snakes

[DennisStrickland]

we all grew up with rattlers & learned early on to watch where you put your hands & feet. on 2 ocassions when i was standing very still watching a deer i've had rattlers pass next to my feet. i kinda like the old meanies since they are a part of nature that actually rids us of rats & mice.since these snakes were always in the bush we never had any fear we just paid attention to our surroundings. i consider wasps to be more of a nusiense. i've never seen an aggressive rattler & let them alone unless they are in close to camp. if a dog is with you it's probably good to dispatch the snake since dogs do'nt understand the danger. my brothers lab took 2400$ to fix so economics dictate a killing sometimes.

 

[runninmike]

I used to kill all of them that I would see, but as I have aged a little, I am more fascinated by them and realize how important they are to our eco system.
I wouldn't be above dispatching rattlers in my camp, or if they were invading my yard endangering the dogs or people. We used to drive out to rural roads(montana) after a summer rain and they would crawl up to the middle of the road where the heat of the day was captured for warmth. We would kill them with rocks or shovels. Looking back, totally unnecessary and regretful acts.
*Forgot to mention that I had a small one rub against my blue jeans as I was sitting on the bank of a creek baiting a hook. I felt a small movement and realized a creature was there. When I looked down and registered in my mind what was sliding by me, I stood up in a fluid movement and pinned his head to the earth with my fish pole and shouted for my dad who came over and cut it's head off with his uncle henry trapper. The little guy was about 16" long and had 1 little nub on it's tail. It was a prairie rattler which is the only kind I had always seen in Montana. Others said they saw diamond backs but I don't believe it as I don't think they are indigenous to the area.