I agree. I see quite a bit of black racers down at my FL house. My Neighbor told me we have pygmy rattlers around. But with the blacks there I haven't seen any of the little rattlers.
My friend had a farm up the road here in PA and he had a very big black snake living in his barn. I saw it on several occasions. He never bothered it and it never bothered him and he said he had no problems with rats. But it was a bit eerie having it sitting on the rafters above you while you were working in the barn.

Van, it was more like a loud Aiieeeee! The Drill Instructor was not very happy with me. Said a few things like if this was Nam, we'd all be dead because of you etc etc. I thought it was a Golden Habu. All we kept on hearing about were about the Golden Habu and Black Habu and to leave all snakes ALONE!!! We were told don't know how true it was but if you got bit by a Golden Habu you had about 3 hours to live if you didn't get the Anti-Venom serum. If you got bit by the black Habu, you might as well do yourself a favor and blow your brains out as there wasn't enough of the Anti-Venom serum on the island and it would take longer then 3 hours to get it to you. Being 18 and a dumb PFC I believed everything they told me. I mean our DI's wouldn't lie to us. Right??? LOL

Snakes don't bother me much. When I was younger, I use to catch them. Venomous or not. Sometimes the venomous ones paid the price. Now days I just leave them alone unless they are an immediate threat. Fortunately, I haven't been startled by any close calls. Even those we label as bad serve a useful purpose.

Bronko, glad you had the boots on! :D

Snakes don't bother me at all, in fact they do more good than harm. We have copperheads and rattlesnakes around here, but its rare to see one. Its very rare to actually get bitten by a poisonous snake...the majority of snake bites across the country happen when people are trying to kill a snake. I wish I had more black snakes around. I've actually thought about getting a couple dozen black snakes from a local zoo to turn loose near my house for mouse control. Living out in the country has its perks, but mice ain't one of em.

Snakes are a part of the natural order of things and a very important one at that. They have a purpose. To eat things we hate that live around us and to scare the devil out of us. I am not afraid of snakes I can say. When I was a kid I used to catch them. Thank goodness I never had to tangle with a poisonous one. But Mom caught me playing with one in the back yard one day. She about freaked out. She wouldn't even pet it. But she toldl me if she caught be bothering or playing with another snake, I wouldn't sit down for a week. Would that be child abuse or parental control? In her defense, she grew up in the deserts of Utah and they had snakes and scorpions that you just did not mess with if you had brains.

Now my father is deathly afraid of snakes. I don't think he fears anything else in the world but if a snake is in his path, he turns and goes the opposite way. He don't even like seeing them on TV.

And my old black Labrador "Number Seven" he hated snakes. He'd kill any snake he saw. And it was gruesome how he did it. He'd grab it, and shake it so hard it would snap in two. In fact when I was building the new roof on the house all my friends were over helping. And one of them brought his two boys so they could play in the yard and with the dog. I warned them about if the dog finds a snake, get away from him. Well kids are kids, they went looking for one. Found one, call the dog over and when Seven shook that snake apart one chunk smacked the little one right in the mouth. I never saw a kid scream and cry so loud. It wasn't like the snake could hurt him. Maybe it was the blood and snake guts that bothered him? I finally had to take him in the house, wash his face with soap and water and give him an ice cream bar.

Cayugad I am with your dad on snakes. I ain't afraid of them but I just don't like'em. I give them a wide berth and were all happy. Where I grew up we had copperheads and rattlesnakes and I have a respect for them. I know they have there place in nature and if they get near me it will be as compost... My buddy told me snakes were good until he had a run in with the rascal in the pic.

Wow! that is some snake. There are Rattlesnakes in Wisconsin. But other then that nothing that might hurt you. And they are on the western side of the state for the most part, by the Mississippi River in the bluffs.

For you guys that have "issues" with snakes, you haven't had fine dining untill you try some good old Texas diamondback fried up with some light garlic, onion, salt, pepper, and a hint of Cayenne.

Haven't had any and likely never will. I've heard from people that have eaten rattlesnake and they've said it's quite good. Matter of fact:
decades ago when I was in 6th grade, at the end of the year, the science teacher always allowed an exotic food party. Rattler meat was part of the fare. I watched students eat it w/smiles on their faces, stating it was good. So seeing it and hearing about it, each person said it was good.

It actually tastes quite similar to Rabbit. To me anyway. (HAHA bet you thought I'd say it tastes like chicken didn't ya!) :D