by Jan Fielden
Saturday morning I got up raring to go as usual. As I looked out the kitchen window which I normally do, I saw a big hog down in the pasture. The hog was not very far away. He had not wandered into the next pasture but was still on the house side of the cross fence. “I think I can get him before he takes off running”, I thought to myself. The Beagles had not discovered him as of yet because they were not barking. I quickly got my gun, put on my boots, and headed out the door. I got only two steps before I stopped in my tracks!
There on the patio was a Copperhead resting, sunning its self, or whatever! I backed up and ran over to get the shovel that was leaning on the house. I came back over to the snake and the Beagles arrived about the same time. They, of course, began darting in and backing out, darting and backing. I hit the snake with the shovel and yelled at the Beagles to stay away. I had to put my gun down and was trying to knock the snake senseless so I could move him over into the dirt in order to kill it. Hitting a shovel on concrete is not easy on the hands or the concrete or the shovel. I was afraid to move him off the patio for fear he would take off and I would lose him. But finally, he was stunned enough I moved him over on to the dirt. It was then that I was able to cut its head off. Then the Beagles started sniffing the patio and started their darting and backing to the shovel as I carried him off.
The hog of course ran off before I could even get one shot off. But I had to choose between the snake and the hog. I choose the one that would have hurt the Beagles that live at the Red Oak Ranch.
