Cflaguy
Old School Snakeman
Not all of it was at the jail but I had an interesting day to say the least.
It begin at the jail and quickly for those who don't know.... I test construction materials, one of my jobs is at the county jail, out in the middle of nowhere. Some good herping including yellow rats, racers, turtles, a big gator and apparently corns everywhere. There has been two corns caught on site and I've found two DORs. One last month and one today. It still breaks the heart. I can't have a camera on site and not suppose to have my cell with camera either. But I do. This corn was just outside the no pic zone. Another good looking specimen, fresh kill. I may need to cruise this road one early morning. Sorry for the quality, cell pic.
One my home from the office I spy to Lakeland PD officers in a parking lot and a man running around like his hair was on fire. Then I spy a three and a half foot gator in a sling, spinning at 50mph, in the officers hand. I stop. Ask if they need help, explain I've been a reptile guy for 30 years, worked at Gatorland blah, blah, blah. "No we don't need no help move along." I stay. The little fellow is snappin at em the entire time. I guess the LEO had enough and one close snap had them asking me for advice. "Just put her down and we'll get her mouth taped shut." I says. And we did.
They asked me to go up the road to Lake Parker with them to turn her lose, sure no prob. I make the turn to the road that goes around the lake and am greeted with a little traffic jam. I see another officer in the right lane, a car in the median, and four cars in front of me. Slowly they go around the officer. I'm thinking what is the deal? Then I see right there on the side of the road, an eight or nine foot gator just a basking. I get out, ask this officer if needs any help. "No, go on before you get hurt." I tried to tell him my credentials but was told rather rudely to leave again. I stay. He walks toward the gator and starts screaming at him. The reptile opens up a small can on him with a loud hiss and a head fake. The officer looks at me and asks, " Got any ideas?" I pulled out my snake stick and pounded on the sidewalk, then grass as I advanced on the gator. He got up and took a leisurely walk into the water.
At that point the other officers had caught up. I advised we go down a couple hundred yards to release the little guy... so he wouldn't be a happy meal for the big guy.
I just can't go anywhere w/o falling into a herp adventure.
It begin at the jail and quickly for those who don't know.... I test construction materials, one of my jobs is at the county jail, out in the middle of nowhere. Some good herping including yellow rats, racers, turtles, a big gator and apparently corns everywhere. There has been two corns caught on site and I've found two DORs. One last month and one today. It still breaks the heart. I can't have a camera on site and not suppose to have my cell with camera either. But I do. This corn was just outside the no pic zone. Another good looking specimen, fresh kill. I may need to cruise this road one early morning. Sorry for the quality, cell pic.
One my home from the office I spy to Lakeland PD officers in a parking lot and a man running around like his hair was on fire. Then I spy a three and a half foot gator in a sling, spinning at 50mph, in the officers hand. I stop. Ask if they need help, explain I've been a reptile guy for 30 years, worked at Gatorland blah, blah, blah. "No we don't need no help move along." I stay. The little fellow is snappin at em the entire time. I guess the LEO had enough and one close snap had them asking me for advice. "Just put her down and we'll get her mouth taped shut." I says. And we did.
They asked me to go up the road to Lake Parker with them to turn her lose, sure no prob. I make the turn to the road that goes around the lake and am greeted with a little traffic jam. I see another officer in the right lane, a car in the median, and four cars in front of me. Slowly they go around the officer. I'm thinking what is the deal? Then I see right there on the side of the road, an eight or nine foot gator just a basking. I get out, ask this officer if needs any help. "No, go on before you get hurt." I tried to tell him my credentials but was told rather rudely to leave again. I stay. He walks toward the gator and starts screaming at him. The reptile opens up a small can on him with a loud hiss and a head fake. The officer looks at me and asks, " Got any ideas?" I pulled out my snake stick and pounded on the sidewalk, then grass as I advanced on the gator. He got up and took a leisurely walk into the water.
At that point the other officers had caught up. I advised we go down a couple hundred yards to release the little guy... so he wouldn't be a happy meal for the big guy.
I just can't go anywhere w/o falling into a herp adventure.
