ROBERTSDALE, Ala. — Stanley Zinner knows all about the wildlife that lives in Baldwin County. He lived on Zinner Drive all his life and has farmed and fished all along Backwater Creek.

So, when he was heading to the creek June 11 to capture some fish to restore the balance in a pond on his property, he knew to be careful. He wore a pair of thick boots and watched where he stepped.

But, a large rattlesnake had other ideas.

“I stepped within two inches of the thing,’ said Zinner. “It was coiled up as pretty as you please.”

Zinner is grateful his four dogs were not traveling with him to worry the 5 1/2 foot-long snake. He’s sure one of the dogs would have been struck, and a neighbor of his lost a dog to snakebite last year.

Zinner had on thick boots, but, “People have told me that they think it (the fangs) would have gone trough, he was so big,”

Zinner found a branch and dispatched the reptile.

“If it wasn’t venomous, I’d have left him alone. I wouldn’t have killed him. He scared me. Lord have mercy,” said Zinner.

Zinner thinks the snake may have just shed its skin.

“I understand it‘s a day or two before they can see,” said Zinner

It was indeed a venomous snake Zinner encountered.

“The snake the man is holding is, in fact, an eastern diamondback rattlesnake — a large one at that,” said Roger Clay with the Alabama Division of Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries after a photo of Zinner holding the body of the snake was e-mailed to him.

According to Clay, “In south Alabama you may encounter any of the six venomous snakes found in the state. These snakes are the copperhead, cottonmouth, pygmy rattlesnake, timber rattlesnake, diamondback rattlesnake, and coral snake. Of course it is much more likely to encounter the other 35 harmless snake species in the state.”

Zinner was born in the trim house on the property off County Road 48 in Robertsdale. His family farmed the land there and Zinner is familiar with the various animals that live in the area. His attitude is “live and let live” and he’s aware that snake have their place in a healthy landscape. He knows that snakes eat rats, mice, lizards and small birds.

“Rattlers can be kind of quick-tempered,” said Zinner. “We have so many now. This area used to be row crops.”

Zinner has converted his land to a pine forest, and he feels that that change might be attracting the snakes. He’s also concerned that the couple’s two grandchildren, Jordan and Taylor, who visit often, might encounter a venomous snake.

“This was a large, well-fed snake,” said Zinner. “It wasn’t living in poverty.”

From his e-mailed comments, Clark seems to agree.

“The diamondback rattlesnake is the largest venomous snake in North America reaching a maximum length of eight feet. However, large diamondback rattlesnakes are becoming exceeding rare. These snakes are typically found in dry piney woods and sandhill habitats as well as areas of palmetto stands. The diamondback rattlesnake has become uncommon to rare in the state and is considered of high conservation concern. Diamondback rattlesnakes are known for their rather calm nature and only bite to defend themselves when completely surprised, cornered, or otherwise threatened.” wrote Clark.

“We’re just having too many rattlesnakes,” said Charlotte Zinner. “Normally, we don’t kill snakes. We see a lot of rat snakes.”

“I don’t believe in killing snakes,” said Zinner, a former president of the Alabama Pecan Growers Association.

In fact, both Zinners pointed out the bird boxes and other habitat they have provided for local birds.

“Bluebirds and mockingbirds control mosquitos and grasshoppers,” Charlotte said.

Clark had a few tips for those who encounter a snake: “If someone walks up on a snake, they should simple walk around it. More times than not  the snake has retreated before you even see it. Sometimes the snake may remain motionless and hope to avoid detection.

And there is no truth to the myth that a snake can strike out over half its body length. And let’s not forget about the myth of the hoop snake that grabs its tail and rolls down hill or of the “stinging snake” that has a venomous stinger in its tail.”