Gunpowder and propane

As I pulled in the driveway this evening I saw my Himalayan cat, Jazz, batting at something under the propane tank. As the truck's headlights swept across the tank, the object of his affection turned out to be a small rattlesnake. I parked the truck, leaving the headlights on, and headed for the house to get my shotgun.

Now I know what you're thinking. I'm about to use a shotgun to kill a snake... under a tank full of propane. Essentially the snake is hiding under a 500 gallon bomb. I wasn't thinking this far ahead at the time though.

I reach in the door just enough to grab the shotgun, when the hanger it rests on breaks, and the gun slips from my grasp, hits the floor, and goes off.

It took a moment to realize why I was deaf. Blinking stupidly I peer up at the ceiling to see a 2 inch diameter hole where the #7 birdshot hit. Oops. I could have sworn the safety was on.


Back outside at the tank it became obvious the snake was not going to leave the protection of the propane tank any time soon so I laid the shotgun down (this time with the safety on) and grabbed a hoe. I am still surprised that he never tried to make a break for it. Instead he held his ground and repeatedly struck the hoe as I tried to pull him out from beneath the tank. Eventually I got him out and went to cut his head off, but the pile of crap hoe wouldn't hack a dandelion in half so it took a few hits.