Rattlesnakes and Chuckers

[Upland Fool]

I am new to this post and new at the sport of chucker hunting.  I have been chasing pheasants in Eastern Washington for the last couple of years in late October, and November.  In early October do you run into Rattlesnakes while hunting chucker and, huns?  How do you train your dogs to leave snakes alone?  I really want to get out and hunt but I fear for my dogs safety.  Am I being over protective, or should I keep nailing grouse closer to home and wait for the snakes to go to sleep for the winter? Thanks in advance for advice.

[jdb]

ive killed many a snake in october

[carpsniperg2]

most should be gone but i am sure you could find a few i keep a snake kit in my pack for me and my dogs knock on wood never had anything bad happen and i do alot of snake hunting as well in the summer but my is get a snake bite kit and don't worry to much small chance but still a chance welcome

[halflife65]

I've hunted quite a lot on the Snake for chukars and never saw one except for a Sept early hunt that they used to have.

By the time Oct comes around there have been a few cold days/nights.  However, it seems other people have seen them so I think it would be really prudent to carry a snake bite kit. 

I saw something on TV once about some guys in Texas that were training dogs to stay away from snakes.  They had caught a rattlesnake and somehow pulled its teeth out (don't know how they pulled that off).  They then threw the snake in the middle of a dirt road and let their dogs out with shock collars on.  As soon as the dog got near, the snake would strike and they would shock the hell out of the dogs.  Didn't take too long until they avoided those snakes.  Sounds good, but I don't know how practical it would be to pull that off...

[Shannon]

I just got back from Montana and on the coldest day of the trip one of the dogs got bit. It was 24 degrees when he got hit in one of the rear legs. The dog is fine but it puts a damper on the hunt.

[sisu]

I have a friend near Denton, MT who is a professional trainer. He keeps two snakes in a warming tank so they are ready for training dogs. He does just what halflife65 said. Butch says it only takes about 30 minutes and your dog is snake trained.

[boneaddict]

LOTS of snakes in Yakima and Eburg chukar country this time of year.   yes today was cold, but last week we were at 80.  you just never know.

[Sportfury]

I've seen them out in late October, of course he was so cold he could even shake his rattle at us. In September off Durr road we ran into two snakes (one bull, one rattle) within a half hour of each other. My GSP did his best to get bitten. I had brought a handgun just for this purpose, but in the ensueing madness of three dogs, two boys who wanted to see it, and my dad and I trying to grab dogs (especially the stupid one trying to get bitten) I totally forgot about the handgun until I got back to the truck. Would be nice to find a guy who does snake training around here.

[teal101]

Was out in the Quilomene unit of Saturday chasing Chukars and managed to bag a rattler.  Sunning himself in the road.  He was pretty lethargic not wanting to move at all.

[sjhgraysage]

Did you manage to bag any chukar? If so did you flush many?
I used to hunt them a lot on the snake but haven't gone for several years now.
Thanks

[old boat]

Teal we were over there sat & sun and it was cold! 19 Saturday morning and 24 Sunday, so your rattler wasn't cold he was FROZEN! I don't hunt chukar until it frosts a few times usually, but after seeing the forecast this week I thought it would be safe, and it was! Not one snake seen, a few birds but they were in big coveys!......

[RC3]

The guys I train with did a snake avoidance training session this summer in centralia.  I'll find out when they will do another and post it on herre for everyone interested.

[teal101]

We managed to bag 1 blue grouse up top but no Chukars.

We were hunting some sliders below some cliffs and got some to respond to a call.  We started moving in on them and then we spotted them standing in the cliffs.  I Decided to cut them off up top and climbed up the cliffs (probably not my smartest move ) and got up top.  My dad stayed down below and I was hoping to push them down to him.  No luck, they stayed holed up in the cliffs and wouldn't move.  After this weekend it should be getting good with all the snow up high and colder weather so we'll be back out after them.

This is the first time we have been skunked up in that area.  Basically destroyed my boots too

[surfj9009]

I would be interested in taking my dog to a snake breaking class if anyones finds one, or can set one up. I am in Spokane but i am willing to travel.

[Sportfury]

The guys I train with did a snake avoidance training session this summer in centralia.  I'll find out when they will do another and post it on herre for everyone interested.

RC3 definitely keep us posted on this. I wouldn't mind attending this.

[fishermanjoe]

I was in the Quilomene  on sat and sun, we managed to kill 2 rattlers. I got one with the truck, and my buddy walked up on one, he jumped about a mile high, i thought it was kind of comical . On saturday we kill one chukar and flushed about 15, sunday we flushed about 8 but didnt hit any. Good hunting out there though.

[TC Larsen]

i hate snakes!! But honestly dont worry about the dogs, keep a snake kit with you but for the most part the dogs dont bother them, if u see one kill it and teach the dog no, but snakes are still out now, last year on quail chukar opener my dad and ikilled about 4, and year before that i got bit in the knee chasing chuckar on cresent bar

[surfj9009]

I would be interested in taking my dog to a snake breaking class if anyones finds one, or can set one up. I am in Spokane but i am willing to travel.

Sorry to resurrect an old thread, but I am still looking for a class. Planning on hunting a lot of snake country and I don't think it will hurt to get the dog in front of a snake to learn avoidance. If anyone knows of a trainer or class please PM me.

[kyle78]

Just got back from chukar hunting today and I encountered 3 rattlesnakes. I got buzzed by one and saw two others on the road. Luckily my dog didn't see any. I kind of dislike hunting in early season because of them.

[surfj9009]

Well i can say this much. This dog I got here is a huge part of our family outside of hunting. If anything bad was to happen to her I would never hear the end of it or be able to forgive myself. Especially something like this that is pretty much avoidable if I can get her in font of a few and teach her.

A few years back she got a puncture wound in her chest that was not discovered until the following morning, and she was definitely not well when I woke up. I pretty much cried the whole way to the vets office for fear of the worst possible news. I'll be damned if I want to have to go through that again. (This is why we didnt hunt chukkar last year)

Im really at a point where I want to hunt chukkar, but probably won't until I get this done. It's putting a damper on both of us. But I couldnt live with myself if something bad happened. This dog has an amazing connection with my family, and she is what has gotten us through some very sad and hard times.

I know, all soft and mushy, but I'm sure you understand.

[ProsserChukar]

My dad and I figured it had been cold enough that the snakes would be dormant.  Well last night on our way out I saw one in the road and promptly ran it over. Just for good measure I added some lead to its head. Some people frown on killing snakes. I do not, I lost a friend to a rattle snake bite he took in the face many years ago. For me they are shoot on sight.