Blacksnake

Stacy E. Apelt - Bladesmith

Stacy E. Apelt - Bladesmith

ilmarinen - MODERATOR
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Knifemaker / Craftsman / Service Provider
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Yesterday I walked out back to the woodshop and there was a 5-6 foot blacksnake sunning itself on the path. I looked at it closely, picked it up, and took it to the blackberry patch to let it go.

Now, many of you will say, "Big deal. I see blacksnakes everywhere." But, I live in the middle of a big city, and haven't seen a blacksnake in my yard for over ten years. I was very glad to see it. I have spent a lot of time to create an animal friendly habitat for the animals in my little spot. I have attracted a fox ( he lives under the wood shop), some 'possums ( they live under the smithy), dozens of raccoons, blue herons, woodpeckers,birds,etc. I really like snakes, and was happy to see they are back. Years back it was impossible to work in the yard and not find a blacksnake or green snake, today the green snakes are gone from our city ( pollution), and the blacksnakes are scarce.

Stacy
 
Stacy thats awesome, I really enjoy wildlife and where I live we have kinda adopted a hawk I guess you could say, he comes to the exact same place in front of our yard at least a couple days a week, I have also been lucky to see a couple of eagles dancing close by where I live. The wildlife services released some eagles 5 to 6 years ago here on lake martin and they have done very well. I have a real tender heart towards wildlife, and Good for you starting your own little wildlife sanctuary!!!
 
Lycosa said:
That's a great story. Thanks. There's room here for all.
Click to expand...

Not at my house, or atleast where my wife is concerned. She will tell you that there are only 3 things that she is really afraid of. Live Snakes, Dead Snakes and Sticks that look like snakes. :) She believes that all should die and die a slow horrible death. :) She almost made me kill a king snake that lived in the back. Lucky for the snake she has not seen it since she got her new shotgun.
 
We get a few snakes where I live. They're more common in the tall grassy areas a few miles from me. You could come by and get a few :p
 
We have blacksnakes as well as timber rattlers. I pick up the black snakes but I give the rattlers all the space they want.

Happy to hear about the green space you have, Stacy.:thumbup:
 
I once told my GF that one of the ways to identify a poisonous snake is to look at the eye.In the poisionous ones the pupil is a vertical slit while the safe ones have a round pupil ! She said I was crazy if I thought she would get that close to a snake !!
 
In my youth ( age 15-19) I caught and sold venomous snakes ( and non-poisonous ones,too) to herpetariums on the east coast. I made about $1000 a year ( which was a lot) doing it, and doing snake demos. In 1967, my Buddie and I drove a load of about 100 water moccasins down to Capt. Jack's Monkey Farm, on 301 (long gone,now). There we met Ross Allen to sell the snakes ( he's long gone,too). We were in a Simca, and boy did that thing full of snakes stink.
Stacy
 
Only 2 kinds of snakes in the world as far as I'm concerned..... copperheadedwaterrattlers and dead copperheadedwaterrattlers.

A couple of years ago it was an early Saturday morning, kids ran out to play, kids ran back in hollering. 4' rattler on the porch..... carefully applying a baseball bat ended that problem, next week found another one in the dryer. I put wire over all the openings into the house after that.
 
So you can have copperheadedwaterrattlers's skin inlays in your sheaths for free?
 
I hate snakes... especially during bow season, I've had them hit me on the way to my stand, course I figure that's a sign not to hunt that day and usually head back to the cabin.
 
I agree Will. Living in close proximaty to dangerous critters gives you a different outlook on such things. I agree that they are part of being there but then again, so am I.
 
I have feeders for the squirrels, small birds and a peanut feeder for blue jays. Now one of the blue jays has learned how to do several of the screetches and calls the eagles and hawks make. He has taken to making their calls to scare off the other blue jays when he wants the peanut feeder to himself.
 
I get black snakes and rat snakes around the porch and in the driveway all the time. I live in the boonies so I'm used to it. Get deer running around the yard at night and the skunks and possums eat with the cats. I did have to kill a good size black snake a while back though. My niece and nephew were playing in the yard when I noticed one raised up about 3 feet hissing and striking. Whapped it with a machete. They usually just mind their business though.
 
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