"Rattle snakes and coyotes rarely get a pass when we cross paths"
This is a common sentiment in Texas and many other Western states.
If a person grows up in a city and does not hunt or fish, he /she may say "oh, do not hurt the little snake", but if the opposite, all poisonous snakes are just problems waiting to happen. Ditto for scorpions and a few other of God's less popular creatures!
Too many campfire tales to tell now, but those that have "been there done that" know of what I speak.
I grew up beating through the swamps of south and central Florida.
Cottonmouth Water Moccasins, Rattlers and Coral Snakes have been always abundant let alone a host of non-venomous snakes.
I've killed my share for various reasons but not just cause they were there.
I'm just comfortable with them, they don't bother me, I don't bother them. It's not like they head out to hunt you down just to bite ya...
If that was the case we'd have all been bitten a lot by now.
I could careless if the next guy wants to kill every snake he see's, I just don't.
I had a dog that would kill one on occasion, it's pretty cool to watch a dog that knows how the deal with a snake. Smart dogs seem to naturally know which end is the sharp one, they'll just grab them by the tail and sling them around slapping their heads on the ground til they are dead.
I just cleared a couple of adjoining acres of land that has been thick with brush for years. The clearing project has coincided with a few of the hottest days so far this year. It's water front land so there is a lot of rodents and rabbits and such that's been calling that place home for a long time. Between the Snakes and Owls and even the Bob Cats that hang out, everything seems to stay in check population wise, a nifty little ecosystem.
I've seen them around over the years, they like to slither out into perimeters of my yard on cooler days to cop some sun and warm up, there are a couple of black snakes that live under the house, they like the concrete porches on the house. They do their job, I just let um be...
With the land clearing and the heat, these buggers are active as hell right now, I've seen about 10 over the last couple days, only one, the Pygmy Rattler, that was venomous. Now they are moving on, looking for new digs, they'll find their way.
