Page 33 - 2024MarApr

DON P. BROWN/ODWC

GET A FREE SNAKE POSTER!
Scores of students learn about Oklahoma’s venomous
snakes from Game Wardens Trey Hale and Ty Runyan.
Oklahoma’s venomous snakes is the subject of this Wildlife
recruits during ODWC training academies. Department poster available for download free from the
Game Wardens never know what situations ODWC website. The front side shows
they might have to face, so the recruits need photos of the seven species of venom-
to be training in general snake handling knowl- ous snakes found in our state, while the
edge and what to do in the event of snakebite. back side offers details about each of
The onset of summer break for the local the species and also facts about snakes
schools means the venomous snake program in Oklahoma. To download a printable
also wraps up for the spring season. The poster, click the QR code:
snakes that Hale and Runyan collected for the
program are all returned to the same dens
they came from. Hale believes it’s likely that
some of the snakes are repeat performers in
the program because the same dens are used
for collection every year.
Hale said he plans to continue the educa-
tional outreach as long as there are students to
benefit from it, and because he’s slowly build-
ing a name for himself.
“The kids just love it, and sometimes they
will even recognize me when I’m in the field.
They say, ‘You’re the snake guy!’ ”
There’s no way Hale can slither away from
that moniker.

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