Only good snakes have Goodyear tracks on their back or a large bullet hole in their carcass.
To protect and serve, rural style.
- Thread starter Faulkner
- Start date
That "Western rat snake" looks too much like a rattler to me.
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When I first read the OP's narrative, my imagination filled-in
'western ratTLE snake'
and I proceed to marvel at the jutzpah, or reckelessness, that you displayed,
LOL.
'western ratTLE snake'
and I proceed to marvel at the jutzpah, or reckelessness, that you displayed,
LOL.
I thought the same thing. No way I’d grab it, even with heavy gloves.
Like I’ve been saying for years, every well equipped household should have a sword.
That doesn’t always kill ‘em. We’ve run over a number of rattlers in Wyoming. They writhe around for a few minutes, then slither off. Those suckers are tough.
I honed a technique over the years. When I see one on a gravel road, I wait until I’m just about on it, slam on the brakes and skid over it. That seems to do the trick.
The ranch owner told us when you kill one, your suppose to chop of the head and hang the body on a fence. She said it brings rain. Yeah, right! Not me….
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When I was a young feller, going to college, I worked summers on the
railroad section gang. Every Friday someone would have to walk the
track. That would be walking the entire section, carrying tools, looking
for any broken rail, loose bolts, etc.
About every 4th week it would be my turn. Almost aways I would come
across a rattler basking in the sun. They loved to lay in that gravel near
the steel in the hot sun.
One time a rattler was curled up under the rail. I stood on the rail and
dangled my shovel down in front of him. He struck, and the venom
ran down the shovel. Probably didn't feel too good for his teeth either.
railroad section gang. Every Friday someone would have to walk the
track. That would be walking the entire section, carrying tools, looking
for any broken rail, loose bolts, etc.
About every 4th week it would be my turn. Almost aways I would come
across a rattler basking in the sun. They loved to lay in that gravel near
the steel in the hot sun.
One time a rattler was curled up under the rail. I stood on the rail and
dangled my shovel down in front of him. He struck, and the venom
ran down the shovel. Probably didn't feel too good for his teeth either.
Not afraid of snakes, lizards or most other four legged critters. Two legged snakes, lizards, and rats, yeah they are not high on my friends list. Now I do have an extreme prejudiced against spiders of any tribe.
I was a young lad of maybe 4 or 5 and my dad who was not afraid of anything (that i know of) sent me to the basement of our then new house to get a tool for him. I went down and walked into a wolf spider web that was likely larger then myself. And of coarse the spider was sitting in the middle waiting for a fly. I was just that size in comparison. Dad never could get me to go down to the basement after that unless he had gone down first. Today the best cure I know of for a spider is to suck them up in a vacuum and let them out when I empty the canister.
Hopefully they have had a trip though the impeller first. I'm not real crazy about ants and other 6 legged critters either. Palmetto bugs being the exception because they make great targets.
An aside; did you know that if you see a rat swimming and you put 40 grains of lead in it's ear it can't swim any longer?
I was a young lad of maybe 4 or 5 and my dad who was not afraid of anything (that i know of) sent me to the basement of our then new house to get a tool for him. I went down and walked into a wolf spider web that was likely larger then myself. And of coarse the spider was sitting in the middle waiting for a fly. I was just that size in comparison. Dad never could get me to go down to the basement after that unless he had gone down first. Today the best cure I know of for a spider is to suck them up in a vacuum and let them out when I empty the canister.
Hopefully they have had a trip though the impeller first. I'm not real crazy about ants and other 6 legged critters either. Palmetto bugs being the exception because they make great targets.
An aside; did you know that if you see a rat swimming and you put 40 grains of lead in it's ear it can't swim any longer?
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Raid or Hot Shot will kill "em" dead as dove folded by a load of 6's.
As Clint Eastwood famously said, a man’s gotta know his limitations. I do.
Looking at that photo, my scream would have likely been as loud as that lady’s, followed by a series of gunshots that would have likely missed.
I’m not snakophobic per se, but “big snake plus surprise” would test my limits
+ 100 percent
I thank you guys and gals for all the things you do. My sincere wish is that this would be the most dangerous call that any of you would ever have to deal with!
^^^^^ took ya long enough.
Puller
Member
Doug M.
Member
It was not time. I will never forget that photo. I will never cease describing your value in a manner that would get me banned if I posted it here.
I know you gotta be tough to be a rancher in Wyoming, but only one thing comes to mind when I see that photo.Jeez, I guess I haven't posted this in a while, maybe it's time.
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Whit
Member
Way back in the 60’s as a young officer, I was working an extra job at one of the local banks providing traffic control at a multiple drive up window banking location. Two of the drive up windows were stand alone facilities across the street from the other windows. The teller working one of those windows, who by the way was pregnant, opened the door and called to me that the driver of the car at her window wanted to talk to me. She looked rather pale and immediately closed the door. Red flags waved in my mind as I approached the rear of the vehicle. My first thought was bank robber. The operator of the vehicle was the only person in the car. As I reached the rear of the vehicle, I unsnapped the holster strap over my Model 29. About that time the driver began to swivel toward me with something long and dark in both hands. My immediate thought was shotgun. I pulled my revolver as the man’s face turned to me and rung his nose with that old 44 and instructed him not to move. Fortunately he complied immediately. What he had in his hands was a realistic looking long black rubber snake. When the teller opened the drawer to take his deposit, he ran the snake into the drawer toward her. She almost delivered the baby she was carrying right there out of fright. That was the reason for her pale face. After realizing there was no real danger, I did not move my revolver. I gave him some friendly advice, while I had his undivided attention, about scaring folks with his pet. I’m quit sure the barrel of that 44 looked a bit like a cannon while in contact with his nose. We came to an agreement that it probably was not good for him to keep the “snake” in his vehicle to frighten people. After I reholstered he related that he had put it out the window toward a motorcycle rider who almost wrecked when he saw the rubber reptile. After being informed that if I ever saw him out with his buddy again, I would find some charge to put him so far under the jail it would be necessary to pipe sunlight into him. Thought sure I’d get complained on by him, but never did. Some folks just have a warped sense of what is funny and acceptable as a practical joke. I would be willing to bet that is one thing he never did again…or at least i hope so.
Beemer-mark
Member
There's a good reason why it's called a RAT snake. Never could understand why people get so hysterical when they see a snake, or why they think they have to kill it. Great story though, sent it on to the LEO's in the family.
Having it suddenly appear right close to your face would be a test your arterial strength till you figured out what it was.
Even though they have no hands or feet, a top speed of 10mph and even though 7 times as many people a year in the US are killed by dogs, a lot of people are deathly afraid of snakes. You are 15 times more likely to get killed by a falling tree than a snake. Yet, almost nobody is afraid of trees. Go figure.
Even though they have no hands or feet, a top speed of 10mph and even though 7 times as many people a year in the US are killed by dogs, a lot of people are deathly afraid of snakes. You are 15 times more likely to get killed by a falling tree than a snake. Yet, almost nobody is afraid of trees. Go figure.
