Rattlesnake hunting, from an RL snake hunter

[thelamaknows]

I suggested rattlesnake hunting as part of a 'pest control' DLC that would include Prairie Dogs, Rattlesnakes, and Barn Swallows.

I hunted rattlesnakes IRL in CO many times (they have an official season) so I wanted to share how it's done IRL (or at least how I did it) as launch point for turning that into game mechanics.

My tools were either my Henry lever action .22LR (with .22 Shorts loaded) or my Rossi 'Stagecoach' side by side 20 gauge shotgun (birdshot). On my hip was a Heritage Rough Rider .22LR revolver (also loaded with .22 short)
So basically a copy of classic Old West cowboy guns but in miniature caliber.

I carried a shortened broomstick like a walking stick and I put one of those rubber ends from crutches on the stick. I had a backpack with water but also an Army entrenching tool hung off it.

I hunted on ranch land where there are big concrete water collectors for livestock out in the desert. Everything in the desert visits these including rodents. Where there are rodents there are hungry snakes.
The broomstick is to flip rocks or random metal debris over without putting your hands near it. You don't want to be bent over using your hands to flip a rock and come literally face to face with a diamondback.

His face has fangs. Yours doesn't.

Knowing this, rattlers will not run, they will stand their ground so you can drop the stick and put two hands on a long gun, or just whip out the revolver.
You are shooting at literal point blank range and snakes aren't exactly buffalo so a .22 short to the dome is plenty. A 20 gauge blast at 4 feet will erase half the snake.

Now-- rattlers are just as dangerous dead as alive. That's why I have the E-Tool. I would take that out and use it as an axe to decapitate the snake, scoop up the head, and toss it into the bushes. Again making sure my hands are nowhere near those fangs.
Remember I am doing this alone in the desert. Mistakes are....costly.

Snakes bleed A LOT and keep moving for some time so I took an old pillowcase to put the bodies in. I didn't want to use the game pouch on my hunting vest.
A butcher in Colorado Springs made sausage with the snake meat (rabbit and rattler with jalapeno) and he sold the rattles to a local guy that made key chains or something with them.


It's not 'hunting' like stalking or following calls. It's walking slowly and carefully until you either spook a snake under a bush or piss one off by flipping over the rock he was hiding under. The shooting is almost dangerously close, watch for ricochet.

It's a rush when you suddenly hear that rattle so close it sounds like it's sitting on your shoulder, but you see nothing....then boom....it instantly materializes right f**king there by your toes and it wants to see the manager about your lack of odor eater usage.



In COTW snakes would be a great use for the .410 function on the Judge clone which currently I don't see a single use for in game. Any .22LR, small shotgun, I guess bow(?), would work. Perhaps add in 'rat shot' rounds to the game for the .357 mag, .44 mag and 45LC. I never used them but I bet they'd work. I adore the .22 short cartridge and both the Henry and Rough Rider could be loaded with them.
No mechanic for flipping rocks so maybe just have to make snakes damn near invisible and hide them in bushes and rock piles.

It would bring some more function to the health meter beyond a couple dangerous game species getting uppity with you. New items might include a snakebite kit to offset the new threat. Perhaps add a functional clothing slot for snake proof boots that are the reward for doing story line missions to kill snakes. Giving a tiny bit of progression to snake hunting as the books would make it much safer and less reliant on having to purchase snakebite kits.

I think it could work in COTW. It'd be something different than spot and stalk or stand hunting. It would discourage the unrealistic (and unsafe) practice of running with a loaded firearm if doing so got you zapped by vipers using venom to punish you for being on their lawn.

Apologies for the long read. Just sharing how I did it for real and how it might translate in COTW. Cheers.