Ask Chip

After he read my May 2020 “Woods, Waters & Wildlife” monthly column about state-endangered timber rattlesnakes in the print version of Ohio Cooperative Living magazine, Pete Zoretic, a member of South Central Power Company cooperative, sent me several photos of a snake he discovered on his property in Highland County. He believed it just might be a timber rattlesnake because of its behavior: “… the snake was coiling and shaking its tail,” said Zoretic. 

Does anyone take the time to write and snail-mail an actual full-length letter anymore? Yep, 95-years-young, Jean Rutan sent me just such a letter recently, commenting about my “Who Was Grandma Gatewood?” story in the October 2021 issue of Ohio Cooperative Living.

Doug Metz, South Central Power Company

Q. Hi, Chip: I was wondering if you had a guess as to what wild critter might be using the burrow in the mud on the far bank of the stream at the top of this photo? The hole is maybe three inches in diameter? 

In the January 2023 issue of Ohio Cooperative Living magazine, I wrote a story titled “First Impressions” about the opening of the new Hocking Hills State Park L

Mark Chamberlain, Consolidated Cooperative member

Kelly Carver, Consolidated Cooperative

Mike Fry