Kelley (Texas)
New member
Here in South Texas, you must always be on the lookout for Rattlesnakes...you never know when you will see one. Most of the time, you will be out in the brush when you see one, and you sorta leave it alone, just move around it at a safe distance...a live and let live situation.
The time to be concerned is when you encounter one around the home place...in the yard or at the barn. Unfortunately, when you encounter one around the home place, you must kill it because of the possible danger to loved ones or livestock.
We will never kill a non poisonous snake. For several years, we had a Rat Snake living in the hay barn and we left it alone because it would kill and eat field mice. Many times when I went to the hay barn to get a bale of hay, that old Rat Snake would be stretched out on the hay bales, apparently sleeping. I would slowly get a bale of hay and not disturb him. He never tried to bite or acted aggressive towards anyone, but then again we never messed with him either. One day he was not there and never returned...always wondered what happened to him.
I do remember the time that I encountered a very aggressive and dangerous Rattlesnake at the barn. I had just pulled down a bale of hay when I spotted the Rattlesnake about ten feet away from me. He was facing me, in a semi-coiled position, with his head held about a foot off the ground. He was between me and the door and I figured that if I remained still, he would go out the door. Wrong! He just stayed there looking at me. Now this was no young Rattlesnake...he was about five feet long and must have been four or five inches thick.
After a few minutes of a stand off, I moved one of my feet. Immediately the Rattlesnake moved about a foot towards me! I sensed trouble, this Rattlesnake looked like he was looking for a fight! Off to my right about eight feet away was a hoe hanging on the wall. I figured if that Rattlesnake wanted a fight, I would give him one! However, there was a problem, that Rattlesnake was off the the side, about the same distance from that hoe. Every time I would move towards that hoe, the Rattlesnake would move too! He was trying to cut me off, he was bent on biting me! I finally decided to make a dash to the hoe, but that snake recognised what I was doing and came full speed towards me. I reached the hoe a split second before he got to me and swung the hoe, hitting him just below the head, knocking him back a foot or two. For a short period of time, it was tit for tat, he would strike at me and I would swing the hoe. Finally, I landed a solid blow to his head. I finally cut his head off and stepped outside the barn...I was shaking so bad that I had to get some fresh air and calm down.
There was another time where a Rattlesnake struck me as I was dismounting a horse, but that is another story that I will post in the future if you folks are interested in hearing about it. Please have a great day! Kelley (Texas)
The time to be concerned is when you encounter one around the home place...in the yard or at the barn. Unfortunately, when you encounter one around the home place, you must kill it because of the possible danger to loved ones or livestock.
We will never kill a non poisonous snake. For several years, we had a Rat Snake living in the hay barn and we left it alone because it would kill and eat field mice. Many times when I went to the hay barn to get a bale of hay, that old Rat Snake would be stretched out on the hay bales, apparently sleeping. I would slowly get a bale of hay and not disturb him. He never tried to bite or acted aggressive towards anyone, but then again we never messed with him either. One day he was not there and never returned...always wondered what happened to him.
I do remember the time that I encountered a very aggressive and dangerous Rattlesnake at the barn. I had just pulled down a bale of hay when I spotted the Rattlesnake about ten feet away from me. He was facing me, in a semi-coiled position, with his head held about a foot off the ground. He was between me and the door and I figured that if I remained still, he would go out the door. Wrong! He just stayed there looking at me. Now this was no young Rattlesnake...he was about five feet long and must have been four or five inches thick.
After a few minutes of a stand off, I moved one of my feet. Immediately the Rattlesnake moved about a foot towards me! I sensed trouble, this Rattlesnake looked like he was looking for a fight! Off to my right about eight feet away was a hoe hanging on the wall. I figured if that Rattlesnake wanted a fight, I would give him one! However, there was a problem, that Rattlesnake was off the the side, about the same distance from that hoe. Every time I would move towards that hoe, the Rattlesnake would move too! He was trying to cut me off, he was bent on biting me! I finally decided to make a dash to the hoe, but that snake recognised what I was doing and came full speed towards me. I reached the hoe a split second before he got to me and swung the hoe, hitting him just below the head, knocking him back a foot or two. For a short period of time, it was tit for tat, he would strike at me and I would swing the hoe. Finally, I landed a solid blow to his head. I finally cut his head off and stepped outside the barn...I was shaking so bad that I had to get some fresh air and calm down.
There was another time where a Rattlesnake struck me as I was dismounting a horse, but that is another story that I will post in the future if you folks are interested in hearing about it. Please have a great day! Kelley (Texas)
] There have been 2 instances in the last month or so, where hunters have been out rattling and have brought in a grizz. In one case, the young fellow [18 years] had the bear only 5 feet away. 
