Karma is a....

[anthrpicdecadnce]

If another rattlesnake comes along, Anderson said he’ll likely try to kill it again, but said he’ll grab a shovel and bury it right there.

Apparently he didn't learn anything.

[slartibartfast]

Unfortunately, in rural environments you can't let dangerous snakes live around valuable stock, and I'd wager that most people don't know enough to relocate them safely (I'm not sure I do) and so killing them is the best method.
Where I grew up in the hills, it was an hour to the nearest hospital and all of us kids ran around barefoot. That meant that copperheads around the house got killed, unquestionably. We all knew how to recognize them from an early age, and it was just the way things were. They afforded me some interesting dissection opportunities as a budding scientist...one that we found in an old tin pile had eaten two skinks and an Eastern fence lizard. I had always assumed that mammals were their primary diet.

So anyway...all other species were left alone (well more likely, we caught them and looked at them and then released them) and the big black snakes that found their way into the chicken coop were relocated to a neighbor's barn.

But the ones that could harm a child or the livestock and were in the areas around the house, well they had to go. Outside of the pasture, we left them alone...did you know copperheads also eat fish? I got to watch one kill and eat a shiner in the creek once.

[Mendel's Balls]

Unfortunately, in rural environments you can't let dangerous snakes live around valuable stock, and I'd wager that most people don't know enough to relocate them safely (I'm not sure I do) and so killing them is the best method.
Where I grew up in the hills, it was an hour to the nearest hospital and all of us kids ran around barefoot. That meant that copperheads around the house got killed, unquestionably. We all knew how to recognize them from an early age, and it was just the way things were. They afforded me some interesting dissection opportunities as a budding scientist...one that we found in an old tin pile had eaten two skinks and an Eastern fence lizard. I had always assumed that mammals were their primary diet.

So anyway...all other species were left alone (well more likely, we caught them and looked at them and then released them) and the big black snakes that found their way into the chicken coop were relocated to a neighbor's barn.

But the ones that could harm a child or the livestock and were in the areas around the house, well they had to go. Outside of the pasture, we left them alone...did you know copperheads also eat fish? I got to watch one kill and eat a shiner in the creek once.

I agree what people said about Ranchers.....

Maybe not these individuals, but some people perhaps do deserve some Karma....as pointed out in this thread. I'm doubt all those people were ranchers or even from a rural area!

[Jae iLL]

wow. makes me almost wish he didn't survive.. no i take it back, it's a shame he did survive. Could have just moved the thing. why did he find a need to kill it? I'll tell you why. because he's a pathetic human and has the universal human feeling of superiority, despite the fact that humans are inferior to every other animal in every way. scumbags like that make me sick.

wow, that's a bit strong there. I know everybody on this site are animal lovers, particularly snake lovers, but to wish death on somebody because he killed a snake that could have killed him or his son.. that's strong. In his mind, he's just lookin out for himself, his son, and his horses.

[stangs13]

I agree with you sarah, 110%!

[stangs13]

wow, that's a bit strong there. I know everybody on this site are animal lovers, particularly snake lovers, but to wish death on somebody because he killed a snake that could have killed him or his son.. that's strong. In his mind, he's just lookin out for himself, his son, and his horses.

It was way more than a bit strong! I agree here too!

[Ginevive]

It is definately a tough balance for anyone who owns lifestock; be it two horses, or 900 had of cattle. I know that if I went out into the pasture and saw any animal attacking one of my horses, it'd be dead as soon as I could load my rifle. I am not going to say "oh, look at the cute mountain lion and how adorably she is biting into my mare's neck!" In most cases if I could scare the animal off, I would do so. And good fences are essential to keep predators out; anyone who will not fence their animal securely to prevent predaor invasion and livestock escape is just a plain lazy moron. But smaller animals have no bounderies. I am a snake lover and yeah, it upsets me that the guy in the article killed the rattler. But some animals' natural predators are in low supply in places, which leads to an overpopulation of tha prey item. Take, the groundhogs on the farm here. my landlord's old dog used to be great at keeping their numbers down to a good level. His present dog would rather lick your face than attack you if you were a burglar; needless to say they are overpopulating.. gotta pick them off, as a result.
So i see the HUGE numbers of rattlers in the southwest. Is this natural, or is it a result of their predators being killed off?

[Shadowspider]

I agree, that comment was taken too quickly off the cuff. I understand the point behind it and that "it's a shame he did survive" was probably (hopefully) not meant literally, however, that's a bit short sighted.

Gin makes a very good point and a true analogy. While someone who has never lived in the country on a farm or ranch might not understand how or why it would be not only logical but also the wisest course of actcion to kill a venomous snake or, to use Gin's example, a mountain lion, those of us who have, have a better understanding of "ya do what ya gotta' do to protect yourself, your family and your assets".

It would be nice if everyone were educated in wild animals but, unfortunately, they aren't. It would be nice if everyone had the time, tools and knowledge to be able to safely relocate a venomous snake out of their property... but they don't and that's just life and people.

To remove a venomous snake from one's property, be it by relocation or death, is no different than removing mites off one of our snakes.
Mites need to live too, after all and we don't even give a second thought to killing them before they harm our assets and prized possessions, nor do we think twice about killing the roach that just scampered across our kitchen floor.
While you or I may not like roaches (or mites) some people do and DO consider them "pets" and "cool" and worthy of being protected... just like we do with our snakes (and in my case, tarantulas and scorpions and all things creepy crawlie).

[Jae iLL]

I agree, that comment was taken too quickly off the cuff. I understand the point behind it and that "it's a shame he did survive" was probably (hopefully) not meant literally, however, that's a bit short sighted.

Gin makes a very good point and a true analogy. While someone who has never lived in the country on a farm or ranch might not understand how or why it would be not only logical but also the wisest course of actcion to kill a venomous snake or, to use Gin's example, a mountain lion, those of us who have, have a better understanding of "ya do what ya gotta' do to protect yourself, your family and your assets".

It would be nice if everyone were educated in wild animals but, unfortunately, they aren't. It would be nice if everyone had the time, tools and knowledge to be able to safely relocate a venomous snake out of their property... but they don't and that's just life and people.

To remove a venomous snake from one's property, be it by relocation or death, is no different than removing mites off one of our snakes.
Mites need to live too, after all and we don't even give a second thought to killing them before they harm our assets and prized possessions, nor do we think twice about killing the roach that just scampered across our kitchen floor.
While you or I may not like roaches (or mites) some people do and DO consider them "pets" and "cool" and worthy of being protected... just like we do with our snakes (and in my case, tarantulas and scorpions and all things creepy crawlie).

righteous mayn. Great post