Weird stuff and a letter

By GEORGE OSTROM

"A rattlesnake will not die before the sun goes down." That is what I was told by old timers while being raised at Camas Prairie, and I sort of believed them. In that part of Sanders County those creatures were found in abundance. After I got older and had more experience of my own with the rattlers, I decided the old timers were probably wrong.

Remember my last encounter with those things? It was not too many years ago when I foolishly tried to pull a rattler off a little rocky cliff and toss it down to the road so son Shannon could take pictures from the car. Iris has asked me to never mention "the incident" in public again, so best we don't revisit that "plan went wrong."

Now. . . there is at least one man in Washington State who "knows" rattlesnakes do not die until sundown. Danny Anderson was out feeding his horses near Prosser when a five-foot rattler came along.

The 53-year-old Dan and his 27-year-old son immediately attacked the snake with a shovel. When it had been whacked numerous times they cut off its head. Anderson says, "When I reached down to pick up the head, it raised up, flipped around and bit my finger… I had to shake my hand real hard to get if loose."

Dan's wife drove him to the Prosser Hospital only ten minutes away, as the venom began causing his tongue to swell. From there, an ambulance took him to Richland Hospital for the anti-venom shots. Doctors kept him there for two days. He says if he has to kill another rattler, he'll use the shovel to dig a hole and bury it. Probably a good idea.

Found another unique story in the clipping file. A black lab named Charlie got in his owner's Chevrolet Impala over in Sagle, Idaho this summer. Mark Ewing said the dog shifted into neutral and the car went rolling down an incline toward the Pend Oreille River. Just before the auto went into the water and sank, Charlie did the smart thing, he bailed out.

Sometimes receive fan letters from highly intelligent paper readers. Got one this week that is kind of fun.

Dear Mr. Ostrom,

We enjoyed your article in the Hungry Horse News, July 26, on the "unattended teapot," I met my husband while working at Glacier in 1973, and have traveled back to the park as often as we can over the years since. We've had more than a few "unattended" incidences. One time we left a tablecloth "unattended" and upon our return to the campground, we had a little pink slip from the ranger stating that a bear took a bite out of the tablecloth. There is a big hole out of the side, so I guess he must have been right!

Another time we ran into an "unattended" old geezer on a rock close to the Hidden Lake overlook. We approached him cautiously as we have been warned many times by the rangers to do with wildlife. As we neared, we noticed the "Over the Hill Gang" vest he was wearing, so figured he was hopefully harmless and possibly hungry. We fed him some of the buffalo jerky that we had along and dutifully reported him to the ranger.

My Dad used to say that the two best oxymoron's are "Civil War" and Common Sense Government." I like your suggestion that park rangers need to accent their courtesy and common sense, rather than their authority. We always enjoy your articles as you express so much of how we feel about Glacier National Park. Thanks!

Chuck and Kristin Carlson

Grove City, Mann

Note to Chuck and Kristin-bears do not bite holes in tablecloths. Their teeth aren't designed for that. They rip and they tear with tooth and claw. The hole in your tablecloth was probably made by small rodents such as chipmunks or ground squirrels with sharp little incisors for eating food stains off cloth. I've been there.

Regarding the "old geezer" sitting on a rock in Glacier Park. Were you ever able to find out his name?