Up Seven in Three Days

If you pay attention to the rattlesnake count on the right rail of this blog, you will note that it has made a significant jump.

Saturday, Rick found an adult rattlesnake in the Quonset Hut which he dutifully shot. Sunday, Rick found two more in the Quonset Hut. Both snakes were in the same spot but not at the same time. Tonight Hobo, our Pyrenees, was outside and barking like a madman. Rick flicked on the porch light and looked out the window on the front door. Hobo was barking at a baby rattlesnake that was at the bottom of our front steps. Because it is a warm night; because it's that time of the year when the rattlesnakes move around and because when there is one baby there are usually more, Rick took a walk around the missile base with his .45. He found another baby underneath the Hummer and a third baby by the burn pit. I had to move the Hummer out of the way before Rick could shoot it and I opted to climb in via the passenger door since the snake was closer to the driver's door. Of course Rick shot them all, but having been lightweight snakes, they got some air when the bullets hit them. Rick had to search around the front yard for the body of the one that was at the foot of the front steps. The snake flew a good 15'.

Tonight is garbage night and Rick needed to get the garbage can up to the road. We usually use the golf cart to haul it, but he had already stored the golf cart in the Quonset Hut because of impending rain. He couldn't hold a flashlight, look for rattlesnakes and pull the garbage can all at the same time, so he asked that I accompany him. We didn't see any rattlers in our very long driveway; however, when we got back to the parking area, there was an adult rattler heading in the direction of the Hummer. He's dead now too. Now if my ciphering is right, that is seven snakes in three days.

Once I know that the rattlesnakes are moving--they are searching for a winter den--I get pretty anxious when I am outside. I get so obsessed with constantly watching the ground that I have caught myself checking were I walk in the house. Now the chance that a rattler would get in the house is almost nonexistent, but it is a hard habit for me to turn off when I get inside or out of rattlesnake country. Case in point is that when I visit my mom and dad, where there are no venomous snakes, I still find myself looking for those diamond backs in the grass, crevices or under rocks. Anyway Rick feels pretty good and has counted the night as productive. On the not-so-triumphant side, Hobo is terrified of loud noises, so whenever he hears gunshots, he heads for the hills even if the shots are coming from dove hunters a mile away. Tonight I bet he just about pooped his pants when Rick shot the snake and he was only about 20' away. Most likely Hobo is hiding in the cotton field right now and when he doesn't hear a gunshot for a while he will come home. I am worried about him roaming around out there with the moving rattlesnakes. All I can do is every so often go out on the front steps and call for him. But because I'm in my anxious-about-rattlesnakes mind set, every so often is approximately every five minutes.

That's the rattlesnake update on the countdown. Excuse me while I go step out on the front steps. Ciao.