[Skeletor]

I have a cow pond on my property and I have read that turtles can eat up to 50 pounds a day of fish that I have stocked. I also see alot of snakes in there (at least 5 at first glance), what would be the best gun for shooting snakes on the water?

[Tilt]

I would sit on our pond and shoot them with a 10/22. We were surrounded by several hundred acers on three sides, so I didn't have to worry about any people or house where I was shooting. Depending on how big the pond is, a 410 or 20 ga would be good. I have been known to blast them with an AR also.

[1984cj]

Wait for the snakes to come out of the water and shoot them would be the best way. Secondary would be to shoot at them with a shotgun. If you use a rifle/pistol your round can skip like a rock and still be dangerous on the other side.
On the other hand, non-poisonous snakes are good for the environment and cull the rodent population.

[Catfish]

It`s going to take a minty big pile of turtles to eat 50 lbs. of fish a day.

[rickrem700]

I'm sure there alot more rodents than snakes, and they can live a few weeks off one small mouse, so I would just let them do there job, they have there place in the system, don't disrupt the balance, I think it is wasteful, to kill something for no good reason at all, However if for what ever reason you feel you must carry out your plan, I would have to say a shotgun would be the safe way to go, I tried eating a rattlesnake down in florida about 10 years ago and I must say it was Great!!! I don't know if they all tast the same, I'm assuming so, if you kill them, you may want to try it, the lady that cooked the raddlesnake I got some of just cut off its head thats were all the poison is and striped the skin right off like knowbody's business from there she rinsed it off and and layed strips of bacon in tinfoil along with Mr. Snake, and cooked it at 350 for 20 minuts,outstanding!!! Try it, It dose not tast like chicken.

[Murray]

We have a little 6 acre lake in front of our house, and last year I had my friend that's a professional trapper bring some of his turtle traps and in about a weeks time he had caught 250+ red-ear and soft shells, and a dozen big loggerheads. Those dozen loggerheads could easily eat a lot of my fish. Big fish, too! The red-ears and softy's are bad enough about eating your fish, but those big fellas really take a toll on your gamefish population.
The surest way to get rid of snakes, is to tape a fish hook to an egg with a piece on mono tied to a log or tree. The snake will swallow the egg, then crush it, and when he goes to regurgitate the shell, the hook will catch him. Then it will be easy to dispense with him.

[longshot]

Turtles are you main worry when it comes to your fish, but snakes will play a small role in that as well. The snakes major role will be outside the waters with your other rodent populations. If you do insist on using a firearm to curtail your snake population consider the ammo you use. Firing rounds of lead buckshot or other bullets into your waters can be more devestating to your fish. Not to sound like a tree hugger, but lead poisoning is something you need to keep in mind. A few turtle traps might not be a bad idea either to get a estimate on you turtle population.