August 12, 2008
When I got home from the lab today, I pulled in to the driveway, and realized I could not remember letting Tolkien out this morning. He had been very good from all I can tell, but he had been in the house since last night. He came out and urinated immediately. I went to the dog food can, extracted the food quantity, and fed the famished dog.
I retreated to the deck to do work stuff, and Tolkien ventured to the garage to munch on his bone. He decided to go down and rest in the dirt under the deck. He walked past the end of the steps, and I heard a noise coming from near the dog food can. It sounded like a gas line had just sprung a leak, but there is no line there. I suddenly realized what it was, and walked to the edge of the deck to look down. A timber rattler was coiled up on the ground. I tried to take a picture, but was unwilling to get close enough for it to come out. He was ticked enough at my approach...
Sorry that the pixelation is bad, but I wasn't willing to get any closer. He was ticked enough at my proximity and the flash. He informed me with is beautiful rattle. I do not CURRENTLY own a gun, so I went next door. Connie found the rifle, and some bullets. It was a weird angle, but I hit it on the first shot. Granted, I did not hit it exactly where I was aiming, but I shot it right through the body, and the poor thing was in serious pain. It started moving to security under the deck, and I could not let it go. Sorry, but I do not need a rattlesnake feeling comfortable in my yard near my deck. I grabbed the shovel, moved the dog food can, and moved the poor snake into a position to end its pain. It tried to bite the shovel, but seconds later, its head came away from its neck.
It continued to try to bite for five minutes. The body continued writhing for an hour or more. It was a beautiful specimen of nature, and I hated to see it go...
I plan on treating with respect. It will be gutted, and the skin and rattle will be placed in a state of honor. Much to Annie's dismay, I will be eating the meat. I looked up how to cook it, and it supposedly tastes... you guessed it... like chicken.
Serpentine...
I retreated to the deck to do work stuff, and Tolkien ventured to the garage to munch on his bone. He decided to go down and rest in the dirt under the deck. He walked past the end of the steps, and I heard a noise coming from near the dog food can. It sounded like a gas line had just sprung a leak, but there is no line there. I suddenly realized what it was, and walked to the edge of the deck to look down. A timber rattler was coiled up on the ground. I tried to take a picture, but was unwilling to get close enough for it to come out. He was ticked enough at my approach...
Sorry that the pixelation is bad, but I wasn't willing to get any closer. He was ticked enough at my proximity and the flash. He informed me with is beautiful rattle. I do not CURRENTLY own a gun, so I went next door. Connie found the rifle, and some bullets. It was a weird angle, but I hit it on the first shot. Granted, I did not hit it exactly where I was aiming, but I shot it right through the body, and the poor thing was in serious pain. It started moving to security under the deck, and I could not let it go. Sorry, but I do not need a rattlesnake feeling comfortable in my yard near my deck. I grabbed the shovel, moved the dog food can, and moved the poor snake into a position to end its pain. It tried to bite the shovel, but seconds later, its head came away from its neck.
It continued to try to bite for five minutes. The body continued writhing for an hour or more. It was a beautiful specimen of nature, and I hated to see it go...
I plan on treating with respect. It will be gutted, and the skin and rattle will be placed in a state of honor. Much to Annie's dismay, I will be eating the meat. I looked up how to cook it, and it supposedly tastes... you guessed it... like chicken.
Serpentine...