A fondness for snakes

While out walking the dogs last week at the lake I encountered a trio of young folks shore fishing and asked if they were having any luck.

“We only caught a couple of hammer handles,” one of the women told me, “but we killed a big bull snake.”

“Why?” I asked.

“Because they eat goose eggs,” she replied.

I’ve heard a lot of excuses for killing bull snakes, but that was a new one.

It always bothers me to hear of people killing nonvenomous snakes, especially those that prey on rodents, and have even been known to eat the occasional rattlesnake.

I realize, however, that I’m in the minority. I always have been. My mother used to tell a story about visiting friends at a lake in Kentucky when I was very small. Someone in the group claimed to have seen a cottonmouth along the shore, and while that news sent everyone else fleeing, I spent the remainder of our visit in search of the snake.

I can’t explain my fascination with a critter most folks revile. I was raised by Presbyterians, not snake handlers, but for as long as I can remember I’ve had a thing for snakes.

It’s not something that’s easy to share. Tell someone you’re a snake-lover and it’s rare that you hear “Me too!”

More often they look at you oddly and change the subject.

I understand.

It’s my thing, not theirs.

It’s like spiders. I’m not a big fan, few people are, but I know one. He posts spider videos on facebook, and even has spider tattoos.

He’s informed and knowledgeable about spiders. I can appreciate that, but I still squish them, sometimes on my own initiative, more often at the prompting of my wife. She even requests that I conduct a spider check at the cabin before she gets into bed.

I get it, although now she also has me checking for snakes on the patio after we found a big, beautiful bull snake wrapped around the barbecue grill when we arrived last week. I was thrilled. Barb not so much.

I caught the snake and released it on the neighboring wildlife refuge. I do a lot of that now, figuring if I don’t, the next guy to come along will probably kill it. I also move bull snakes off the road when I see them sunning there. Too many folks delight in driving over them.

It’s the burden I bear, unfortunately not one I can readily share.

Parker Heinlein is at [email protected].