I still can't believe they made them protected here in Idaho. By no way shape or form are they endangered, someone just decided they needed protected. It is illegal to go snake hunting in Idaho now, so check your regs. We are going to have them overpopulate and start working their way back into town now without people keeping them in check(just like the wolves). There are local canyon roads we used to drive in the evenings during the summer to snake hunt, people have been doing this for years, and every year there are just as many snakes as the last, no matter how many you killed. Most people don't believe they are protected now, but check the regs, because they are.