# Hey, guess what's on the back porch! **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [February 15, 2013, 2:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hey-guess-whats-on-the-back-porch/650387 "2013-02-15T14:44:35Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![voltaire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voltaire/32/313_2.png) [@voltaire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/voltaire)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2013, 2:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hey-guess-whats-on-the-back-porch/650387/41 "2013-02-16T02:46:13Z")
I hate to be that guy that can dependably be expected to say, “that looks 'shopped!” But that looks 'shopped, which would explain why the proportions seem so out of whack. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2013, 4:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hey-guess-whats-on-the-back-porch/650387/42 "2013-02-16T04:08:17Z")
GAH! Warning next time! ---
**Author:** ![Tangent](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tangent/32/3098_2.png) [@Tangent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tangent)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2013, 5:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hey-guess-whats-on-the-back-porch/650387/43 "2013-02-17T05:49:11Z")
I don’t think it was photoshopped, but it’s definitely a perspective trick that’s making it look much bigger than it really is. > [@Labtrash](#): > > I found the pic online [here](http://www.livingalongsidewildlife.com/2013/01/an-85-foot-eastern-diamondback-from.html) as well. [Here is a different page on that site with many examples of exactly the same type of picture.](http://www.livingalongsidewildlife.com/2009/07/return-of-giant-killed-rattlesnake.html) ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2013, 10:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hey-guess-whats-on-the-back-porch/650387/44 "2013-02-17T10:05:36Z")
> [@ducati](#): > > I love snakes, and generally let them be, but I’m afraid it might be lead poisoning for him if he were on my deck. I did meet one that size tearing down a barn, once. That must have been a huge snake if it was able to tear down a barn! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2013, 10:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hey-guess-whats-on-the-back-porch/650387/45 "2013-02-17T10:13:19Z")
> [@Jane\_Doe](#): > > WOW! Thought I had seen some big ones! Look at the size of that head! Anyone know how large an animal this thing could eat? [About the size of a housecat.](http://cheesegod.com/4/bigcat.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![limegreen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/82dd89/32.png) [@limegreen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/limegreen)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2013, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hey-guess-whats-on-the-back-porch/650387/46 "2013-02-17T18:31:54Z")
I would have no trouble shooting a dangerous animal on my own back porch. I don’t want to get bit in the ankle when I’m letting the dogs out some morning. ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2013, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hey-guess-whats-on-the-back-porch/650387/47 "2013-02-22T14:40:14Z")
Well, it looks like my local TV station was duped too. They had this exact picture on the 10:00 news last night, further stating it had been killed in our area and that the State Fish & Game were investigating. I’m forwarding them both the ‘hoax’ link from post 40, hoax meaning it probably wasn’t quite as big and probably wasn’t from our area. Also that it’s not as they claimed a Western Diamondback. ---
**Author:** ![Nunzio\_Tavulari](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/b9bd4f/32.png) [@Nunzio\_Tavulari](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nunzio_Tavulari)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2013, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hey-guess-whats-on-the-back-porch/650387/48 "2013-02-22T19:07:19Z")
These legends are easy to get caught up with. The web is an excellent vehicle for spreading lies. Fortunately, it’s even better at debunking them. Snopes and the various political fact checkers are great resources. Although it’s a pain to check every email that comes across the transom to see if it’s true. News organizations should meet a higher standard and fact check everything they broadcast but it’s always a contest to see who can feature a story first. There’s always the possibility that someone in the back room is playing a prank on the newscaster, and I wouldn’t be surprised if the news team knows it’s a fake but decides to play a prank on the audience to get people talking about the show. Above all, never be the guy who send out the email five months after everyone knows it’s a fake. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2013, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hey-guess-whats-on-the-back-porch/650387/49 "2013-02-22T19:33:41Z")
nm ---
**Author:** ![EllyaX](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/85f322/32.png) [@EllyaX](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EllyaX)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2013, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hey-guess-whats-on-the-back-porch/650387/50 "2013-02-22T19:45:08Z")
> [@limegreen](#): > > I would have no trouble shooting a dangerous animal on my own back porch. I don’t want to get bit in the ankle when I’m letting the dogs out some morning. Same here. I know it’s a hoax and all but I would have no problems killing a rattler like that. That thing could easily kill a kid. Relocating snakes has proven to be pretty pointless they try and make their home. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hey-guess-whats-on-the-back-porch/650387.md?page=2)