Dresden man sets sights on rattlesnakes

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By Matthew Saari
The Dresden Town Board meeting Monday night proved uneventful at best, with officials cranking through the agenda in under 10 minutes.
However, when supervisor George Gang opened the session to public comments, animal control officer George Ferguson said one word that sparked some debate – rattlesnakes.
“Why can’t we have a law in our own town; let each town control their own or each county control their own rattlesnakes,” Ferguson said.
Gang’s response was simple and matter-of-fact.
“You can’t kill rattlesnakes,” he said. “You can’t kill them – that’s it!”
The species in question is the timber rattlesnake. Under New York State law the timber rattlesnake is considered a threatened species which means it cannot be hunted, trapped or otherwise exterminated.
The protection law stems from area residents overhunting the reptile decades ago.

This is only a preview of the story published in the Whitehall Times. To read the full story, pick up a print copy of this week’s paper at the newsstand or read it online here.

 

This is only a preview of the story published in the Granville Sentinel. To read the full story, pick up a print copy of this week’s paper at the newsstand or read it online here.