The swimmers ear has subsided so I took part in messing around with firewood Saturday. Our landlord has graciously allowed me to take wood from his side, an oak tree that came down a few years ago that was bucked and stacked in rounds. The bark it's coming off and it splits nicely, and I've just used the trusty miter saw to cut the ends off some pieces so they fit the fireplace better. I also managed to disturb some yellow jackets. A lot of the wood I split and stacked for him when we first moved in but he doesn't burn. That wood was covered by leaves and such so I made sure to wear gloves when digging for it. That's when the yellow jackets made themselves known. I didn't see any sting me but I had 2 random spots on the knee pop up, burning, with a speck in the middle of them. I finally gave up....but it gets better. Apparently I pizzed off a copperhead. When we were done getting groceries inside later that night I went back out to get a remaining item I'd forgotten and thank God above it was me that did. As I was walking back towards the house I thought a frog jumped across the bottom step. It weren't NO frog and I discovered this as I stepped up over it. It struck at me. Several times. Number one, I've never been struck at by a snake. Number two, I've never seen a venomous nope rope outside of a confined area. Just moments before it made it's presence known, my wife and dog had walked those same steps. I'd go crazy if one of them had been bitten. We take extreme caution going outside now and doggie doesn't go out of our site. Ended up being about 2 feet long. I did kill it for our safety.
glad youre safe! If a venomous snake struck at me like that Im pretty sure Id run inside and grab the gun and mag dump on it while screaming like a little girl.
Glad to hear the swimmers ear is better but sounds like you almost found something just as bad. In the future, when digging into a pile like that, a pickeroon is worth its weight in gold rather than using your hands. You can dig the lots out with this and then pick them up without fear of getting stung or bitten. Shoot, you can even use this tool for carrying wood if need be. It is also a great help in picking up brush and saves a lot of bending.
The offending serpent before he made it to his final resting place. Trrying this on tapatalk. Anyone else use it? Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N920A using Tapatalk
I'm glad we really don't have any poison snakes up here in northern New England other than the Timber Rattlesnake which is extremely rare and endangered. They have very specific habitat few and far between, and they are considered the least aggressive of all rattlesnakes. You practically no chance of ever seeing one. On the other hand, Mountain lion sightings continue to pop up occasionally, they were wiped out in the 1800's back but appear to be straggling in from Canada. Probably wandering young males. Nature hates a vaccum .
Sounds like you had quite an adventure just getting some wood in your yard James Dean . Glad your ok!
I usually let snakes slither on, but one that strikes out has gotta be done under. Sound advice, never, but never stick you hands into the unknown. There is a tool for about everything. So thankful you didn't get bit.
That's my father in laws welded maul. If you look close you'll see mr snakey smiling for the camera. He was dispatched with the Fiskars moments later Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N920A using Tapatalk
