A bunch of years back, we had a hunting lease on the shores and feeder creeks of Choke Canyon resevoir here in South Texas. The little house we had there had a really narrow front porch, and we chose to put our “beer fridge” on that porch. It was an old traditional fridge with a little freezer on top. In that freezer, we kept a “frozen” 6’ rattler in full “ready to strike” position. SO, when a newbie to camp was sent to “fetch ice”.....it was a total spectator sport for the veterans, as one startled step back, and the victim was out of porch, and typically on his back in the front yard!!! No lawsuits, but a couple of energetic tussels ensued!,!

I would need a change of underwear after that prank would have been pulled on me. First you say it , then you do it. I'll bet there were some pretty good payback pranks after that one.

I did something similar but probably more intense. I knew a guy named Vinney who lived in a tenant house on a farm that I hunted. He was probably in his 60’s when I knew him. He was truly illiterate and he signed his name with an X when I did his tax returns. I would attest that it was his X and sign my name. Vinney always wanted to go with my brother and I when we hunted rattlers. But he could never get up the courage. He was a nervous type guy and shook a lot which was probably due to his alcoholism.

Vinny spent most nights in Caverlery’s bar. My brother and I hatched a scheme which seems very mean in retrospect, but we were kids then and were foolish. I had put a live rattler in a small box and placed it into the freezer to kill it without harming the skin which a bar owner wanted. When I took the snake out, he was curled in a perfect striking position. We ran warm water over it and it looked alive. My brother and I decided to play a trick on old Vinney. He had a van with a high console in the middle. We took the snake and placed it on the console facing the driver’s side. Then we went into the bar and had a beer with Vinney. I said to him, “Vinny, I need a big favor. I have classes tomorrow and I can’t get up to the sepentarium to drop off a couple of rattlers. Can you drive them up for me? They are in a locked box, I put it in your van.”

Vinney wanted no part of it but I told him they were locked in the wooden box and couldn’t get out. Besides, I said, I already put them in the van. After I bought him a couple more beers he agreed. My brother and I followed him out of the bar and stood in the street waiting for the fun. He got in the van and began to start it. All of a sudden, he let out a blood curling scream. It was an awful high pitched desperate scream. He jumped out of the van and leaned on the outside of it clutching his chest.

My brother and I got scared. We hadn’t expected him to scream so loud or clutch his chest. We went over to him and told him it was a bad prank. He looked at us and just said “you bastards!’ I was sorry we did it but my brother and I did laugh about it afterwards.

Funny thing, we were talking about snakes and yesterday a copperhead showed up on my driveway. It's the only one I have ever seen in Maryland. It wasn't a big snake but he did his best to bite me with many tries. A very aggressive snake when I tried to catch him. I kept him a while and then took him and released him in the woods. If it wasn't for my dogs, I would have been glad to see him. The copperhead is a beautiful snake.

Yep copperheads in the wild for most part don't get to big like some rattlesnakes but they are mean and much more likely to bite when cornered or messed with than most snakes. They are a snake I worry the most about since they are quick to strike if jostled and you can step next one and not even see it in some foliage. We have a bumper crop of chipmunks this year and hawks are big on the prowl, wondering when the copperheads will start showing up. Pretty certain they are around but its just rare to see them unless your looking for them.

My experiences with the copperhead is the same as yours. They are much more aggressive when being caught. They strike multiple times, whether you are in range of their head or not. Back when I was catching rattlers for a serpentarium, we took some copperheads and they were far more aggressive. A rattlesnake typically waits until he thinks he can get a hit. And they become rather docile if you keep them for a few days. Not so the copperhead. Rattlesnakes can lull you into a false sense of security. Copperheads never. I liked catching rattlesnakes, but for sheer drama the copperhead wins out. It was incredible how many times the copperhead on my driveway was striking. All it took was a wave over him with my hand too far away for him to get me.

Flanigan, where were you while the rest of us were at the Northeast Shoot? I haven't seen you since you dropped off the earth a few years ago. We missed you and I missed you. I talked to a friend in common with Jeff Mulliken today who says he and Jeff are planning a feeshin' trip this year some time. I won't fish and can't hunt, but I would like to see you guys again. By the way, I was in Mount Airy today travelling from our Poolesville swap meet and father's day shoot to another gun club and then home.

Just a wimpy 7 footer? How about this?

https://www.yahoo.com/news/7-meter-l...111050649.html

Thanks Bill. I will be at the Vintagers but hope to see you before then. I am busy getting the Maryland house prepped for sale. But I am taking some time each day working on Damascus. I'm getting closer to nirvana. I wish I knew you were in Mt. Airy. I would have loved to see you. Jeff and I will be fishing and hunting this year. And I hope to get back to Saskatchewan in September for a couple of weeks. I'm going with a mutual friend and you are welcome to come along. I'm going to start my annual trips there again. I will see you soon for sure.

I really never thought or needed a handgun, but if I lived in Florida I would get one to carry in the back country just in case you come across a python. Shoot on site and don't think twice. They are such bad news and are really taking a toll on native wildlife.

I know this is a reach and have no proof but I wonder if some of the reasons gators down there are becoming more aggressive toward humans is reduction in natural prey in competition with pythons. Maybe a coincidence and its just because gator numbers have rebounded and people are just bumping into them more but hardly ever heard of all these gator attacks and python numbers supposedly increasing.