What to do with a snake skin?

[BoldHighlander]

If it was a Camp Pendleton rattler, I hope you tried to resuscitate it before declaring it deceased.

I can just see James getting down on the ground giving it mouth-to mouth

When I was stationed a Pendleton (many years ago) I remember the base commander had standing orders against harming any of the "base rattle snakes". When ever you'd see a platoon of recruits suddenly move to the oblique in formation, it was a pretty safe bet there was a snake in the road. I also remember the recruits using their guide-ons to clear the butts on the range of the sleepy snakes sunning themselves in the morning.

I don't know about you guys at Pendleton, but at Benning at the gunnery range we had "ready made" foxholes (cement culverts, right side up) with a wooden lid over them that would collect leaves in the bottom. Whenever we were out at the range, before getting in we'd have to clear these for Eastern Diamondbacks
(I never found one -- oop:!!).

[James MacMillan]

Generic statement for the wild-life police... All effort was made to return life to the snake after it was rendered lifeless by a truck tire. Mouth to mouth failed. Transfussion failed. So I figured the skin was still useful.

Years ago my running buddy said that levitaion was possible, when he saw me get higher in the air when I realized that I was over a rattler in mid stride.

Thanks all for all the good ideas. I think I will make a cap badge and belt buckle out of this guy. and maybe some flashes.....maybe not. No hurry, and will probably wait for warmer mornings.