Living in Arizona I've had my share of experiences with snakes and other reptiles. Multiple close calls but, fortunately, none with a bad ending.
Close call #1: When I was about 10 my friends and I were running and playing in the desert around their corrals. Taking a break I sat down on a fair sized log on the ground. My friends came up to join me and just before they sat down they jumped back and yelled, "look behind you". There was a diamondback rattler curled up about a foot behind me. I jumped up quick. The rattler appeared to be sound asleep. He wasn't posed to strike and didn't move at all until someone poked him with a long stick. He was about 6 feet long and put on a good show once he'd been riled up.
Close (and stupid) call #2: As a boy scout our troop was camping in the mountains near home. One of us found a large flat rock that wobbled one way or another depending on where we stood. Fun for us, until our scout leader discovered what we were doing, was the buzzing sound that came from under the rock each time we wobbled it one way or another. Rattlesnake was apparently in its burrow under the rock and we were disturbing it's nap time.
Close call #3: Listen to the dog! Early morning's first task was to go feed and water animals. Usually I stumbled half asleep out the back door and wasn't awake until I got to the feed shed. This time I stepped out the back door but our dog got in the way and kept barking at something. Then I saw the rattlesnake coiled up and ready in the path just a couple steps away.
Close call #4: That's enough nature for me. Shortly after my spouse and I were married we went fishing at Roosevelt Lake. The trail to the lake was down a fairly steep hill and through lots of cat claw bushes. (Yes, every branch is loaded with very sharp hooked claws, like a cat, but lots more of them). I was leading the way with fishing pole and tackle box in hand. My fishing line got caught by the cat claw and I stopped in the trail to unhook it from the bush. My wife walked around me on a little side path and continued down the trail. I got my line unhooked and started to take a step when I saw the rattler square in the trail, coiled up and loaded for a strike. He hadn't rattled at all. Another step and a half and he'd have nailed me. I backed up and went around. We made it to the lake and just settled down by the water to get our fishing gear ready when a rather large scorpion wandered right through where we were sitting. My wife looked at me and said, "That's enough nature for me today. I'm outta here" Never did git a chance to catch any fish that day.
In reality, rattlers aren't much of a problem. Just have to follow the rules my mom taught me early on - don't put your hands or feet anywhere you can't see.
Topic: Snakey Stuff (Read 1987 times)