Sharp Shooter

“Hey kid,
Whatcha doin?”
“Hunting,
Hunting rattlers”
“Interested in
Copperhead?”
“Yeah!”
“Might want
To get
The one
By your
Foot.”
Leap, fire, scream
“Nice shot,
Kid.”
“Mom!!!!”


Ken Goree


I think I was eight on this visit to the family farm, in Tennessee.  My dad had let me bring my bb gun along.  Of course, I was going to try to hunt for poisonous snakes.  What would you excpect a boy with a bb gun to do in “snake country.”  There was a family renting the farm at the time, and one of the teenage boys came to see what I was doing.  I was standing about eight inches from a copperhead.  They aren’t nearly as helpful as rattle snakes.  The rattlesnakes warn you, at least.  I jumped and fired as it struck.  I’m guessing that bite would have really hurt.