Bummer at work today
Out behind the shop where I work is a few hundred acres of brush land grazed by a few dozen head of cattle. There are Texas Rat Snakes, Yellow Bellied Racers and Ribbon Snakes present in relatively large numbers. There is also a large stock pond that supports a strong population of Cottonmouths. All of these critters are occasionally found in the junk piles just behind the shop. I usually walk back there a few times a day to see who's poking around. A couple of the Texas Rat Snakes I see so often I can recognize them by their scars. First thing this morning a crew came by to pick up some of the junk so at the first opportunity I walked beck there to tell them if they saw any snakes to ask for me and I'd relocate it if it was venomous. As I rounded the corner I saw all three of them gathered around something on the ground. Sure enough they had just killed a four foot Texas Rat Snake. Disgusted, and to their utter astonishment, I immediately picked up the snake to throw it over the fence. "No" they yelled at me, "it's gunna bite you!" I told them it was harmless and quickly tossed it over the fence. They had already started pulling out their phones and I did not want them parading images of the bloody animal all over their social media accounts. We talked for a bit and they promised to get me if they saw anything else. Before they left one of them found me and apologized. "I didn't know" he said. "I'm an inner city guy, we don't have snakes where I come from." We talked for a while more about snakes and what to do the next time he comes across one. Hopefully some good came of it but I have been kicking myself all day for not getting out there sooner. Was not a good way to start the day.
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