Its Rattler season in the Pawnee!!!

[bennice]

I hate snakes too, but we have a bull snake that's been living in the front yard the past couple years. We've left it alone, and it's left us alone thus far. I wish it would get hungry and eat some of the damn bunnies, and I'm guessing it will likely keep rattlers and small rodents away.

[HBARleatherneck]

Tonight at about 630pm my kids were driving me nuts. I said go pick up rocks. Not 5 minutes later they all come yelling that there is another rattlesnake by the house. My shovel is starting to have a lot of notches on it.

He was laying in the grass on top of my leach field. There really is no rhyme or reason to where snakes are. People say there is, but I have seen them everywhere out here...anyway.

[Great-Kazoo]

In Florida, we had all sorts of nasty little snakes pretty much everywhere. I was not a fan. Mostly Moccasins. When I used to kayak, they would be draping the banks and swimming with me. Between them and the gators, I did my best to not capsize.

Now that I am out here, I know very little about rattle snakes. Do they just sort of hang out in the grassland, or are they mostly in the rocky areas? Also, are there any prohibitions on returning them to the great snake pit in the sky? Do they have a particularly active time of day or season? My little boy has no common sense or fear yet, so I worry about him finding one and poking at it when we go out into the wild spaces around here.

Drop by when you have time. There's a bunch down the block, cute little youngun's. So cuddly.

[flogger]

Snakes control rodents, BIG time! If they are rattlers and near kids or dogs they are toast, if they are bold imitators, let them go. Most snakes are good, don't be too judgemental (but if there is any doubt don't hesitate to take action).

[buffalobo]

We have only had 2 here at the house and think it is because of the high number of bull snakes. Rattlers get dispatched immediately when we find them, bull snakes get pass as long as they are not within the wifes AO.

[rockhound]

the only good snake is a dead snake

[def90]

This guy was on the driveway into the Boulder Rifle Club last October..

[buffalobo]

This guy was on the driveway into the Boulder Rifle Club last October..

He looks pissed. Did you use wrong gate code?

sent from my electronic ball and chain

[hollohas]

I grew up in Southern AZ. Lots of Diamondbacks. Everyone of them that came in the yard met the shovel. When I was about 9, I was riding my bike around the desert and I heard a rattle. Being a dumb boy I tracked down the source and hit it in the head with a rock. I put it over my handlebars and brought that rattler home to mama. She totally freaked and rushed me inside where I had to stay for the rest of the day until my Dad came home and gave him the shovel treatment. The snake never moved so surly he was dead, but my Mom is still a bit mad about it to this day.

These days I don't have to deal with many snakes here in suburbia. There is one snake that I see in the yard from time to time and the best I can tell he's a Lined Snake or something.

[hunterhawk]

Hollohas sounds like a Gardner snake... I need to go hunt down a rattle snake or 2 this year! Didn't work out last year... Or the year before... Or the year before!!! Someone point me in the right direction when the season opens!