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Funny snake story today


Guest db99wj

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Guest db99wj
Posted (edited)

Or at least I thought so!

Me and 3 of my kids were riding bikes down on the old abandon CSX rail line that runs under the I-40/I240 interchange and over the Wolf River. We had been riding and some hiking and I had warned them several times to look before you take a step, it is a perfect day for snakes to come out and warm up. We had hiked around and were headed back to our bikes, when my son, he's 8 1/2 takes off up ahead and screams "Snake". I didn't believe him due to the fact, not 5 minutes before he said he wished it was April Fools day, he had a great joke, anyway, my oldest yelled, so I ran up to see what's going on, my son was standing there crying, white as a ghost, pointing at 5-6 foot snake. My son while running ahead and not watching, saw the snake at the last second and jumped over it. Scared the crap out of him. It was what appeared to be a Rat/Chicken Snake. I thought about shooting it. But I didn't! I just got a stick and moved him out of the trail so my son could come back over. Then I "educated" them about snakes and what he was doing, he was actually shaking his tail like a rattle snake does. He was coiled up and in a defensive position but was clearly trying to get away, we backed off a little, he, the snake, calmed down a bit and took off under a tree and some rocks. Fun times.

Edited by db99wj
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Guest bkelm18
Posted

Very nice. And thank you for not killing it. As a herpetological enthusiast, it grinds my gears when people needlessly kill harmless snakes.

Posted
Very nice. And thank you for not killing it. As a herpetological enthusiast, it grinds my gears when people needlessly kill harmless snakes.

Me too.

Most people who have killed a snake or five didn't kill a poisonous one.

- OS

Guest bkelm18
Posted
GrindsMyGears2.jpg

I was thinking of that show as I was typing it. ;)

Guest db99wj
Posted

Well this thread took a completely unexpected turn. ;):panic:

Guest db99wj
Posted
illegal to kill a snake in TN

Well, that's just how I roll!:poop:

^_^

Posted

I need to see if we can get a rule where the forum will put in "It's illegal to kill a snake in TN." Every time someone tries to say shoot the snake or that they did shoot a snake.

Guest clsutton21
Posted
Very nice. And thank you for not killing it. As a herpetological enthusiast, it grinds my gears when people needlessly kill harmless snakes.

herpetological enthusiast?

they make a cream for that?

Guest mustangdave
Posted
herpetological enthusiast?

they make a cream for that?

Snake :rolleyes: Dew...???

Guest bkelm18
Posted
herpetological enthusiast?

they make a cream for that?

Unfortunately no. Just suppositories. :confused:

Posted

You know, I have heard that it is illegal to kill snakes in TN. I'd like to know exactly what law applies, however, and what exceptions exist. I have searched Michie's online version of the Tennessee Code Annotated on more than one occasion and have found nothing that directly addresses wild snakes in TN. In fact, I can find nothing on the TWRA official website that makes such a statement, either. The only thing I find is at a link on the TWRA website that leads to a page entitled 'Snakes of Tennessee' that is not a .gov site and is, apparently, maintained by the Tennessee Herpetological Society, not by TWRA. So, is the 'illegal to kill snakes' law really a myth, like the 'illegal to carry in a bank' myth? Is it perhaps a law but not quite as clearly defined as some (such as the Tennessee Herpetological Society) would like us to believe? Could it be that this was once a law but is no longer a law? Further, can anyone point to any real case of someone having been arrested, fined or otherwise penalized in the state of TN for having killed a snake - particularly a snake which that person believed to be posing an immediate danger to that person or others?

While I can find no specific mention of killing wild snakes in this state, I do find the following while searching Michie's online version of the Tennessee Code Annotated:

70-4-115. Destruction and disposal of wildlife — Permit — Penalty. —

(a) The owner of lands may destroy any wild animals, wild birds, or wild fowl when such wild animals, wild birds, or wild fowl are destroying property upon such lands. Any person, before destroying any big game under the conditions provided for in this section, is required to obtain a permit for destroying such big game. Such permit shall be issued by an officer of the wildlife resources agency.

So, as snakes aren't classified as big game, if a snake is on private property and destroying property, it appears as though it can be legally killed. To me, this translates to mean if I find a snake in my chicken coop, eating eggs (and it has happened, before) then the snake is toast - legally.

I also found this:

70-8-106. Management programs — Exceptions to regulations. —

(e) Upon good cause shown, and where necessary to alleviate damage to property or to protect human health and safety, endangered or threatened species may be removed, captured or destroyed but only pursuant to a permit issued by the executive director and by or under the supervision of an agent of the agency; provided, that endangered or threatened species may be removed, captured, or destroyed without permit by any person in emergency situations involving an immediate threat to human life. Provisions for removal, capture, or destruction of nongame wildlife for the purposes set forth above shall be set forth in regulations issued by the executive director pursuant to § 70-8-104(a).

So, even endangered or threatened wildlife can be killed - without a permit - if said wildlife poses an immediate threat to human life. I would consider getting snake-bit by a potentially poisonous snake to be an immediate threat that could result in death (yes, I know, most healthy adults survive snake bites as long as they receive treatment but that doesn't mean I'm taking any chances with my life - or, at the very least, severe pain and permanent physical damage.)

Tennessee state law allows for the killing of a person if there is a reasonable belief that said person presents a reasonable threat of death or serious bodily injury. Surely killing a snake under similar circumstances would not be prohibited when killing a human would be legal.

Posted

I use to live in an area that was full of rattle snakes, and in the past I killed a couple but had heard it was illegal. These were on my back porch, which personally makes me not care whether it was legal or not for me to kill them since the snakes weren't checking any laws to see if it was legal for them to kill me.

I did however stop killing them after my third encounter though. I was walking through some grass back to my barn and noticed what I thought at first was a frog, and as he raised his head up a little and turned in my direction I realized it wasn't. My first though was "why isn't he rattling yet", and then I realized I was standing on his rattles. Now in general I'm not too scared of snakes, but I honestly think that moment was the worst feeling I've ever had in my entire life. I thought for sure he was about to strike, but once I lifted my foot he went the other direction. Every one I've seen since has tried their best to get away from me, so I realized that as long as you don't have them cornered, and just leave them alone, they will leave you alone.

Plus a wise man told me that every rattle snake I let live, may end up biting someone I don't like one day. :rolleyes:

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