Fianlly caught me a rattler

[fence_stretcher]

Was heading over to summer pasture to check cows and found this rattler. I've been hoping to come across one. I've always been wanting to try and pick up a live one with my fingers. I finally did that today. It's kind of a exciting!

I picked him up and put him in an empty mineral sack. I thought that it would be a good surprise for the kids. When I got back to the house I put him in an empty lick tub. This is where he is in this picture.



Here he is skinned out. First time I have ever done this.



If anyone is interested I have a video of me picking him up (with my kids freaking out in the background) and the skinning photos.

http://www.xanga.com/fence_stretcher

[Oldtimer]

Good thing it wasn't me behind the camera-- because when you stepped toward it, you'd have had a good chance of having a .38 or .45 hole in you...
Naturally I'd have had a good reason--shooting the snake, but I'm not as good a shot as I used to be and it might have taken two or three shots before I hit it

The only good snake is a dead one....

And I won't even skin them......

[Jinglebob]

Well, why didn't you swing him around and pop his head off, like a bull whip?

I don't mind rattlers, IF I can see them, and I dang sure don't want to pick one up, dead or alive.

We need an emoticon for having the willies! Eeeeeeew!

[Jerry H]

you are a nut
i'm with ot
the only good snake is a dead one

but it was a good video
i have never seen one skinned out and streched before
when i kill one he stays right where he is i just cut the head off and bury it
until later
jerry

[Jinglebob]

I just have to ask, where are you from originally?

[lazy ace]

That is pretty cool. We use to skin them and tried to sell them at the biker rally. One of the bikers said that antifreeze works pretty good to tan them. (He said it helped keep the scales from falling off.) I can't remember if we tried it or not. Our last snake we did had about 14 little ones in her about ready to hatch. That was a good one to get rid of. Did you have it for supper? I heard it tastes like chicken. It was a cool video thanks for sharing.

have a cold one

lazy ace

[Big Muddy rancher]

I bet they taste like Okra.

We will have to change your name to "Snake Stretcher"

[Mrs.Greg]

Interesting,thats the way I like to see a snake...over the internet

Off topic...the picture your wife took of the kids on swing...absolutely priceless,thats a very special picture

[elwapo]

I don't kill them anymore, as much as they scare the crap out of me occasionally. Besides it being illegal here in
Alberta, we prefer rattlers over gophers. It is amazing the number of rodents they eat. The down side of them is they sure leave nasty lumps on curious heifers. Don't get me wrong snake stretcher, if you want to kill them... have at it.

[the_jersey_lilly_2000]

Bleave me....Rattlesnake DOES NOT taste like chicken!!!!!!!

My Daddy in Law usta catch em all the time in West Texas. He'd skin a few, and stretch the hide out bout like you have in the photo, but sold most of them 'live'. Even had a time or two that the local sheriff's dept called him, because they had a call that a snake was in someone's house. He'd go catch em, and just laff, Chicken Snakes! and the folks thought they hadda rattler in their house.

[Julie]

Your rattlers may eat gophers but here they eat small children!!

Those damn big boone and crocket diamondback rattlers we have just need dead! And sometimes it ain't a pretty sight gettin' them that way --but it's fun to talk about afterwards.

[the_jersey_lilly_2000]

Here's a link to the Sweetwater Rattlesnake Roundup.

I've been many times as a youngster. My Dad was born and raised in Sweetwater, Texas. Tried the meat...fried fresh on the spot. Wasn't impressed at all with it, I'll stick to beef!!!!!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/horatio3k/sets/72057594081481259/