Home › Forums › Bows and Equipment › Snake skins
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I am looking for some snake skins for a bow. There seem to be plenty of eastern diamond backs and cottonmouths that are available. I am looking for copperhead skins primarily, or timber rattler, if no copperhead skins are available.
As a follow up question, anyone know how to catch big copperheads?:D
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I’ve kept my eye open for a commercial source of copperhead skins, but haven’t found one.
Morrison Archery seems to use copperhead skins a lot on their bows. You might give them a call.
I have a few pressed flat and waiting on a bow. But so far I haven’t made a bow that I want to use them on… As far as catching them goes, I like ’em dead without a head before I pick them up. A shovel works well for that.
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I skinned my own recurve using timber rattler. I got them from Raptor Archery. Very good service. I’m not sure about their stock of copperhead skins though.
And as far as catching a snake goes, I’m tapping out. No way man, let the professional’s handle that one.
-Jeremy
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Just a heads up. Some States have listed the Timber Rattler as protected according to a Nat Geo article I read several years ago. Don’t remember the States mentioned but NY comes to mind. Probably should check the State laws before killing any Timber Rattlers. The local Game Warden might use your bow as evidence against you. 😳
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A couple years back I bought a pair of cottonmouth skins from http://www.americanheadhunters.com. Service was fine and skins were well matched. They seem to have every possible part from every possible dead animal, so you might check ’em out for copperheads. I couldn’t find what I wanted online so gave them a call. Cost $50 plus postage which I think is fairly standard for skins.
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Thanks guys. I have checked on some of the sources you all mentioned. The pattern seems to be that bowyers do not want to let go of them and “skin sellers” are interesting folks. DP was right. The place in Texas has a vast array of…I am not sure what to call all the animal parts that they have.
I may order some, but in the meantime, I have a plan. I ordered two “Snake Trap” traps. They are plastic boxes with a super adhesive bottom. You place the scent lures in the trap, place the traps in likely snake haunts, and then check ’em every day. So, I am going to try my skills at Copperhead trapping.
For the record, about 1/3 of all Copperhead bites are “dry bites” with no venom injected. And, as a pharmacist/pharmacy manager, I make sure that our hospital pharmacy keeps anti-venin in stock just in case….:shock:
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Jody — Given the deman for copperhead skins, and if your snake traps work, you may just have found a booming new business. 😀 What I’m wondering is how you safely kill and extract a venimous snake that’s glued down but still alive and not in a charitable mood? 😛 Keep us posted.
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My hunting land has a good population of Copperheads. However, I don’t think that I want to get into Copperhead acquisition full time. 😀 Although the hillbilly in me is excited about this new adventure.
Extraction is easy: Mix one part Carbon Express 150 with one 175 grain blunt game head (or .22 lead) at a high velocity with the trap occupant’s noggin. Then, this is true but strange, add a small amount of cooking oil to the snake’s underside to remove the snake from the trap (no kidding). The adhesive pad is good for 4 “oilings” before it looses its effectiveness. Rinse Copperhead and skin. Then, dry the skin.
A Thanksgiving recipe for Copperhead skins for your bow!
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I caught one in the deer netting that I put up around my wifes little garden this summer. The snake crawled through the netting in several places until it got trapped. I was already dead when I found it. Just need to catch another one. We don’t see them as much or as large as we used to 20 years ago. Wish I had kept the skins off some we killed after we moved in here. I did skin a few but the wife decided I didn’t need them and threw them out. I have this years skin in a safe place where she can’t see it 😀
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Steve Graf wrote: I’ve kept my eye open for a commercial source of copperhead skins, but haven’t found one.
Morrison Archery seems to use copperhead skins a lot on their bows. You might give them a call.
I have a few pressed flat and waiting on a bow. But so far I haven’t made a bow that I want to use them on… As far as catching them goes, I like ’em dead without a head before I pick them up. A shovel works well for that.
Hi Steve ,
Do you tan or treat the skins prior to use?
It’s illegal to kill them here( a commonly ignored law here)
Given the nature of Australian snakes ,the best and safest way to extinguish them is to bend up some fencing wire about 3 yards long ( think steel bow string) it being flexible makes it way easier to break there spine…. You just bring you’re buckles close to the ground as you whack them..
That’s my trivia for the day
Mark
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Best thing to do is just air dry them. You don’t want to put anything on the skin as it will weaken the glue joint when you finally bond it to the bow.
I usually pin the skin to a piece of cardboard, flesh side up. Let it dry for a week or so. Then I cut off the belly scales and put the skin between two boards and clamp it. Leave it there for a few days and it will flatten out and be easy to work with.
Snakes around here are easy to skin. I just use a scissors to split the belly scales all the way from the head to the tale (don’t cut the snake body, just the skin). Then starting at the head, carefully peel the skin back. Once you get and inch or two peeled off, Just grip it and rip it (carefully). The skin will come off real easy.
Once you have it glued to the bow, then remove the scales. Finish with polyurethane and there you go.
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Just curious, do you eat the snakes? I know there are plenty of hillbillies that do. dwc
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Duncan wrote: Just a heads up. Some States have listed the Timber Rattler as protected according to a Nat Geo article I read several years ago. Don’t remember the States mentioned but NY comes to mind. Probably should check the State laws before killing any Timber Rattlers. The local Game Warden might use your bow as evidence against you. 😳
This is fairly accurate, many states, especially in the North East USA have listed them as threatened. They are declining across their range. As a herpetologists and a wildlife biologist, I’d advise anyone against using timber rattler skins. Not only are they generally not robust enough as a species to tolerate a sustainable harvest, if they do get a federal declaration then possessing the skins would be a fine-able offense.
Copperheads on the other hand, generally doing well. If you’re not trained in venomous snake handling/capture, I think the best way to acquire skins is to cruise black top roads and pick up roadkills. This can be especially productive in the late spring months. In my experience, in the states of Texas, Louisiana and Mississippi, April is the best month. North of these areas, e.g., Kansas, Missouri, Arkansas, and most of the Appalachian states May and June are a bit better.
Other than one small region of West, TX, if you live west of the Pecos River, you’re out of luck, ain’t no copperheads out there. You’ll have to settle for any one of the dozen or so rattlesnake species.
Check your local fish and game laws, some states, like Kansas, have a legal harvest/possession limit on non-game wildlife. Other states, collecting reptiles is not allowed without a scientific collecting permit.
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drew4fur wrote: [quote=Duncan]
Copperheads on the other hand, generally doing well. If you’re not trained in venomous snake handling/capture, I think the best way to acquire skins is to cruise black top
Other than one small region of West, TX, if you live west of the Pecos River, you’re out of luck, ain’t no copperheads out there. You’ll have to settle for any one of the dozen or so rattlesnake species.
Drew maybe I look too much for rattlers but I’ve not seen any copperheads up here. What say you?
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