It's that time of year again

[am44mag]

Just killed my second snake of the week. Probably a 4 foot rat snake that decided it wanted in our birdhouse and took up shop about a foot from our front door. It's gonna be a long summer.

[marlin39a]

I haven't seen any snakes yet. And I've been looking. Maybe it's the severe drought we are under. Gopher snakes are common here, with the usual Diamondback rattlers.

[Idaho45guy]

Yep. Mowed my yard yesterday and stumbled across two big garter snakes. Scare the heck out of me every time even though they are harmless and good for the environment. Had a rattlesnake show up at the local movie theater entrance last week. Those are super rare up here.

[am44mag]

Make that 3. Son of a gun was on the awning over our front door, and man was he a mean one! Another rat snake after our birds.

I'm fine with Garter snakes. We rarely see them, and they don't do any harm. These rat snakes look a little too much like water moccasins (we have plenty of those), and like to get a little too close to our house for my liking though. Dang things used to give us hell when we had chickens too. I haven't seen a rattler this year (knock on wood), but they're common.

[MaryB]

Big bullsnake living out back by the field. Since he moved in my gopher population has been almost nil. Saw a half dozen garter snakes with a 3' one living next to my front door in a hole by the foundation. Hisses at you LOL

[bikerbeans]

My Jack Russells got 2 garters this weekend, both in a small fenced in yard. I saw the 2nd snake before the terriers but they are a bit quicker than me. They love to play snake tug of war but I don't think the serpants enjoy the dog's game very much.

BB

[AllanD]

I haven't seen my neighborhood rat snake for several years, but that isn't what I am most interested in I haven't seen any copperheads in nearly a decade, I used to have a cat that considered them the "perfect" chew toy. but that cat lost an argument with a car before someone says I shouldn't let my cat outdoors, He was a "volunteer cat" and "Let" him out was not the issue Keeping him in against his WILL was.

[Thundarstick]

I see snakes, I just don't tell my wife about them![smilie=1: Generally, I just don't kill snakes.

[Thumbcocker]

6' blue racer around the garden. Snakes have nothing to fear here.

[DerekP Houston]

I saw a few in benbrook while I was fishing last week, its already gettin' hot out there yall.

[Mal Paso]

We could use a few snakes this year, gophers are the worst I've ever seen. I wouldn't turn away a rattler this year. Fortunately a juvenile Redtail Hawk has been hanging out and what gophers are left are keeping their heads down.

[MaryB]

3' garter snake by the front door wasn't happy today. I ran the garden hose past his den and he struck at me LOL I slapped him on the head and he backed off... I don't want to kill him. To many mice around here!

[glockfan]

seems like garter snakes are welcome and handy ,good pest controllers .

is there any of you guys who eat them from time to time?

my buddy living in texas is affirmative that he don't back off from sliced and fried rattle snakes!!!

is this legend,or is it true?

[Handloader109]

My six foot black runner/rat snake was in our backyard about a week ago, I moved him out a bit, see him once in a while. Missed getting a rattler about a foot long last week, couldn't get the tractor stopped /turned around fast enough and he went through fence and escaped. Killed his brother near my front door a month ago.... Yep they are out

[Johnch]

I was fishing at the pond next to the gun clubs backstop ( Where 50% of the dirt came from ) and I saw 5 Black Water snakes on the rocks
With several Fox and Garter snakes in the weeds behind the 100 yard backstop
I am NOW 100% sure winter is over LOL

John

[RKJ]

I had to corral a 3' Black snake here the other day. I was mowing and must have disturbed him as he came out of the bushes and was heading for the house. (I've found 2 of his cousins in the house and don't want any more in there, thank you very much). :) I gently persuaded him to go to the woods and away from the house. He went to the woods and I went back to mowing, neither one the worse for wear.

[am44mag]

seems like garter snakes are welcome and handy ,good pest controllers .

is there any of you guys who eat them from time to time?

my buddy living in texas is affirmative that he don't back off from sliced and fried rattle snakes!!!

is this legend,or is it true?

Never had any myself but yes, people do eat rattler. I heard it tastes a bit like chicken. I wouldn't shy away from it either. Weird things can taste very good. I've had frog legs, crawfish, gator tail, and squirrel. All were good enough I'd eat them again if given the chance.

Crawfish Étouffée over fried catfish is a special kind of heaven.

[MaryB]

Rattler is okay to eat... kind of a dry fishy chicken flavor...

[glockfan]

Never had any myself but yes, people do eat rattler. I heard it tastes a bit like chicken. I wouldn't shy away from it either. Weird things can taste very good. I've had frog legs, crawfish, gator tail, and squirrel. All were good enough I'd eat them again if given the chance.

Crawfish Étouffée over fried catfish is a special kind of heaven.

ah! thanks for the first hand info. exactly what i've been told.taste a little like chicken.i'd try,seems like any meat after all; it's all kasher to me

[Idaho45guy]

Rattler is okay to eat... kind of a dry fishy chicken flavor...

Exactly. Tastes a lot like wild pheasant.

[am44mag]

Got another one today while mowing. Some kind of black snake. Very similar to a rat snake, but the back was almost pure black and the white belly had more markings on it. Wasn't a cottonmouth, but at a glance it sure looked like one.

[MaryB]

As I mowed last night I saw 2 huge bull snakes out back. Big enough to leave a wake as they went through the tall grass... saw them as they hit the clear spot inside my wild patch I can't mow.

[Preacher Jim]

Mower got a copperhead Saturday so they are out here..

[Minerat]

Rattler is kinda stringy as I recall and not much meat on the prairie rattlers in NE Colorado. I'll tell you once was enough for me unless it was all I could get. I think I'd go for a bowl of sage brush first.

[Tom W.]

The last rattler I ate was bony, tough and stringy... I probably needed to find someone who really knows how to prepare one....

[glockfan]

The last rattler I ate was bony, tough and stringy... I probably needed to find someone who really knows how to prepare one....

haven't been introduced to the meat myself yet (while it,s definitely on my list when i'll visit my buddy in el paso) , but seems like sliced thin and rolled in seasonned breading then fried gives a tender treat. also,seems like a cold one is the side order by excellence. i guess the snack itself is a part of a folkloric things of the mid west?

[TXGunNut]

seems like garter snakes are welcome and handy ,good pest controllers .

is there any of you guys who eat them from time to time?

my buddy living in texas is affirmative that he don't back off from sliced and fried rattle snakes!!!

is this legend,or is it true?

Quite good but easy to overcook. A bigger snake makes better eating because smaller portions will be overcooked before the crust browns.

I don't much care for rat snakes but have a little one (less than 3') under the back porch. I had a big cranky one in my warehouse at work over ten years ago. Didn't have much trouble with salesmen or rodents for a week or so.

[am44mag]

haven't been introduced to the meat myself yet (while it,s definitely on my list when i'll visit my buddy in el paso) , but seems like sliced thin and rolled in seasonned breading then fried gives a tender treat. also,seems like a cold one is the side order by excellence. i guess the snack itself is a part of a folkloric things of the mid west?

You're making me hungry enough to go out back and start overturning stuff just so I can try that...

[glockfan]

You're making me hungry enough to go out back and start overturning stuff just so I can try that...

LOL!!!!!...you guys are quite willing to....... . i can't picture myself living with rattlers around.i think i would wear cow boy boots year round in fear of getting bitten . rattle snakes bites gives you a nice fever , strong flue alike symptoms i heard ; i'd prefer to kill them and eat them if it happens,but i for sure wouldn't run after them in the field. while they are good critter hunters,so it keeps the household free of those, but i bet that seeing some specimens electing your yard as house isn't really fun especially if you have young kids ....but i know we humans ,we're quite adaptable and flexible as the environnement we live in . we cope with what we have to.