When I teach this to my grandsons and they wonder if my grandfather taught me this... I'll be answering "no son, the era of the internet and youtube taught me this" thanks Bob, I’ll tell my grandson to subscribe don’t worry
Never requested for anyone to make a T-shirt before, but PLEASE MAKE A SHIRT THAT SAYS "Pretty much the whole snake is a neck." I will buy, you can hold me to that
I watched this a year ago after running across a freshly-killed rat-snake while out hiking (it had been pecked right through the head, probably by a roadrunner, and was still twitching but very definitely dead.) I took it home, skinned it and froze it, and then after watching your video got the ingredients together and tanned it to use for a hatband on my favorite hiking-hat. So I just wanted to say that it worked *perfectly*-- the skin came out supple and well-cured, and I'm really happy with the results! Thanks hugely!
Bob, I appreciate you mentioning, more than once, that you don't support needless killing of these animals. I see ignorant people left and right killing snakes(usually the harmless ones) and as a conservation minded outdoorsman and reptile lover I find it very disheartening. I found your video because I was looking for a way to preserve the skins of several road killed snakes I had recovered.
I'm actually watching this with my pet snake. Lol, don't worry he's going to live a long long time. I have some snakes that have passed or I found dead and want to skin them and use them for education. Get people to not be afraid of these beautiful creatures.
I actually am planning on hunting them down not because I'm afraid or anything but because I like the skin I see no harm in that. It's the same as hunting or trapped.
Thanks. Wish I’d known this some 20 years ago when harvested a monster 8 foot eastern diamondback. Found your channel today & have been binging. Good stuff man. Pray all works out with the peepers!!
When I was living in a jungle compound in Colombia, S.A., I had a pretty green and yellow pet snake that lived in a tree outside my bedroom window. we were pals. but some mean person killed it. Not far from that tree there was an ant nest. I skinned my snake and tacked very carefully to a long board and stood it over the ant nest. Those ants did the best job of cleaning I've ever seen in my life. ate every speck of meat and left the skin intact.
Linnea Beckman: Sorry about your snakehead. That would have been very interesting. Next time put it where it won't be in a path where wheels can get at it. The ants will probably find it like they find my kitchen.
I have used glycerin and antifreeze Works absolutely phenomenal makes the snakeskin stretchy like rubber also the different colors of antifreeze highlights different colors in the snakeskin
A tip for everyone watching, if your snake skin has been frozen for a year or so, shake the jar with the skin and liquid in it *gently* . I made that mistake and some scales started to fall off.
Mr. Hansler since watching your video about a year ago I've gotten many compliments on my hat band that I tanned the way you taught me how to I've got the head and rattle still attached and it looks pretty cool and I love how great the skin has stayed preserved with no sign of it ripping or falling apart like a skins we used to salt anyway many thanks!
I just found your channel and subed. You care, the videos are very well done and we can learn alot. "Thank you!!!" Learning how to stay alive in the middle of no where can save your life one day. Learning to use every part of an animal is great ! That animal helped you have food & tanning the skin, snake, rabbit or whatever will help you stay warm, make belts, shoes/boots whatever. Of course you're going to get the folks that don't take this seriously & maybe they think they'll never need this info. I wish those kind of folks would take it more seriously cause one day it may just save their life & maybe family members lives as well. Years ago when I was a life guard some folks laughed at me. (act. I was in Special Services in the Army) I said go ahead and laugh till YOU get in trouble in the water. That shut them up. It's the same here. Learn from the videos, thank the person for making them & remember what you've learned & pass it on. That can help save lives also.
Your information is always excellent. I have another compliment which is probably a little odd. You seem to be very well educated and your speech and grammar are excellent. LOL I truly appreciate that. I was raised by a former Arkansas hillbilly. His mother raised him with perfect speech and he raised me that way, in a very nice way. I lived in Texas for several years as well. Anyway, thank you for your excellent information and thank you for the way in which you deliver it.
Just took a Real nice Copperhead Skin out of the Solution and rolled it up to dry out. Thanks for sharing your knowledge on the subject. Much Appreciated. Cant wait to see how the finished product comes out. Thanks Again.
Great video. I live in Ky where we have plenty of coperheads. Planning to tan some skins to use when making knife sheaths. Thanks for sharing,very informative.
I'm loving all these snake-related videos. Prayers as you go through your ordeal. I hope you are back on the land, seeing well and sharing more with us all soon.
Amazing, I wish I knew this when I killed a timber rattler , which I also ate, years ago. I had to shoot it with a 22 rifle, I don't know how to handle posinous snakes with my hands and I am Terrified of them too. But I don't go around killing them unless I am going to eat it, my beliefs.
Glad I found your channel here. I grew up in west Texas (Big Spring and Andrews). I now live in Tennessee and these videos are bringing back some memories. Wish I had known of this method of preserving skins back then. I have subscribed and am working on watching your older videos. Great content.
+Kenneth McCluskey Much appreciated. I grew up in Odessa, spent most weekends and summers in and around the Davis Mountains and am now down here further South to stay. Try not to judge me too harshly for some of the older ones. Slowly getting better at this.
I worked at a fabrication company called Gemstar I believe in Odessa in the early 90's. I think I miss the dove and quail hunting most of all. Also, the semi desert areas have some unique beauty that can't be found anywhere else. I now live close to the Cherokee national forest in east TN and it has its own beauty as well....nothing like catching some of the native Brook trout in these clear mountain streams. So far I have seen nothing at all wrong with your videos....you seem to have some talent at getting your information across without going off on tangents. Will keep watching as long as you keep making videos. Stay safe!
Hi Bob, Hope you are doing well. A while back I watched your video to learn to tan a hide. I believe I asked it you could also do a dried skin as I had a skin from a big rattler that I killed in the spring and dried it instead of tanning using your method. I took the dried out skin and put it in the glycerin solution that I used for the fresh snake and instead of 7 days I did 9 days. Also after I rolled him on the stick I dried him in front of the fan for 7 days. He came out the same as the fresh skin. The results may not be the same for one that has been dried for a year or two but for one that was dry for 6 months it worked well. Thank you for all you do.
Awesome video!! Just came to watch it after watching the rattlesnake catch and cook video you did with Wooded Beardsman on his channel. Cool video, awesome skill to know. Although I probably won't ever get a chance to use it as I live in New Zealand and there's no snakes here. But if I travel overseas and come across a snake I have to kill/eat will definitely try this with the skin!! Cheers Bob, really enjoying your channel. Some really good stuff on it!!
Thank you Bob For sharing this method, not many people would, beautiful skins that’s for sure. Two ingredients they are now locked in my head. Thanks 👍👌🇬🇧
I agree with not killing any creature unnecessarily, but the only nice thing about rattle snakes is that they kill rats, which is what rat snakes do, like the Texas Lucios.
thanks Bob I got home from work today and found one in my yard not wanting any around the kids I now have a skin. I've always wanted to do this thanks again for all the great videos
Thanks for the video, dude! Very well done. I've been braintanning critters (mammals) for years...and never realized how simple it is to tan out snakes compared to the labour intensive process of making buckskin.
I've been using the solution for many years now.. where I learned from you is wrapping it up on a stick to dry and stretch it without damaging the skin. Thanks for the knowledge! I love the part where you said " im not out here killing rattlesnakes all the time, I'm rather against that" 👍👍 same here if I find em run over on the road and they are fresh enough I'll take the skin.
Well, watched ole Bob take the bite, suffer the consequence's of that, then the video eating said snake, and skinning of it. Sure didn't want to miss watching Bob preserve it. Great letting people know what's used Bob, that way a snake that does happen to meet it's demise doesn't totally go to waste. Nothing beats a well preserved snake skin. Glad to see you are doing good and looks like recovered from his bite.
Thank you for the great tutorial. I was wondering how to tan a snake correctly. I've seen people use salt and the skin turned out terrible. God Bleed you and your family. Mike Brady
Very informative video. Thanks for posting. I'll be tanning for the very first time, and it will be my first snake-skin, so thank you for the good instructions
Great video! I tan mine the same way. I live in the mojave desert (joshua tree, ca) and I find sidewinders all the time during the summer. I've been using gliceryne and alcohol since the first snake I tanned.
Please don't get me wrong, I'm a big fan of your videos, just that this is not a big secret. I've been doing this for about fifty years because it does work so well and have done many, many skins this way. I guess there are many people out there who have not heard of it and I think it's good that you can get the information to them, way too many nice skins being wasted. Thanks for sharing and take care !
Ken, have you used this solution on hides? such as racoon or other mammals? Or when you say skins - are you referring only to snakes and other reptiles? Also, if you have used it on a hide, did you scrap it before or after the soak in the solution? and Did you peg the hide or roll it up as Bob did? Any assistance would be great. Thanks. Bob - great vids, keep it up. Very informative as always.
Those are some beautiful skins! Thanks for the lesson. I only used the sun and salt whenever I did it and things did not turn out well in the long run.
Colt Egbert also in arizona I always come back to this video when ever I get one to give me some tips I use the rubbing alchohal and mineral oil tho but something draws me to this anytime I get one
Glad this was here! I was in California working a race and heard there was a rattlesnake. Grabbed a bucket and a broom handle to go help the little fella along, but by the time I got there some yahoo type had obliterated it’s head. I cussed him out for a bit till he wandered off and I decided to try and skin it so it didn’t die for nothing and did my best but then I had no idea how to tan it. My southern pacific rattler friend is now on day one of your method. Might use him as a backing on the neck of my guitar or just hang him next to my geckos.
Keep in mind the skinning didn’t go great considering that when it comes to dead things I’m about as city as it gets, but living reptiles are my forte.
Hi ya Bob! I just heard buy a commenter on WB channel that u were bit, read WB reply to him saying he posted news on community? (I never heard of it) anyway commenter told me to go to Wes s, I did. I am sooo glad ur okay, u spoke of when it’s ur time and mentioned tail of stingray, I knew who u were speaking of, Steve was a great guy, cried when that happened. Please be more careful Bob, I know u know what ur doing, u said it acted different from others, maybe it senses something is happening that we don’t (earth wise maybe or atmosphere) and what ever it is, is what put it out of character. I just happy that ur okay
Recovering. Snake stick will have to become edc. Planning on finding out if there are others there in the weeks to come. Close to a cave... and far to near the house.
Cool! Now I know how to tan our two Texas Rat Snake skins (they kept theiving our eggs from the chicken coop and killed one of our hens, so they had to go).
I live n E.Tennessee & as of yet haven't seen any rattlesnakes. The eastern diamondback is an animal to b on the lookout for when hiking or camping..but r not very common unless U venture deep n the back country. This would definitely b the process I'd use if I absolutely had to kill one. Now n a survival situation &the meat was needed for food, then I will utilize every part possible including the hide. Appreciate your videos for U have shown so much informative survival tips that would b helpful all over the country. Texas has a wealth of resources, but so has the eastern US. Thanks again.
My philosophy is the same as yours. I do not like killing and I won't but if there is something already dead I want to bring that back and preserve it so it can be appreciated and remembered:)
Hi ya Bob! I’ve never came across a rattlesnake, but I’ve caught other snakes with a forked stick. I’d have to have a 20 ft snake stick for a rattler, well, when u go looking for others, I hope their behavior is normal. Hope u get to feeling better. Thank u
I'm in West Texas and just killed a 52" Rattler just out me back door. He is gone for safety reasons, I have three small dogs that go out that door. Killed one in the spring close to a door that humans use. I skid both and the one from the spring is stiff but her was laid out on a board, can it be saved an preserved?
Good thing that you killed the snake! It would have been a shame if it had bitten one of your dogs (or even worse you). I am really an animal lover but when it comes to animals that actively endanger us or our pets I am strongely in favor of self (pet) preservation.
I completely agree that its not cool to kill snakes for fun, what I do is I'll look for them on the road and I'll keep the skins if they are already dead from cars
Dragoony12345 Much appreciated. I'll start producing videos within a weeks time on a daily basis. Appreciate the compliment and I'll try not to disappoint.
Nice video, I will have to try it out this year as it warms up here in SW New Mexico. I had to kill, one in the house, 12 rattlers just in one month last summer. All of them within 10 to 15 feet from my house. All Western Diamond Back or Majove rattelers. If they are as bad this year I will keep the skins and meat. Thanks agin.
i searched this video because i was fishing with my kids and i seen some DB across the pond kill a 3 and a half foot snake, and just tossed it in the woods. i put my rod down, walked over there took it and now its in my frying pan, and the skins in the freezer waiting till i go grab these materials. im in NH, nice black water snake
Do you flesh the skins with a dull knife first? I bagged a big wdb that was up to my ear! I need to know asap so I can go ahead and get him out of the freezer and get him tanned and hopefully mounted
We caught a big black snake in our yard. We live in a neighborhood, snakes don’t last. People kill them, hit by mowers and trimmers. We catch them and release far from people. We found one that had badly been wounded. We tried rehabilitating him, but he died. I buried him in the garden. I wish I had thought to skin him as that would have been so cool! He was over 4’ long and about inch and half around. Not near as cool as a rattle snake, but for sure would be interesting conversation piece hanging up in garage
Wow, very great way to do this. I haven't ever done snake skin tanning, but the only time I have seen it was the nail it down method. This is obviously superior! Hat band? Belt? :-)
Can you re moisturize a snake skin if it has been salted and tacked up? My dad has several diamond skins in his garage the he just salted and tacked and they've been in there for years. We have nothing to do with them. They just sit there all tacked up. If I could turn one of them into a band for a hat I just got then that would be great. At least the skin would be something beside some crap nailed to a garage wall.
So will this work for any kind of snake right? My inlaws live in the Philippines and have been known to kill Burmese pythons that are after the livestock. The snakes were about 12 to 15 feet long. They normally eat the whole snake except for the guts. I have tried to tell them to tan the skin but they tell me it's crunchy and tasty. Lol...
good job sir …. for every hour I spent harvesting animals or using nature I spend a day 24 hours preserving it...feeding, protecting and conserving it! A deer cant talk to congress but I can.... do you harvest the vemon?
Ok so I had to shoot a Timber Rattler that was near my 81 year old mother and 6 yr old grand daughter. Now my cousin wants me to skin and tan it for him. I'm in Alabama he's in Georgia or I'd tell him to do it his damn self! LOL I'm skeered of snakes!! So your video's have been VERY helpful, just hoping I can do this! I'll let you know if I have any questions! My cousin is really going to owe me for this one! He's making me a pen and that's nice but he may have to make me a wooden bowl or something too!! LOL
