oh, absolutely. I love snakes, but Human and pet life always comes first in my book. I try not to scold people for killing snakes. It is important to remember that in most studies that I have seen, Snakes rank higher than Death in terms of people's fears. I try to educate as much as I can...
If the snake far enough away for you not to shoot your own foot with #4, then it is out of strike range or close to it. Particularly copperheads that tend not to strike as far as canebrakes. Just food for thought.
Here is a little Midland water snake I caught a couple weeks ago north if Atlanta. Him and another one were fighting over a fish. You can see the little blue Gill in his mouth.
Nice to see so many real outdoorsmen that realize snakes are best left alone rather than killed. And also nice that it was mentioned that killing harmless species is illegal. A few good tips:
- step on logs not over them
- there are no cotton mouths/ water moccasins in Atlanta or north...
If I was going to use a 223 for hogs I would use the Razerbacks. All metal designed for deep penetration on hogs. Of course, that is why I built a 300blk rig. :)
I just started hunting a couple years ago. First season went out a few times and didn't see a thing. Then I got glasses and took a deer or hog my next 3 times out. Looking forward to my first bow hunt this week.
Some people stalk them, some use dogs, some sit in a stand like me. Still always want to carry a sidearm when hunting hogs. It was a nerve racking blood trailing one through thick gunch that a buddy shot this past deer season. Hoping to put a bolt in one from my crossbow soon.
I got my first pig sitting in a deer stand over a food plot waiting for the little bastages to come tear it up before the deer could fatten up on it. I hunt them just like deer.
Went out last weekend and got my first Hog on April 17 (an early birthday present). A 205lb sow at 100 yards with a .308 at 8:30pm. She trotted out into the path and started to head back and I managed to slip one in between her ribs as she was quartering away. She went about 30 yards.
What are you wanting to hunt? Turkey season is almost over and most of the other seasons don't start until fall. Hogs are just about the only thing that is always in season, but you'll have to head further south for that.