I was down at the pond this afternoon when one of my dogs started barking at something. I thought it might have been one of the neighbors cows, but then I could see it was something on or in the ground. When she started dancing around it, I was afraid it was either a snake or a snapping turtle. I hurried, as best I can, over to see what it was as I tried to call her off. She doesn't respond very well to recall, or mind all that well in general. When I got almost to her she did come to me, and I could see what she was barking at was a big, thick bodied, black snake with a lighter under belly. I didn't see its head, and didn't waste any time trying to. I took the dogs back up to the house while considering my alternatives. I've decided to just let it be. It was in deep enough grass that I couldn't see it until I was almost on it, and if I went back with the dogs, I would again be exposing them to the risk of being bitten. Of course, there will always be that risk as long as the snake is on my property.
