- Water Moccosin Alley
Camp Applegate is a series of fun activities that are done around the house as a family. These activities are spontaneous, fun and have little or no cost. The things we cherish most are the life experiences we share as a family. These adventures create the lasting memories and open up opportunities for great communication and fun together. I hope you enjoy our craziness and find some fun adventures that you can do with your family.
It is a Wednesday summer evening and we had a good rain today. We just finished dinner and thought it would be a good night to hunt snakes. Ben is deadly accurate with his blow dart and is loaded with small broad heads. We follow the paths careful to watch our steps.
Up ahead a frog jumps and we spot this monster coiled up in the grass at the edge of the puddle looking for his evening meal. Normally we end up chasing these guys and getting a long shot in the grass, but we were quiet and he was hoping his disguise would keep us from noticing him. Ben readies his blow dart and puts a broad head squarely through the center of his head.
Head Shot
Blasting from his coiled position he heads toward safety with Ben in pursuit. After 4 or 5 more darts in the head and body we retrieve him from the grass to take a look.
Venomous Teeth
The venom from this monster is a wicked hemotoxic brew that will destroy your flesh. Within 15 minutes of a bite your limb will swell to twice its normal size and is very painful. These guys are very common and we made sure to educate our kids early in life so the were able to identify a water moccasin and know the dangers.
A Successful Evening
The whole adventure is typically 30 – 45 minutes and provides for a great experience that I can share with our kids. The problems of our days and the complexity of life seems to go away. While exploring the outdoors we often see deer, non-venomous snakes, crawfish, and occasionally a coyote or racoon. The element of adventure and danger keeps it exciting and makes for lasting memories.
No matter whether you live in the city, suburbs or the country there is a world just outside your door waiting to be explored and full of adventure and opportunities to create lasting memories. Go out tonight and see what is in your neighborhood.
