Re: [Texascavers] snakes? (and other venomous critters)

[Rod Goke]

Yes, Roger. Farmers and ranchers have had a long history of dealing with venomous critters in their own novel ways. Apparently, they don't like being bitten or stung any more than anyone else would, and after a few unpleasant encounters, many of them don't like having venomous critters threatening their families and their animals any more than most city dwellers would around their homes. One of the most unique techniques I ever witnessed was the way a certain farmer and cave owner dealt with scorpions on his property in Florida, back when you and I were both young cavers there. Several of us Florida cavers were talking with the farmer as we walked across his property towards some cave or sinkhole he was going to show us. His cave wasn't nearly as memorable as his method of dealing with scorpions. As we passed a fence post, he stopped, and with his bare hand, he calmly picked a scorpion off the fence post, holding the scorpion by the tail such that it couldn't sting him. With his other hand, he used a pocket knife to cut off the scorpion's stinger. Then he put the scorpion back on the fence post and continued walking and talking with us about whatever we had been discussing before he paused for the scorpion. He never said a word about the scorpion, and the whole stinger removal procedure was done so quickly and so calmly that he apparently thought of it as something too routine to mention. We cavers just looked at each other, as if to say, "Did you see what I think I just saw?", but we didn't mention it either. During our walk with the farmer that day, he nonchalantly repeated this procedure several more times with other scorpions. Apparently, it was what he was accustomed to doing whenever he saw one with a stinger. We didn't see any venomous snakes that day, but I've often wondered how he would have handled it if we had. Did you ever see any toothless rattlers back in Florida? Rod -----Original Message----- From: cavera...@aol.com Sent: Feb 23, 2010 11:11 AM To: jcra...@edwardsaquifer.org, zachattackoo...@yahoo.com, Texascavers@texascavers.com Subject: [Texascavers] snakes? I visited the old Rice Grotto twice ca. 1968-1972 when I was still living in Florida, thanks to visits to an uncle in Houston.  I managed to go on once caving trip with them to the hill country. A rattler was encountered on the surface some where, and promptly dispatched.  (No, I don't remember the kind of weapon used.)  But I do remember being the subject of good-natured ridicule when I protested, saying that the snake wasn't bothering any body.  I was told something to the effect of "Leave a rattlesnake alive?  We never heard of such a crazy idea, boy."   Roger Moore GHG --------------------------------------------------------------------- Visit our website: http://texascavers.com To unsubscribe, e-mail: texascavers-unsubscr...@texascavers.com For additional commands, e-mail: texascavers-h...@texascavers.com