Baraboo weekly news. [volume] (Baraboo, Wis.) 1912-197?, 1921-05-26
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e. H. Dinsmore and Ed Clement
Indulge in New Sport of Catch
ing Rattlers Alive
(Reedsburg Free Press)


A box containing six large yellow
rattlers has held the center of the
stage Of interest on Main Street ever
since they were placed there Friday
by C. H. Dinsmore and Ed Clement
who had the doubtful pleasure of
catching them, although both claim it
is not as thrilling as most anyone
would suppose and they did not even
have to climb tree for safety. Only
two of the snakes were in motion the
rest were taking their afternoon
siesta.
The home of these interesting Great
ures is located on the sunny south
side of the big bluffs between North
Freedom and BarabOO about a mile
and half from Kings Corners among
the cozy boulders. They are lord Of
all they survey and will not run for
anything unless it is pigs. The timid
deer are their close neighbors, for
many tracks and runways we're seen
in this locality.
Ed Ochsner, who has an apiary at
a corner on them and wishing to en-
tertain his company with a little un-
usual sport invited his guests, Mr. |
Dinsmore and Mr.. Clement, to a !
snake hunt. Mr.. Ochsner furnished |
the tOngs which are about three and
a half to four feet long with which !
they catch the reptile around the ;
neck back of the head and also fur
nished the cans in which to place the
specimens for safe keeping. He also
acted as guide and principal instruc.
tor for he is taxidermist and so is
an authority on snakeology. They
can spring when cOiled UP about
their length so it is necessary to han
die them with tOngs. No casulties are !
reported, no accidents occurred and |
no one was bitten although the party
was probably supplied with the pre-
parat5on which will counteract the
poison in case of accident.
The specimens captured are beau
ties in their line. The smallest has
eight rattles and the largest twelve.
he killed by catching it too near the
head. The snake threw itself and
probably broke it's neck also broke
some of it's rattles so it's age could
not be determined /
1t is interesting just to listen to
the old pioneers OF this vicinity
where the rattlers used to roam
about as free as the Indians tell
about the largest rattlers they ever
killed for in those good old days it
was not customary to take them alive
for specimens were too plentiful to
be desired.
Fred Reitman remarked that he had
killed one with IA rattlers. Others
who had somewhat forgotten just
how they sound stepped into the
'State Bank building where the box
is on exhibit, just to hear the rattle
which sounds something like a To-
Gust. only louder
When the hunt was over and they
were collected in the yard a neighbor
drove a three horse team into the
yard. The snakes began to buzz and
the horses made a jump and appear
ed very nervous although none of
them had ever been bitten by one, it
just seemed to be a natural instinct
as though they recognized a warning
OF danger.
1t would take a large book to hold
"a! the thrilling stores which w.ra
called forth by the exhibit
1t is reported that the snakes will
go to the state university at Madi-
SON They can live ali summer with
out either food or /water for snakes
in captivity eat very little