Winter’s final gasps are fading across much of the country, and the earth is beginning to warm. The turkeys are gobbling and strutting for the hens while the mallards are engaged in their obscene gang-rape mating frenzies. The does are giving birth, and a careful and observant walk through the woods edge may reveal the spotted fawn. Hillsides, even in the arid west, are green and dotted with wildflowers.
It’s a pretty awesome time to be outdoors. But this is also the time of year that I want to remind everyone to pay attention to the ground around your feet… the snakes are out and about.
Turkey hunters need to check twice before they plop down under that oak tree, and hog hunters would do well to step carefully over that log, rather than just heedlessly jumping over. Fishermen need to peer through the reeds along the stream’s edge. For most of us, snakes are a minor threat. They don’t hunt us, and would just as soon disappear without ever being seen if given the chance… but a careless outdoorsman can quickly become a very sick outdoorsman.
Stay alert and observant.
Maintain situational awareness.
Don’t get bit.
And watch your root beer.
I sincerely wish we could be watching out for snakes in our mountains. Alas, our mountains are too white with snow and from the sounds of it, it could be another week or even two before we can drive in – let alone hike up and look for bears, turkeys or other critters.