Went looking for copperheads, found these...

[OldBow]

This is good thread.
I taught biology for 33 years and pretty much preached "if you don't eat it, don't kill it".  I studied spiders in grad school and don't kill them either and certainly don't eat them.
I'll guarantee you  that I would definately eat rattlesnake if offered up.  Anyway, if the snake is used for bow skins, then harvesting them is reasonable. I admire some of the "snake skins" done with paint or pens that some of you guys are talented enough to do.
Montana is not a very snakey state and our prairie rattlers don't get very big.  Rarely would one be big enough for  bow backing.
I never kill them and like to watch their behavior.
Two stories surfaced this early summer, though, about two painful snake bites victims that were darn glad a hospital was not too far off.  One fellow's young son had to row his Dad across a big river to get help for him.

[Justin Snyder]

Well said Don.    Snakes can be dangerous. Just remember, in 87% of rattlesnake bite cases, alcohol was involved.  In the words of Jeff Corwin, "I don't think the snake was drinking."  Anybody who has killed a rattler and cut off the rattles and left the rest has missed a great tasting treat. Justin

[Hillbilly]

Nice haul of skins. I love the way those timber rattlers look on a bow, but I wouldn't kill one around here now- they're getting too scarce. Looks like you still have plenty there, though-believe I'd want to wear stovepipes on my legs if I did much walking around on that farm lol. I like snakes and hate to see people killing them for no reason, but a set of nice skins and a mess of snake meat is a pretty durn good reason.

[GregB]

Nice looking skins, I'm with Hillbilly...I think I'd be wearing some snake leggin's while hunting them. Havn't eaten rattler, but would like to try it. I've gotten a couple of copperheads in the last couple of months. One isn't long enough to go full length of a limb though.

[Pappy]

Don't find many Copper heads around here big enough for a bow,now and ten I hit one with the bushhog and I always save them till I get another or someone else dose to match.I use a lot of skins but we don't have any Rattlers on my place at all,They are all around us just not there for some reason.I get most of mine from the county road crew that hits them while cleaning the right of way so I get several a year.In Tennessee it is illegal to kill any snake and especially Timber rattlers.
    Pappy 

[FlintWalker]

As far as I know, only a few species of snake are protected in KY but not rattleheads and coppertails . Good for me, bad for the snakes. As I said before, I don't normally kill ANY snakes, I just really wanted some skins and knew of a place to possibly get some. I'll admit I didn't expect 9 but I figured i'd get 'em while the getting was good! I imagine I could go back and find more but I think i'll leave plenty for seed.  I figure it'll take me a long time to make enough bows worthy of all the skins I have.
 BTW, I had a guy bring me two copperheads the other day that he had picked up out of the road. Both in good shape. One skin is 22" the other is 27". He said when it gets cooler, he could get as many as one or two a week along a stretch of road near where he lives. The buzzards and possums better be quick or i'll have them too!  My wife thinks i'm crazy.

[D. Tiller]

Hmmm! Never had snake before. How does it taste?

David T

[Justin Snyder]

I have heard people say it tastes like........ you guessed it, chicken.  Personally I think it tastes like snake. Some people fry it in oil. Some bread it and fry it.  Some make it like a stew.  If you cook it like chicken, (shake and bake) I would imagine it will taste like chicken or rather shake and bake.  The skeleton gives away any secrets.  But by taste, I don't think you would ever guess what it is.  Justin

[Pat B]

Justin, Was that snake and bake?    Pat

[ggarza254]

Just a question about those nice skins.  do you just pin them up and let them dry or do you soak them in a preserver first...  I have never dryed a snake skin and just want to find out information for when i do get one...  Thanks for any information you may provide...

[DanaM]

Just clean any meat offin the skin and tack em to a board to dry

[FlintWalker]

BE sure to tack them on flesh side out and don't stretch them too much. If you stretch them too much the scale pattern doesn't look right.