Be Extra Careful in the Woods

[Rapier]

Guys, a very serious warning; If you live in an area where the hog population is getting bad, watch yourself in the woods and try to avoid going out in the woods before daylight or after sunset. I now have had multiple reports from all over our area, of diamond back rattle snakes that do not rattle at all. People are walking up on them, then looking down to find a big rattler coiled at their feet, without any sound ever being made by a very dangerous snake.

The hog population is exploding and the hogs are killing the snakes the minute they make a sound. So as I understand the idea put forward by biologist, the snakes, in defense, have stopped rattling. This is going on all over the south. A rattle snake that does not make a sound before it bites is a very, very dangerous critter in the woods as far as I am concerned. Please warn your kids and your wives to look where they are walking if they go out in the woods or even the yard, if you live near an area where snakes may den up.

I just had two more incidents reported, with photos, yesterday and the first thing I asked was "did they rattle" and the answer in both instances was NO. This is now near a dozen reports of the exact same thing occurring, this year, from Pensacola to Marianna, FL. If it is occurring here it has to be going on in other hog infested areas as well.

Be careful, do not get bit.
Ed