I was a bit of a reptile geek as a kid. Growing up on the west coast I came across and sometimes caught all kinds of snakes, southern Pacific’s, pigmy rattlers, Mohave greens, garters, gophers, king’s, rosy boas. I was no expert but read lots of books and could identify them in the field.
Fast forward to a few weeks back, I was reading my 5 and 7 y/o a bedtime story with a snake in it when my 5 y/o said snakes were scary. A teachable moment came to mind and I’ve been hell bent on capturing a garter, gopher or hog nose specimen to show them.
Fast forward to 2 days ago leaving the breaks on our camping trip, looking in the road ahead I recognized (thought) a long slender snake, thinking garter or gopher I immediately bailed out the door thinking I was Steve Irwin gonna catch him by the tail. Luckily as I crossed the 5’ mark my brain kicked in and the identify before capture got the better of me. I’ve run in to prairie rattlers in Montana, this was a baby, just a button, never shook his tail, never moved. Just left him alone but close call.
