The only good one is a dead one

First rattler I ever ate was one I shot when I was 13 or 14. I had to ride the fence lines and make any repairs I found. I was usually gone over night, sometimes a bit longer. Part of our property at the time was in timber, so it was more like an adventure than work to a kid. Anyways, I shot this rattler with my single six and thought I'd try it. Cooked it with just salt n pepper over the campfire. Wasn't too bad, but I think it was a bit too well done looking back,lol. I was always told to make sure any wild game I ate was thoroughly cooked, so I did. When I returned I told my story and showed off the hide. Dad just nodded, Mum went kinda pale as I recall

 

Çhelly, when you make the Gulf coast, you got a place to stay and good food on the table

 

My grand parents had a big farm down in Scio, and they kept our .22 rifles for when we were there for the summer. Every morning after breakfast, grand dad would hand each of us a single round and send us off to fetch dinner. A good ring neck, or a fat honker was pretty standard fair. Some times we would find a small rattler up by the road, so we would be sure to avoid them. We had the rule, you kill it, you eat it, so none of us wanted any thing to do with those nasty snakes. One day grand ma was out in the yard and started screaming, she had roused a big rattler, and was busy trying to get back to the porch. Grandpa went out with his single six and popped that rattler. Guess what we had for dinner! He marinated it Jack Daniels and some sort of spices and pan fried it up. Damn, that was soooooooo good, and from that day on, we would kill any rattler we found, but only the ones on the property, so others were off limits unless it was hunting season!

 

Yeah, I would like to swing by for a good chat with you two!

 

I've eaten froglegs, various turtles, gopher tortois (before they were protected) and gator. Haven't eaten snake yet. Just haven't had the opportunity. I hope to try it one day.

 

Count me in, I'll get the 1st couple rounds!

 

EXCEPTIONS EXIST! Example, various invasive, non native constrictors in south florida due to hurricane Andrew. In case some of you do not understand the need to exterminate with extreme prejudice these beautiful snakes, they are killing off native animals and birds at rate where extinction of certain species from their normal native habitat is quite possible. Unfortunately, the US Government is making the matter worse by severely limiting who may kill these snakes and when on all government controlled land. It is an idiotic meddling restriction that allows nearly total unchecked multiplication of their overall numbers. They should be freely killed ANYWHERE IN THE STATE IN THE WILD!!!!! If you have your yard landscaped, irrigation, and grass, fenced. .... with small children and pets allowed to frolic in yard. In this example I am sorry if you object, but poisonous snakes DIE!!!

 

At the risk of error, constrictors are not poisonous. A bite can be infected, but there is zero venom involved. That said they get big enough to be a hazard to pets, farm animals and kids. They get big enough to eat large lumps of what they think is edible. This one ate a calf if I translated the malay correctly, and as with all constrictors, they swallow it whole. Their strike is FAST.

 

I thought this thread was going to be about POLITICIANS and LAWYERS...

 

Well those too..

 

Instead of settling for turducken, you could be enjoying snakebeefen!

 

Well, Florida is now a developing haven for feral Pythons, mostly Burmese but some Reticulated are being found too. Freaks a lot of people out.
But other idiots have released other "pets" over the years.
Once the feral Giant Gambian Brown Rats begin spreading and decimating crops, we will appreciate our Pythons!
They help keep the Gators in check too.

 

Often exotics that go feral are a danger to the native ecology....and vice versa

 

Mr Roo..

 

Hey Chell, you ever get inland, say Colorado, and wanna try some Rocky Mountain Rattler done up frickasey style, come on over and have your fill !!!!! We got some good mountain fermented spirits and my lovely brides baking is fit for kings! After, you can go down to the lower medow and commiserate with our local predator and enjoy a evening berry fest!