On our way for groceries, we were walking through the garage when I noticed a piece of brown colored rope near the garage door. As I got closer I saw the “piece of rope” was crawling across the garage floor and towards the clutter under the shelves!

I said to my wife, “Chris… we have a visitor… a snake! Open the garage door and grab the broom.”

As the garage door was opening I looked for anything I could use to help aid in a quick eviction of our reptilian visitor. My heavy gloves were on the other end of the garage and by the time I retrieved them, our slithering visitor would have hidden itself in the clutter under the garage shelves.

I had to act quickly! Leaning against the wall was a commercial hotdog roasting stick I use to hoist the bird sunflower feeder up and down from a shepherds hook. I grabbed the wiener stick knowing it would make a usable substitute for a professional snake hook.

Wielding the wiener stick as my makeshift snake hook, and with my wife backing me up with the broom, I approached the snake to begin serving an eviction notice.

As I eased the tines of the wiener stick under the snake, it apparently mistook me for a reptilian dentist as it quickly coiled and opened its mouth wide to show me its teeth. Undaunted, I flipped the snake in the general direction of the open garage door. Unfortunately, the flipping of the snake was also in the general direction of my wife brandishing the broom.

My wife Chris for the most part is unafraid of snakes. However, having one flipped by a wiener stick in her general direction made her squeal and then threaten ME with the broom! With several more careful passes of the wiener stick tines under the snake and moving it closer to the door, it suddenly made a dash to hide under the garbage bin.

Come on snake… we have to get groceries!

With another quick slide of the wiener stick tines and a strong, deft flip, the snake was propelled to the edge of the garage door. Now my wife came in with the heavy guns… well actually the big garage broom, and swept our slithering visitor out of the doorway and a couple feet into the driveway. 

Once it realized it had been evicted, the snake took quick refuge in the rocks in our landscaping!

Water Safety Tips

With summer officially here, Indiana Conservation Officers would like to remind Hoosiers to make water safety a priority throughout the coming months.

“We urge everyone to recognize the danger water poses,” said Capt. Jet Quillen. 

Here are some basic water safety tips:

Discuss the dangers of water with your family and loved ones before going out.

Tell someone where you are going and when you will return.

Go with a buddy.

Stay away from flooded or fast-moving waterways.

Wear a life jacket.

Keep a watchful eye on children.

Avoid alcohol.

When you go boating, boat safely by assessing water levels before going out and monitor your speed. Reduce speed in unfamiliar areas and be aware of unusual water conditions, especially compared to the size and type of your boat. The guidelines can also help prevent beach erosion.

Designate a sober boat operator. Alcohol consumption causes impaired balance, blurred vision, poor coordination, impaired judgment, and slower reaction time. Wave action, sun exposure, and wind can magnify the effects. It is illegal to operate a motorboat or personal watercraft in Indiana while intoxicated due to alcohol or drugs. Indiana law defines intoxication as having a blood alcohol level of 0.08% or greater.

Each life jacket should be United States Coast Guard approved, in good working condition, and an appropriate size for the wearer. Today’s inflatable life jackets allow mobility and flexibility for activities like boating, fishing or paddling, and may be much cooler in warmer weather than older-style life jackets.

To learn more about boating education and safety, see on.IN.gov/boatered.

State Park Centennial Challenges 

Visit five 100-year-old Indiana State Parks to enjoy their new challenges to help celebrate the history of Indiana State Parks. Parks with centennial challenges include McCormick’s Creek State Park (est. 1916), Turkey Run State Park (est. 1916), Clifty Falls State Park (est. 1920), Pokagon State Park (est. 1925), and Indiana Dunes State Park (est. 1925). 

The challenges kick off the celebration of this year’s 100th anniversaries of Indiana Dunes State Park and Pokagon State Park. For a hundred years, the parks have provided northern Indiana with natural playgrounds and conservation of unique natural resources. 

“We have challenges at many parks that provide opportunities for physical activity through hiking, kayaking, or canoeing,” said Ginger Murphy, deputy director for stewardship for Indiana State Parks. “We are happy to add these opportunities for Hoosiers to open a window into some of the people and places who helped to shape our state’s history.” 

Each challenge explores the history of the respective park’s natural resources, pre-park establishment, and important historical structures and stories. Guests who complete a challenge earn a unique sticker for the park. The instructions for each challenge can be found at dnr.IN.gov/healthy.

The Indiana State Parks system was established in 1916 as a centennial gift to Hoosiers. Explore the history of Indiana State Parks as it relates to the history of our state at on.IN.gov/INStateParkHistory. 

Guests who enjoy history may also want to check out the CCC Challenge which explores the Civilian Conservation Corps at Ouabache State Park, also found at dnr.IN.gov/healthy.

‘till next time, 

Jack

Readers can contact the author by writing to this publication or e-mail Jack at jackspaulding1971@outlook.com 

Spaulding’s books, “The Best Of Spaulding Outdoors” and “The Coon Hunter And The Kid” are available from Amazon.com as a paperback or Kindle download.