Summer is finally here. The kids are out of school. It's time to take that annual vacation or road trip.

@TexChik how many rattlesnakes do you kill on a typical trip to the farm?

@cherokeepatti This time of year its hot, so they hunt mostly at night and stay in the shade during the day. If I get around the barns usually a couple. In the fall, when they are actively feeding to get ready for hibernation, its usually a lot more. When you see them stretched out on the dirt roads you know they are getting ready for winter. Its surprising how many are out there. They are bad enough though that my horses get antivenom treatment to protect them when I ride.

@TexChik snake traps sound like a good idea. A cellar type trap.

@cherokeepatti My farmer has a finger in every pot business wise. He is a snake handler. He catches the rattle snakes, collects their venom, dispatches them, keeps the meat and cleans and tans the skins. He's very good at it. Companies that make belts and hat bands buy up all he can give them. He can't sell the meat in the open market, but people seem to be able to find him and trade him out of it. We always serve some at our cookouts. It's quite a novelty but to me it's the same consistency as fish. Tastes good. He does most of his big catches in the fall, he waits for them to start denning up and he fills his bags. He catches some big ones. He also will come out to people's homes/property and remove the snakes for a fee. His "snake pit" that he built is pretty big and he has the set up. His dad likes to come out and help him with that. I just know when I see them close to me, I shoot them. If I hear several buzzing around one of the barns, I give him a call and he gets them.

@TexChik I used to watch a rattlesnake catching reality show. I don’t know if it lasted more than one season.

@cherokeepatti The venom collection is really neat to watch. He has an autoclave, uses sterile technique, and sterile flasks. He wears the googles , masks, and gloves and a head net. His wife takes care of the centrifuging and pipetting. Its a very clear light amber color. The antivenom companies appreciate not having to deal with the snakes . They inspect their facilities from time to time and they go to their meetings and do the training. Its just something they like
doing.