# Self Sufficiency/Living off the Land or Off the Grid > Hunting & Trapping >  Snakes and do you eat them

## Beo

Gotta say I like snake meat, here's how to skin it.
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Gotta say its a real tasty treat if your hungry or just a good meal and packed with stuff you need. Yum yum.

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## tim

cool i never had snake meat before :Cool:

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## nell67

I have never had snake meat before,but I would not be against at least trying it.

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## Beo

The meat is considered a delicacy in most places, but in reality this is likely more to its rarity rather than wondrous taste! Most snake meat is stringy, light colored, and fairly chewy. It is very low in fat and easy to digest. Some cultures hold it in very high regard as a healing, healthy, energy-enhancing food. In any case, it is entirely edible and, properly prepared, very tasty. The concern over poison being in the meat should be relieved by the fact that all venom is in the jaw area removed with the head. If the snake has struck itself or been bitten by another snake, it is comforting to note that cooking removes all risks! Actually, the venom of most snakes can be ingested even fresh with no ill effect! Just eat and enjoy without worry.
The _meat_ is going to taste much like how it is fixed, seasoned, and cooked. Prepared like fish with corn meal, it will remind you of fish. Prepared like chicken, with a flour dip, it will taste strikingly like chicken. It can be smoked, broiled, boned for gumbo, made into pate, and basically cooked any way that is the favorite of the cook.
My favorite way is straight, in little chunks like a kabob over an open fire with a little pepper or hot suace.

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## Rick

I've had it but it's been years ago. I should go for the cheap joke and say it tasted like chicken but I don't even remember what it tasted like. It must not have been too awful because I don't remember it being bad. I wouldn't have any problems eating one if I had to.

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## Beo

I'd eat a good meal of it now if I had a snake.

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## tim

yum! rattlesnake my favert :EEK!:

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## Beo

There is an easy method that works reasonably well which I will share here with you. Apply a green antifreeze to the wet side of the skin. Leave this in the shade to dry slowly and repeat the application several times, being sure to cover the entire wet scraped surface. *Antifreeze is extremely hazardous to pets and must be used carefully!* After the skin has dried, remove and rub, or break it, over a surface corner like a table edge - much like shoeshine buffing rag. This last step is not necessary if you are planning a wall mount display. Just mount the skin on a the desired board and be done with it. Some people add some felt or pinked-cut edge to enhance their trophy! There are many applications for the finished hide to add a special personal touch to articles of clothing, hunting equipment, decorations, and the like. Bragging rights remain the exclusive domain of the snake killer.

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## Tony uk

I had snake meat in Greece a few years back, It was as far as i remember nice soft meat, Really good  :Smile:

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## beerrunner13

I love snake, ate it quite a bit at the last farm I worked on as we were over run with cotton mouths.  Made a dandy hat band out of one about 3 years ago, wish I had oiled and broke it, but it has held up pretty well.

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## FVR

I ate snake a few times while on lrrp's at the mnt. warfare in Indian Springs Ca.  They were a welcome treat after eating those darn mre's.

Pin them down, cut their heads off, gut them real fast, skin them and tie the skinned meat on a tree branch.  We would not cook it until it stopped moving.  Funny how a skinned, de headed snake will writh and squirm for an hour.

Once it stopped moving, we would put a stick in the cavity and stick it over the fire.

As for tanning the skins, we rolled them up and put them in plastic until we got back.  Then I just tacked them to a board, stretching them, and salted them.  Put them out and let them dry.

Few days later, roll it back up and keep for later.

When I wanted to use it, I unrolled it, scrapped off the salt, scrapped off the scales, and rubbed neats foot oil on the inside.  Then do what you want.

I have a USMC Moto vest that has two snake skins on the shoulder thingys, I prepared them just this way.  That was over 20 years ago.


I don't mess with snakes anymore.  First, really don't want to get bitten, second, I really don't want to get bitten, and third, they just plain stink.  If I need a pair of skins to back a bow, I'll trade for them or just pay the 40 bucks.  Lately, I just finish the sinew and leave it at that.

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## hillbilly1987

ive never had snake befor but i would eat it and give it a try

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## Ole WV Coot

It's not bad but don't let anybody give you that "it tastes just like chicken" garbage 'cause it sure don't. Kinda gotta watch skinning those momma snakes you should know those cute little things around it ain't night crawlers. I do like the skin and I use the pickling salt that's kinda coarse. Just get most all of the meat off, salt her down, roll her up and pop her in a freezer bag and it will make a darn good sap until you decide to use it then do as the man said, work it over a limb, board, fence whatever until it softens then you can work it up any way you want.

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## canid

snake is a meat i'm supprised isn't eaten more often in north america. i love the stuff.

i skin, dress up the length of the belly side, remove the viscera then remove the separate up each side from the spine with my thumb and fore-finger, about face then continue it back down the tail from where i started. works with a little practice and makes less hassle then just steaking it as many people do.

i first had the stuff in chili. i like it in asian food when i get the chance aswell.

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## GVan

While in the military, I.ve seen snakes of all types eaten in the majority of the world's cultures.  Usually, though, it's reserved as a treat for the men, but ladies, don't be affraid to try some for your self.  Each  type of snake and region in which they live offers a different taste sensation.

The orential medical tradition places great reverence in the medicinal powers of snakes.  

The poision of most, I won't go further than that, snakes is a protein and is easily broken down inside the HEALTHY human digestive system.  Just be sure to carefully dispose of the fangs.  The fangs can pierse the stomach lining and gicing the undigested poison clear access to the blood vessels.

Cajuns of Louisiana have been eateng snakes in soups, stews, gravies, or just grilled ever since Bienville traveled up the Mississippi.

Sooo,... Eat your snake in good health.

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## chiggersngrits

back in the mid 70's I went camping in n.e. arkansas with an uncle and 2 cousins. we camped on the bank of a small river. we set up a trot line and then went wade fishing. i was about 14 at the time and was using the ol' zebco 202 with a little beatle spin for a lure. we were tearing um up, when all of the sudden the handle came off in my hand. then nut had fallen off and into the water. i stood there thinking well thats it for me fishing. i looked down and couldn,t believe it i could see the nut lying on the bottom of river. about three feet deep. i retrieved the nut, put my handle back on and got back in the action.we were catching goggle eye. they looked like crappie but had big bulged out eyes. we got back to camp and checked the trot line. along with a few more goggle eyes we had caught a 4 to5 foot snake and a soft shell turtle about ten inches across the shell. my uncle called it a pancake turtle. we cleaned about a dozen fish, the snake and the turtle. we nailed the snake skin to a tree. we cooked it all dipped in seasoned cornmeal and deep fryed it on the camp fire in a cast iron pot. man it sure was good , best i can remember all three tasted pretty much the same. my uncle passed away about 4 months ago and this is one of my best memories of him.

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## beerrunner13

Soft shell turtle is great we catch some pretty big ones here.  No fun to clean but well worth the work.

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## Assassin Pilot

*goes in backyard*

*grabs snack by the tail and attempts to strangle*

*realizes he has the wrong end*

*drops snake quickly and runs away fast*

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## Beo

*Why Eat Snakes?*
Why not? I didn't claw my way to the top of the food chain to be a vegetarian Anyway, these things are dangerous. They will bite you and deliver a world of hurt given half the chance. When's the last time you heard of a chicken doing that? I say give the chickens a break today and let's eat some snake.
There is an environmentalist movement that is against the killing of rattlesnakes for food. Of course there is. They think it's cruel. Despite what these people say, snakes proliferate very efficiently in the wild. Besides, at least this kind of meat is the result of hunting. Snakes are not bred for human consumption - there's something humanly honest and ancestrally connective about that. Is the scene of a massive field of cattle being gently led to the slaughter their portrayal of a humane meat industry?

*Snake Chili*1 large onion, chopped
3 large garlic cloves, minced 
1 red bell pepper, chopped
3 jalapeno peppers, chopped
1 28 oz. can diced tomatoes
1 15 oz. can tomato paste
1 28 oz. can chili beans
1/4 cup chili powder
2 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. black pepper
2 lb. snake meat
juice from 1/2 lemon
Simmer snake in water and lemon juice for 1 hour, remove and separate meat from bones. Combine de-boned meat with the rest of the ingredients in a crockpot and slow-cook for 6-8 hours, or bring to boil in large cooking pot and simmer for 2 hours.
Holy crap now I'm real hungry :Big Grin:

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## Beo

SOUTHERN FRIED SNAKE
1 egg
salt to taste
1 tsp. minced garlic
1 tsp. seasoning salt mix
3/4 cup milk
1 tsp. pepper
flour
1 snake
Cut snake meat into 4 inch lengths. Beat egg and milk. Mix spices with  flour in a separate bowl. Preheat deep fat fryer with cooking oil. Dip snake into egg mixture and then in flour mixture and place it in hot oil. Cook until golden brown and crispy like fried fish. Serve with french fries.
Mmmmmmm Mmmmmmmmmmmmm Good!

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## canid

haven't had turtle in a while. i tend to eat those outside, so i don't have to bone them. just eat meat off of bones, right out of the carapace, and spit on ground.

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## trax

I've never eaten a snake. Turned one loose in school once, but that was just for fun. I wouldn't hesitate mind you, if it's meat, let's eat!

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## Jericho117

Snake is pretty good. Last summer at the lake there were hundreds of huge Water Snakes like 4 feet long, and I killed a couple with my slingshot and cooked them up. This summer I hope to get a few with my bow.

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## Jericho117

Iv'e never had turtle meat, there is plenty of Snapping Turtles hear, but I heard somewhere not to eat Box turtles up north because they eat poisonous berries and mushrooms and if you eat that species you can become ill, no matter how long you cook it, so I avoid those type. But I have braces so I can't eat tough meat like turtle.

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## canid

i don't believe that jive about the box turttles.

turttle is not tough meat, unless you cook it that way.

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## Jericho117

Oh, didn't know that. I thought it was tough meat no matter what, my error. But I recieved that information, I think, from Army Survival.

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## canid

turtle as i eat it, is well baked/steamed in a fire in it's own carapace, and is a little stringy in texture, but soft, and occasionaly, seems over cooked.

many people like to eat turtle soup, wherin the flesh is quite tender.

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## Rick

There was a post on here about how to clean them.

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## beerrunner13

I missed that post.  I genraly use a hatchet to separate the shell at the joints, skin the legs and then cube all the meat.  Either boil it first and use it for stew or batter any fry it in oil.  I have roasted it a few times I will have to try steaming them.

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## Rick

Well, I thought there was but I can't locate it. Anyway, here is a link to cleaning turtles. CAUTION: If you are easily squeamish, don't go there. This shows the actual steps. 

http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-clean-a-turtle/

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## Rick

Here's an instructable on cleaning a snake and it contains a link on cooking it. CAUTION: If you are easily squeamish, don't go there. This shows the actual steps. 

http://www.instructables.com/id/How-...-a-Dead-Snake/

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## beerrunner13

Thanks Rick, sort of how I do it looks like there is no easy way

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## wareagle69

been trying to get my wife to eat snake for years she just says its gross

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## canid

i like to cook turtle first, as the shell becomes more easily removed. i haven't tried, but i bet you could do it with a good hot parboil.

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## GVan

> Soft shell turtle is great we catch some pretty big ones here.  No fun to clean but well worth the work.


You should try a 150 pound alligator snapping turtle for some real fun. Not only do they have the strongest shell you've ever seen,  but until you kill them, they can take off your fingers.

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## canid

most any turtle over 12" could take off a finger, so that should always be a concern.

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## Jay

Greeting all.  I'm back after a long trip.  
A couple of words of caution.  once you lop the snakes head off dont play around with it. the biting reflex lasts for about 30-45min after the head is severed and can still diliver a dose of venom as the venom glands are located just behind or around the orbits.  so you can get envenomated by a severed head.
I agree that most snakes are good eating although most are pretty bland.  Kraits(Bangarus sp) on the other hand are rubbery, bitter and will leave a bitter aftertaste in your mouth all day.
chees!

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## nell67

Welcome back Jay!

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## crashdive123

Hey Jay - welcome back.

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## Excalibur

Snake is a very rare dish around my place ever since mama came out and ran in to the three rattlers (dead already) I was fixin to skin...she didnt talk to me for a week course she was probobly horse from all the racket she made

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## Rick

Welcome back, Jay. It sure is good to see you!!

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