Larry,

Hmmm...is that really me quoting it as "stay out of"??? If I did, this was by accident. I know NO part of me should be within strike range - this is common sense to me (sorry, my bloodline takes pride in its great common sense ). I was probably just thinking of my ability to escape strikes, of which an ability I will NOT tempt Fate with when dealing with hots (!), and I went typing the wrong words. So, yes, my diction was not what I intended.

Thus, I will indeed make sure my hook(s) are about as long as my snake(s) except, as You acknowledge, for perhaps if-and-when larger rattlesnakes may be kept in the future. Of course, I would be significantly more experienced by this time and able to read such animals that much more.

Speaking of rattlesnakes, what do You think of Steven's suggestion for a Sistrurus miliarius ssp. as a first hot? Small and manageable, right? And not-so-fatal although I know not to underestimate any hot's ability - there is a first for everything so to speak!

Timothy

>>>>A 2" strike range is definitely easier to escape than a 2' one!
>>
>>This is probably just not the best wording, but just to make sure...
>>
>>He said a 2" strike range is easier to "STAY out of", not to "escape". In case it hasn't been stated yet, you should be using a hook long enough that no part of your body is EVER within strike range. With small snakes, there is no reason not to use a hook that is longer than the whole animal just to be safe.
>>
>>If you stay with the hobby and someday end up handling very large rattlesnakes for instance, exceptions may be necessary because you just don't have the leverage to pick up a 15-20 pound snake with 48" hooks...
>>-----
>>What goes up must come down...unless it exceeds escape velocity.


-----
T.J. Gould

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