Look what I found

[MIKE_D]

I was getting hay off the field and saw it. The fence is six strands of barbed wire (about 5 1/2 feet high)

 

[aggiehortguy91]

Now that is a tough snake!

 

[phyxer]

I'd have had to put some rat shot into that thing! I hate those things with a passion!

Troy

 

[TigerfaninAR]

 

[MDM]

Was it alive? I've stuck dead ones up on a fence like that as a kid. Never seen one on a fence like that that was alive.

 

[PUSHINDIRT]

I agree with phyxer! I hate those things!

 

[Evil the Weasel]

But they eat things I hate even worse: mice, rats, and moles I'd let it live

 

[Toolguy]

I have never seen anything like that in Michigan. What kind of snake is that? If I did run into something like that I think I would stay on the tractor! Wow!

 

[Mowbizz]

That's amazing...makes me wonder though...is he laying in wait for a bird to land???

Seems to be very comfy on that wire...lol

Definitely let him live...

 

[Mowbizz]

I was getting hay off the field and saw it. The fence is six strands of barbed wire (about 5 1/2 feet high)

Do you know what kind of snake it is??

 

[Mowbizz]

I was getting hay off the field and saw it. The fence is six strands of barbed wire (about 5 1/2 feet high)

Rat snake?

http://www.mylongleaftrace.com/Pests/RatSnake.jpg

 

[Baby Grand]

Nice photo, Mike! You're a lucky man to have such a big, strong field hand working for you. I've never understood why the first reaction many folks have to a "friendly" is to shoot 'em. I'm with Mike & Mowbi ... let the good guys live!

I think Mowbizz called it right - and should get the TBN Herpatology Medal of Merit.

-Jim

 

[phyxer]

Perhaps this will help you understand.....when it comes to spiders and snakes there are no friendlies in my world and that is NEVER going to change!

Troy

 

[easygo]

I live in an old farmhouse that has an old stone foundation. I have live-traps in my basement to "welcome" red squirrels in the neighborhood. Once I caught a weasel in it and let the thing loose. It lived around the house for a couple of years and needless to say I had no problem with mice or squirrels while the weasel was in the neighborhood. Now I have traps again.
Let the snake live. It will help you out some.

 

[FN in MT]

I know it's tough to NOT whack snakes when you have a fear or aversion to them...I suffer from it as well. But some species really do perform a useful service by keeping the rodents down.

We had a 4' bull snake that lived under my Malamutes shed. During the day especially early morning he would slither up into the chain link fence to "sun" himslf. NOT quite the amazing balancing act as shown in the original thread, but still impressive. And if you weren't ready for him...SCARY.

He hung around for two seasons and we were virtually mouse free in the entire area!! Between the field mice, voles, moles and the worse; PACK RATS. The little buggers can do some damage.

FN in MT

 

[MIKE_D]

He is definitely not the first and I hope he is not the last. We are not "overran" with snakes but I welcome most of them. I have killed a few copperheads and one rattler. We had a black snake once about 6 1/2 ft long. He was the biggest one.

 

[jesseb3@att.net]

Nice snake! I, unlike my wife, love finding them. Here in PA, I've never even heard of any rat snake except for Black Rat Snakes. (We must have a den under the house, but I'll be damned if I can find it.)

Thanks for the education, and for letting it live.

Jesse

 

[harpoonalt]

I'm all for letting nature be, but snakes just creep me out. This is our mouser. Lot easier to look at!

 

[Botabill]

Perhaps this will help you understand.....when it comes to spiders and snakes there are no friendlies in my world and that is NEVER going to change!

Troy

If you would open your mind to understand them and the very important role they play for the good of mankind you may overcome your unfortunate fear. I'm nervous of spiders myself and have some knee jerk fear of snakes too. I know it is unfounded in the vast majority of cases so I share my world with them gladly.

 

[Donkey Shade Farm]

Agree with the "pro-lifers". Even with kids around I don't mind the snakes (6 or so I've seen around the house and barn proper). The kids have been taught to respect them and back off. With the feed I store on hand the rodents would get out of hand without them. Unfortunately they don't do anything about a pesky ground hog I have. Last fall our 4 wheeler cover disappeared form the barn. I thought my son had left it out somewhere but it was nowhere to be found. A week later he found it...sticking out of the ground hog hole around back. How it dragged that thing out of a barn, through an American wire fence, through brush to get to his hole I'll never know. I wonder what he was going to do with it?