Snakeskin Prep ???

[ber643]

Two or three days ago I was out shooting on my home range and I went to enter a path to the cutdown behind my Ladder Stand - just to look around. A Copperhead had made the mistake of infringing on my space - right in the middle of the path. I quickly broke off a sapling "buggy whip" (adrenalin will pump up even an ol' folk - LOL) and broke his neck just behind the head. Actually it took me three swipes to hit him but it still works, and was a swift kill when I did hit him - LOL.

Anyway, point is that, even though he was a rather small one, he was still pretty, as they all are, and I wanted to try Beanbag's way of skinning one (stated earlier in this thread), as I used to use that method to skin catfish/horned pout. It always was a much easier way to do that onerous job. He was only 20 inches long and will yield about 16" of usable skin but that should work for an arrow shaft, knife handle, hat band, Bow handle or decoration, or the such. Boy did that system of skinning him work swift, easy, and clean! I think from the refrigerator to a block of wood in my "Glory Hole" room only took a total of about 20-25 minutes.

Here's a sneak-peek so you can see how clean - w/no scraping:

   

If it works that well on large ones - what a better way to go.

[broketooth]

good job bernie. rv

[Stiks-n-Strings]

Those skins that Briar posted are canebreak rattlers or timber rattlers (same thing depending on what part of the country your in)

 The one that Ruddy posted looks like a canebreak as well.
 
 The skin that Eric posted is a diamond back. There is a very noticeable difference between it and the others.

 You fellers may want to hold on to them timber rattlers as they are getting harder and harder to find. They are also protected in seventeen states so you might want to check your game laws just to cover your butt.

 Stiks

[broketooth]

mine was a road kill kris. rv

[ber643]

Mine too - if I hann't of kilt him, he'd 'a made it tuh the road - sorr-ee, snakes ain't safe (or welcome) aroun'chere, Kris. Besides, if he'd made it much further, Rose would have done him in by screaming at him - and that'd be even more painful    :D  

Thanks, Ruddy, I was pleased with how it looks.

[Stiks-n-Strings]

I hear ta Ruddy, I pick'em up off the road all the time but I can't pick up timbers here cause they are protected. I don't recall ever even seeing one here but they are here.

 I take the ones that are fair game though   :D  Except the black snakes around the house, They keep the meeces to a minimum    :D

 All of my timbers came from Texas, They are sweet looking on a stick for sure.  

 Bernie, any coppers get the chopper LOL Nothing looks better on Osage!

[ber643]

Yep, they are purty for sure, and the right color. Ruddy and I were talking about that on the phone today. Might wind up with them (he has a small one also) on the recurve  he's doing for me now - we'll see.