snakes in Minnesota

[colonelbuckrobely]

We have been seeing our garter snakes here again this summer and are thrilled. Actually Mrs. Robely named the one Sylvester. I have an area in the yard that is not too noticeable to passer byes so I have stopped mowing it to let the grass grow long. I also have some boulders piled as well as some logs. We really want to encourage them. Last year I saw one in our garage with a mouse halfway down its gullet. The mice are attracted to the garage because I keep our bird seed there in closed buckets, but occasionally a little seed will drop on the floor.

I never have figured out why people are so frightened by snakes. They work hard (must not be liberals), provide a useful service and are very timid unless pestered. That includes the timber rattlers in southeastern, Minnesota. Hasset and I knew a farmer in LeSueur County who hated snakes and would kill any bull or garter snake he every spotted. Interestingly he always had vermin like mice, moles and rats around his corn crib. I wonder why.

[dtothelux]

Buck, you mentioned southeast Minnesota. Did you know that in Houston and Filmore Counties there were bounties on timber rattlers into the 80's? Thousands were killed and bounties collected and now they are scarce. Timber rattlers are extremely shy. I always wanted to see one when I used to visit Forestville, Whitewater and Beaver Creak Valley state parks. They are still there but you have to be lucky to spot one. Once while hiking in Beaver Creek Valley I guess I just missed seeing one. The park naturalist told me that one had been spotted sunning on the trail less than 30 minutes before I passed through.

I am guessing that people are afraid of rattlesnakes because of how they were portrayed in the old westerns. There is no need to be.

[hasset]

There are a lot of rattlesnakes in NE Iowa. I am afraid of them! I read in a book about Mahaska County (near here) that in 1840 when the settlers came here, Southern Iowa was full of rattlesnakes. That book also said there had only been one death from being bitten by one. The book said that people were saved if they were found soon enough and had people to make corn meal paste to put all over their bodies to draw out the venom. I found this "cure" to be very interesting and I have always wanted to ask a doctor if he ever heard of such a cure working. I always wondered if the rattlesnake was a certain variety that was not as poisonous. I can not imagine the treatment to work. I hate rattlesnakes but really like garter snakes. We went to an art show in Colorado and one morning when we went back to our tent, we found a rattlesnake. I quit hiking after that. This event was at the Gardens of the Gods in Colorado Springs and the hiking area was really great if you aren't afraid of the snakes. I know those things do not like to be bothered but I didn't enjoy hiking when I had to keep looking down at the path the whole time.

[hasset]

Buck, I forgot to ask you if you are referring to the farmer who was mean to his cows, dogs and cats. I remember when his milk cow got out of the pen and he chased it with the tractor----clipping its heels and scaring it to death. He probably punished it for not producing milk that night. He also threw a scythe at his dog that he had cornered in his barn. The dog hadn't minded even though no one had trained it to get the cows. My brother rescued the dog and I took it back home with me and adopted it. That was the most wonderful dog I ever had. I hate to remind you of what he did to his cats as I can not stand to even think about it. It is strange that this person was so kind to me but not animals.