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Edmonson County's Number One Source For Local News and Information
 Craig Browning holds a 5ft timber rattler killed on his farm in Ollie. Darren Doyle, story: A local man got an eye-opening surprise today (again) when he stumbled upon a large timber rattlesnake on his farm in the Ollie community while tending to a deer feeder. Craig Browning of Chalybeate said he was ten bags deep into filling the feeder when he looked down and saw the rattler just three feet away. "I'm usually very cautious when I'm tending to the deer feeder this time of year," he said. "When it's hot and dry, you gotta keep an eye out. But I hadn't seen anything all summer so I guess I gotten pretty relaxed. I normally carry a .38 special with rat shot, a homemade forked walking stick, and snake boots. Well, today, I didn't have any of that stuff."    Browning said he took a couple steps back and regrouped. He said he knew if he left the site to get his gun that the snake would be gone when he returned. Luckily, he had a camp hatchet and he was able to go a short distance to the edge of the woods, get a limb, and cut a makeshift forked stick. "The snake was still there when I got back," he said. "I called my son-in-law and put him on Facetime. I told him he was my backup 911 in case something went wrong," he said with a laugh; however, he said trying to kill a giant timber rattler with a stick and a camp hatchet didn't seem funny at the time. "I forked the snake, but the forks were a little long, so he was able to squirm out a little bit, but a good knock on the head got him." The snake measured out close to 60 inches and had 9 rattles. Browning killed almost the same exact size snake 4 years ago, on August 13, 2017, also shared with the Edmonson Voice. "It was almost identical to the snake I killed four years ago, and within 20 feet of the same spot," he said. "This one pretty much scared me the same amount as that one did, too." Browning, a very accomplished hunter and outdoorsman, said people often question him about his secret hunting spot where he regularly kills trophy deer. "I'm raising trophy rattlesnakes," he said. He said he plans on skinning the snake and displaying on a board in his hunting room. 
22 Comments
J burek
8/6/2021 01:25:30 pm
Stumbled upon a rather large timber rattler up here in the Ramapo mountains of northern NJ a couple years ago - about 4 foot long And thick - counted about 6 rattles on the tail. My dog spotted him and was right over the top sniffing it's head before getting pulled away - did not get bitten and I'm still trying to figure out why she didn't get bitten. Gave it plenty of room and just left it there. Was gone when we treked back, but I was spooked the rest of the day...
Tim Bokovoy
8/6/2021 01:52:55 pm
What state Wi or MN ?
Wayne Grinder
8/6/2021 04:50:10 pm
Just wondering why you kill the snakes when you come across them. I take it they’re back deep in the woods & not near your home.
Abraham Warren Jr
8/6/2021 05:23:23 pm
That was a big snake, I’m living in Fayetteville NC I have come across Ratter Snakes form years coming up as a kid growing on St Helena Island South Carolina working in the Tomato & Cucumber field. During the summer people on the Island always come across snakes a lot bigger than the picture you displayed. Lots of times you fine them on the pave roads hit by a automobile. Do there you an also fine them swimming in salted water.
Curtis Flowers
8/6/2021 06:08:45 pm
Bet he don't forget his pistol no more 8/6/2021 07:13:37 pm
Why would you kill the snake? It was living in its own habitat where it should be. You were the person trespassing. You don't kill wildlife just because you don't like them.
Jason Wells
8/9/2021 05:18:27 pm
Did you not read the article? Dude was on his own property. In KY we kill stuff before it kills us bro. It was wear the guy deer hunts.
Zokobady yte
8/6/2021 10:31:44 pm
A good snake is the dead one.
Scott.Champion
8/6/2021 11:39:46 pm
That's awesome
Dan Boatwright
8/7/2021 12:27:21 am
Timber rattlers are protected snakes. It’s state and federal violation to kill, harm, or posses them.
Steve Beaupre
8/7/2021 08:08:26 am
This is a sad story. Timber Rattlesnakes are endangered and protected by law in over half the states they occur in. Their current poor population status is due to centuries of human persecution and habitat destruction. This particular large animal was probably over 30 years old. It takes them a long time to reach that size. They play a valuable role in nature by controlling rodents and other small mammals. Rodents in particular are known to carry Plague and Lyme Disease, both of which cause people a lot of trouble. Eastern American hardwood forests without Timber Rattlers feel sterile to me, without wild, without adventure. We can learn to live with them safely. It doesn’t take a brave man to kill a snake - just a fearful one.
Michael Costello
8/9/2021 05:26:09 pm
Nothing sad at all here. Thanks for your wildlife lesson but in KY, when we're walking on our private property and see a rattlesnake, we don't stop to have a conversation with it, hug or kiss it, or take selfies, not unless it's dead first.
Eric dungan
8/7/2021 08:10:24 am
Kill one this spring 14 buttons almost 4ft Arkansas has some big ones
jerold sorbel
8/7/2021 12:23:32 pm
Why did you kill it? Very beneficial. 8/7/2021 02:59:14 pm
My wife seen a snake just like this behind my house in breathitt co. But by the time she got my attention about it it was already gone she seen this picture and told me that's the same as the one she seen
Mark Pellicer
8/8/2021 08:24:41 am
Aren't timbers a protected species? Is it lawful to kill them and mount the skin of a protected species. Asking for a friend.
Michael Costello
8/9/2021 05:24:05 pm
Since your friend isn't smart enough to look up this information that can that easily be found on Google, you can tell him that they're not protected in KY.
Leone Jenison
8/8/2021 09:02:04 am
I am curious, what do you do with the layer of fat? I have been trying to find rattlesnakes oil for years!
Retta Phillips
8/8/2021 10:26:16 pm
I would of been scared to death we never see them where i live and im so glad i never knew rattlesnakes would get that big,So do you eat them i hear there pretty good. Just please becareful out there.
Rickey Smith
8/16/2021 10:53:47 am
If I run up on a rattle snake it is going to be killed. Apparently some folks think more of a snake than they do other lives. Your comment will be posted after it is approved.
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