil and over high temp grill for about 5 - 10 min or until firm.

Saw two DOR Mojaves yesterday. I would've picked them up for you had I known.