Snake breaking

Colleen · Post by **Colleen** » Sun May 09, 2004 2:36 pm

We took a hike out in the woods today, was supposed to be a quail-planting training session, but it turns out the redneck store is closed Sundays so we couldn't get any quail. So we just went for an exploring hike. All was going well--Fletcher held a rigid, quivering point over some turkey feathers that had fallen in a bush and then over a frog which promptly jumped up, bumped him in the snout and scared the bejesus out of him!! It was great.

But then....he went into another point, this time not so rigid and he looked like it took all the self control he had to point and not go check it out. So we go over, and it's a nasty, dark, thick snake. Looked it up on the net just now. It was a cottonmouth, which is scary cause all the hunting land around here is close to water, therefore there will be cottonmouths.

So my question--what is the best way you have found to train dogs to keep away from snakes? I don't have an e-collar yet and would prefer to keep use of one to a minimum, but heck I'd hook him up to a car battery if I had to to teach him that snakes are NOT toys!!! Is it possible to snake train him with a rubber snake? Or is it more effective to use a real, defanged snake that looks AND smells like a snake, as GSPs are good nose dogs? Is it possible to do without an e-collar, or is that just absolutely the best way to get the point across? Any adivce you can give will be greatly appreciated, I need to do this ASAP cause the buggers are already out.

Post by **Ayres** » Sun May 09, 2004 3:16 pm

Check out this thread in the General Discussion section. It's got a wealth of info on snake breaking:

http://www.gundogforum.com/viewtopic.php?t=117

Colleen · Post by **Colleen** » Sun May 09, 2004 3:53 pm

Whoops!! I could've sworn I looked for posts about it before I posted this. Evidently I missed the only one I needed to see

Post by **Ayres** » Sun May 09, 2004 4:14 pm

No biggie, I often do the same thing. I search and search, but it still takes some pointing out to find something sometimes. Besides, you had the right idea of "snake breaking" going in the training section rather than the General Discussion section. Now others that look here first will be redirected on the spot.

Colleen · Post by **Colleen** » Sun May 09, 2004 5:28 pm

Just one more to follow up on that. I see there are lots of Georgia people here, anyone know a trainer in the GA-SC-NC area who does this? I'd rather have a pro do it than screw my dog up doing it myself.

snips · Post by **snips** » Sun May 09, 2004 8:03 pm

Rick Hopkins, my training partner used to conduct snake breaking seminars in Az. Would put one on here if someone got him a Rattlesnake. The only one we saw last year i blasted before he got there. If someone had one we could get a place around the Atl. area to put it on. So be on the look out for a Rattler.

WildRose · Post by **WildRose** » Mon May 10, 2004 11:58 am

Brenda if you are coming through Texas anytime this summer let me know. I have a spare in the barn! No i'm not kidding, I've got the one I caught last fall and used, plus I caught a nice three footer a month or so back that's got a TERRIBLY pissy nature. We chill themin the fridge the defang them ourselves and sew their mouths shut prior to a training session. We kept the one that way for five months with no trouble. You can also buy them believe it or not supposedly defanged and devenomized if you do a web search but having consulted with one of the top herpetologists in the state whom confirmed my suspiction that even if done by an expert herpetological vet, there's no such thing as a truly safe snake as the venom glands tend to regrow even when chemically burned away. Consequently we just do it ourselves. CR

Colleen · Post by **Colleen** » Mon May 10, 2004 12:39 pm

Thanks Brenda. I'll be on the lookout, but uugggghhhh I hate snakes. I don't know how common Eastern Diamondbacks are along the coastal areas, we seem to cater more to copperheads and cottonmouths. Although I have heard people say that the copperheads around here have rattles...which could be people mistaking rattlesnakes for copperheads, cause I'd never heard of a rattling copperhead before.

You know there's something horribly creepy about an animal when even evolution shuns it.

snips · Post by **snips** » Mon May 10, 2004 12:56 pm

Thanks CR, don`t plan on being in Tx til it`s time to shoot some birds. I`m hearing some great things on the early rains. You might throw that snake in if you are coming thru Ga. Wish i could use the one we found i our living room yesterday!

WildRose · Post by **WildRose** » Mon May 10, 2004 5:55 pm

Brenda the last day I guided we put up 17 coveys all foot hunting mind you, and of those coveys the smallest had about 25 birds in it. The early fall was dry as a bone, but since the middle of January we've had just perfect rains, and mild conditions. The carry over was huge and all our coveys here were broken up and paired off about a month ago. I'm seeing early nesting behavior and will be surprised of I don't see us get a first hatch off by the end of may, fully a month ahead of most years. If it stays this way through mid June and we manage just the same, no better than last year as far as regualrity and type of precip 20 coveys a day and 30-40 birds per covey is not at all out of reach on well managed land this coming season. I'll have a better handle on it in abouyt five weeks, but so far it looks like the conditions are really primed to be at least as good if not better than 93. If you make it out our way get hold of me and see if you can't stop in. CR