Beware the tall grass

[WheelgunConvert]

I had several copperhead and cottonmouths around the last couple of years. All the king snakes disappeared after the 2016 flood.
This year I know of 3 of these kings and haven’t seen any of the C&Cs so far.

[MaryB]

Bull snake was sunning as I mowed, up on top of a grassy mound I don't mow(to steep). He looked at me as I went by 3 feet away and laid right back down. I think he knows I am not a threat considering how many times I have been within feet of him.

[Lloyd Smale]

I think I would have discarded the head neck heart and liver and ground the rest into burger.

I didn't butcher it. Stressed Bullock beef isn't that toothsome- even without the venom. Legally, I can't round up the snakes as the Eastern Timber rattler(velvet tail) is on the protected list. But they thrive here. A year ago my old dog Buster laid on a copperhead and got bit on the ribs. Benadryl and antibiotics saved him. At least one good thing has come from the wild hog plague- no more Cottonmouth moccasins. Those snakes have NO sense of humor.
Thunderstick mention the chiggers- I am extremely fortunate to be immune to both chiggers and poison ivy. Neither one has ever bothered me thank goodness!

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[curdog]

Sorry for your loss. Its a shame to lose livestock that way.

[john.k]

A loss alright...at Wednesdays sales at Toogoolawah,yearling bulls were selling for $1100,about $800US......so thats a loss.

[Idaho45guy]

I'm very scared of snakes, but I've had to deal with them in a professional capacity as a park ranger years ago. I used to patrol 130 miles of the Snake river in Idaho and Washington and whenever a rattlesnake was reported in a visitor area, I had to go kill it. No sidearm, so I used a shovel to kill a few. Ran over a couple with my patrol vehicle.

A couple of years ago, a friend of mine asked for help doing DNA research on rattlesnake venom in order to develop more effective antivenom. He was capturing rattlesnakes and taking blood and venom samples.

So, I spent a few hours driving around the back roads near the Snake river catching rattlesnakes and handling them to take samples. Thought it would help to get over my fear. Nope. Still scream like a little girl when a snake surprises me...

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[AllanD]

Mary- one of our un-Tommed cats has killed two baby rattlesnakes and presented them on the porch for us to inspect. I hope he doesn't mess with any bigger ones!

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A decade ago I had a tomcat who's favorite play toy was a baby copperhead!
I'd take one away from him and he'd take off and be back with another in 10min or less.

Oddly that cat never bothered with the 4' eastern milk snake that lives under the upright freezer in the garage. Or for the big black snake (Descriptive, I don't know what species it is) that lives under my toolbox... but If I ever again see the 6' timber rattler I saw under my wood rack, I'll burn my entire supply of firewood to kill it!


If I didn't take it away from him he'd play with it for half an hour or so, slapping it silly and making it strike at him until the snake got tired before eventually biting it's head off and eating the rest.