Worse than snakes, Brother. I have always tried to keep a King snake/(Chicken Snake) in my outdoor sheds, or nearby. They eat other snakes and tend to leave people alone.
One of my college professor's many teachings/"prophecies" have come to fruition. The chemical companies were "buying up" all the plant biologists and he was a holdout. He wouldn't work for them and eventually was scorned out of teaching. He was telling us in 1982 that we would likely live to see bottles/cans of water for sale in vending machines, right beside sodas. As a plant geneticist in a new field, he was quite intelligent. If you notice, the chemical companies now are "umbrella" companies that own the chemicals and the GMO seeds. I try to grow and keep 'open pollinated" seed stock. Unfortunately, since our house fire and subsequent move to a house that's not on the farm property, I can't keep the critters from eating most of my crops!!! I've had problems with coyotes packing off my watermelons, deer descending on pea patches, just mowing them down by the acre, and even eating red okra?!?!?! Never witnessed that in almost 50 years of gardening! But, now I have, and when I fenced off a small spot for some purple hull peas, they got so enraged that they ate the freshly sprouted corn! Much has happened over the last few years. I've had to help my wife see how badly the farmer was doing her and her family for longer than I have known her. Not sure how long he and his now deceased father cropped the acreage of rented row crops. Over 15 years for sure. He's had around 30-35 acres in cotton on that property EVERY year except one since I met her in 2003!!!!! He was so angry about being "fired" that he didn't even spray the proper chemicals, If any at all this year! Not only skipping the glyphosate sprays, but also another chemical that forces the cotton to branch out instead of wanting to grow taller and put out more flowers, leading to low yields. I'm also dealing with trespassers, etc. Just part of the rural stupidity in some parts of this State.
I'm having to run back and forth from 7 miles away to keep an eye on things, adding game cameras and allowing a couple of people to hunt as well. More to keep other poachers off and cut back on the overpopulated deer around that farm! Never a dull moment around me, I guess I will be the azzhole in the situation, I do what I must to protect my family and properties.