Dogwood Shoots

[Wasatchhawk]

I had big plans tonight of collecting tons of shoots. Our trip was creepy form the begining.  At the trail head my wife almost stepped on a Rattle snake.  It was very close to some houses with dogs and kids, It probably would have been safer to kill it and use the skin, but I couldn't do it.  would have made a nice backing  beautifull pattern but it wasn't being threatening at all so we passed on.

Around the corner all the trees were covered with leaf cutters and they hung from their silks and dropped on our heads.  My wife could only take so much I was lucky to make it to the first patch.  I only got 21 shoots before my wife went screaming back down the trail, it was all she could take.  Do you know what a trillion worms sound like as they all munch at the same time?  very creepy.

[Pat B]

Sounds like you have plenty of shoots to start with. You can always get more later. Maybe the leaf cutters will be done with their job by then. The rattler has an important job also so it was good that you left him alone. I only kill poisonous snakes and only when they threaten my home or pets.   Pat

[Trapper]

The only good rattle snake is one on the back of my bow, Ive studied them long and hard and I cant figure out what god was thinking when he made them , I think thats why the indians didnt put them on bows they are serpents maybe the devil did it , but like I say there are no good ones that I can think of in the rattle snake catagory, If its poison KILL it.   The house I moved out of in tx. they killed 77 rattlesnake from under and around it after I left. If you have ever beeen bitten by one or have lost your best dog die because of one you would feel the same as me.    Trapper

[mullet]

    I'm with you Trapper,The Rattlesnakes down here will hit you about waist high.You are screwed if you are far from your vehicle.Coral snakes are even worse.Mocassin's you have to deal with the infections because of the bacteria.With have about 25 native snakes in Florida,I like the rest.

[Justin Snyder]

I don't kill any of the non venomous kind unless they have been hit by a car.  The rattlers that rattle we leave alone usually.  The ones that don't rattle we kill.  I heard a study they did not long back that said they don't rattle as much now. The ones that rattled a lot were found and killed. The ones that were quiet people walked right on by.  With the quiet ones being the only ones living long enough to breed, now the species don't make as much noise. Justin

[Coo-wah-chobee]

                         I eat'em , fill belly ! ..bob

[1/2primitive]

The only good snake is a dead snake.
      Sean

[Hillbilly]

I like snakes myself, find them to be pretty fascinating critters. I figure they have as much or more right to be here as I do. I have killed very few snakes in my life, even rattlers and copperheads. There used to be a lot of timber rattlers around here, but you hardly ever see one any more; and I've never ran across one that was aggresive unless it was messed with. Copperheads can have an attitude sometimes, though. That said, they also look good on a bow back, and I see nothing wrong with taking one if you have a use for it. The next couple copperheads I run across may have a bad day, as I have a little chunk of osage roughed out that is crying out for snake skins lol. As Bob said, snakes also taste good. 

[Justin Snyder]

They do taste good.  That has quite a bit to do with if I kill them or not.  If I am camping with the kids and have time to cook it I usually take them.  If I am hiking and don't have time to take care of them, I don't bother them.  I don't usually do anything except skin the roadkill. 
Wasatch, maybe you could fry up a bunch of those leaf cutters and let us know how they taste.  Justin

[Hillbilly]

Damn if we couldn't start talking about poison oak and wind up on food somehow

[1/2primitive]

mmmmm....snake...never tasted it but it sounds good........Venison from a deer you shot yourself is even better.........Oh, and there's nothing better than......lol, right Hillbilly, how on earth did this happen? We start talking about dogwood shoots and end up on food. But I like food. I could talk about food.   lol
      Sean

[Justin Snyder]

I think we could manage to get to some good recipes.  Poison oak to oak to acorn. And there are lots of recipes that include acorn.  Justin

[Wasatchhawk]

LOL
I've never met a hungrier group of friendly people.  Ask for advise and get comments about how good that stuff is to eat.   If it's not rattle snake it's Cat, if it's not cat it's cougar.

I know half of you plan on going to get a snack now that we are talking FOOD!

LOL