I don't know if the OP story is accurate or not, but snakebites are up here in west Texas this year. The well-above-normal rainfall these past few months has caused a general upswing in critter populations, as there is finally something to fackin' eat after 8 years of drought... more critters that eat vegetation means more critters that eat other critters, and since snakes fall into the latter category, there you go.
