We went to the 2011 Rattlesnake Roundup this weekend in Wigham, Georgia. We hadn't been before and were curious. However, we were dismayed by what we saw. Most of the gathering was a mix of flea market and state fair kind of stuff. The Rattlesnakes were kept in one portion of a large field called the snake ring. The snakes were kept in large garbage cans and were removed for milking the venom and then placed in large cages or back into garbage cans. The exhibition took place in front of a live rock band and in an area where Civil War re-enactors were firing a cannon every 5 to ten minutes. Since snakes are sensitive to vibration and noise and since these snakes were captured from the wild within the past couple of months, my wife and I thought this was certainly an inhumane way to handle the snakes. While we support the right of anyone to dispatch a poisonous snake on their property or that poses a danger to their community, I think that this sort of round-up is probably harmful to the ecosystem. We were also concerned about the welfare of animals and livestock being used for pony rides, "tame" bull rides, and the petting zoo. The dogs who came with their owners were also very frightened by the cannon fire. I'm not anti-zoo, anti-hunting, or anti-farming, but I would definitely advise others who are curious to avoid such round ups in the future.
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I have several telescopes, but none are semi-APO, APO, or in anyway valuable.
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