Arthur Buddy Hawkins Jr.

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - With a dog-eared black Bible, snake tongs and a .22-caliber rifle in his pickup truck, Arthur "Buddy" Hawkins Jr. heads straight toward the things that make other folks scream and run.

Copperheads, rattlers, roaches and rats - Hawkins combats them all as owner of Cahaba Pest Control and inventor of the Cahaba Snake Trap.

As the weather warms up and cold-blooded snakes crawl out in search of sun and food, customers have Hawkins' phone ringing into the night.Many want his new invention.

"I've been catching snakes for 10 years with a piece of PVC pipe," said Hawkins, 60, a self-taught snake and bug enthusiast.
...
"I told the people at church that I hope people don't think we are handling snakes here," Hawkins joked.

He keeps some of his trapped snakes in his basement freezer, to either stuff or use for publicity photos.

"I guess that's where the redneck part comes in," Hawkins said with a grin.

Hawkins likes the idea of helping people, and leaving a mark on the world.

"When I'm dead and gone, this thing may still be here," Hawkins said.
...
"Over the last five years, I've seen a steady increase in the snake population," Hawkins said.
...
"I have the best job in the world, but other people would probably say no," Hawkins said.

BIRMINGHAM -- With a dog-eared black bible, snake tongs and a .22-caliber rifle in his pickup, Arthur "Buddy" Hawkins Jr. heads straight toward the things that make other folks scream and run.

Copperheads, rattlers, roaches and rats -- Hawkins combats them all as owner of Cahaba Pest Control and inventor of the Cahaba Snake Trap.

As the weather warms up and cold-blooded snakes crawl out in search of sun and food, customers have Hawkins' phone ringing into the night. Many want his new invention.

"I've been catching snakes for 10 years with a piece of PVC pipe," said Hawkins, 60, a self-taught snake and bug enthusiast.
...
"I told the people at church that I hope people don't think we are handling snakes here," Hawkins joked.

He keeps some of his trapped snakes in his basement freezer, to either stuff or use for publicity photos.

"I guess that's where the redneck part comes in," Hawkins said with a grin.

Hawkins likes the idea of helping people, and leaving a mark on the world.

"When I'm dead and gone, this thing may still be here," Hawkins said.
...
"Over the last five years, I've seen a steady increase in the snake population," Hawkins said.
...
"I have the best job in the world, but other people would probably say no," Hawkins said. "The people make it the best job. I don't care if I'm just killing roaches, I'm helping a family."

BIRMINGHAM -- With a dog-eared black bible, snake tongs and a .22-caliber rifle in his pickup, Arthur "Buddy" Hawkins Jr. heads straight toward the things that make other folks scream and run.

Copperheads, rattlers, roaches and rats -- Hawkins combats them all as owner of Cahaba Pest Control and inventor of the Cahaba Snake Trap.

As the weather warms up and cold-blooded snakes crawl out in search of sun and food, customers have Hawkins' phone ringing into the night. Many want his new invention.

"I've been catching snakes for 10 years with a piece of PVC pipe," said Hawkins, 60, a self-taught snake and bug enthusiast.
...
"I told the people at church that I hope people don't think we are handling snakes here," Hawkins joked.

He keeps some of his trapped snakes in his basement freezer, to either stuff or use for publicity photos.

"I guess that's where the redneck part comes in," Hawkins said with a grin.

Hawkins likes the idea of helping people, and leaving a mark on the world.

"When I'm dead and gone, this thing may still be here," Hawkins said.
...
"Over the last five years, I've seen a steady increase in the snake population," Hawkins said.
...
"I have the best job in the world, but other people would probably say no," Hawkins said.

With a dog-eared black bible, snake tongs and a .22-caliber rifle in his pickup, Arthur "Buddy" Hawkins Jr. heads straight toward the things that make other folks scream and run.

Copperheads, rattlers, roaches and rats , Hawkins combats them all as owner of Cahaba Pest Control and inventor of the Cahaba Snake Trap.

As the weather warms up and cold-blooded snakes crawl out in search of sun and food, customers have Hawkins' phone ringing into the night.Many want his new invention.

"I've been catching snakes for 10 years with a piece of PVC pipe," said Hawkins, 60, a self-taught snake and bug enthusiast.
...
"I told the people at church that I hope people don't think we are handling snakes here," Hawkins joked.

He keeps some of his trapped snakes in his basement freezer, to either stuff or use for publicity photos.

"I guess that's where the redneck part comes in," Hawkins said with a grin.

Hawkins likes the idea of helping people, and leaving a mark on the world.

"When I'm dead and gone, this thing may still be here," Hawkins said."I compare it to whoever put water in a plastic bottle.Who would have thought that he could do it and be successful?"

For critter haters, the Cahaba Snake Trap captures them indoors or outdoors, rain or shine.

"I have the best job in the world, but other people would probably say no," Hawkins said.

With a dog-eared black Bible, snake tongs and a .22-caliber rifle in his pickup truck, Arthur "Buddy" Hawkins Jr. heads straight toward the things that make other folks scream and run.

Copperheads, rattlers, roaches and rats - Hawkins combats them all as owner of Cahaba Pest Control and inventor of the Cahaba Snake Trap.

As the weather warms up and cold-blooded snakes crawl out in search of sun and food, customers have Hawkins' phone ringing into the night.Many want his new invention.

"I've been catching snakes for 10 years with a piece of PVC pipe," said Hawkins, 60, a self-taught snake and bug enthusiast.
...
"I told the people at church that I hope people don't think we are handling snakes here," Hawkins joked.

He keeps some of his trapped snakes in his basement freezer, to either stuff or use for publicity photos.

"I guess that's where the redneck part comes in," Hawkins said with a grin.

Hawkins likes the idea of helping people, and leaving a mark on the world.

"When I'm dead and gone, this thing may still be here," Hawkins said.
...
"Over the last five years, I've seen a steady increase in the snake population," Hawkins said.
...
"I have the best job in the world, but other people would probably say no," Hawkins said.

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (AP) - With a dog-eared black Bible, snake tongs and a .22-caliber rifle in his pickup truck, Arthur "Buddy" Hawkins Jr. heads straight toward the things that make other folks scream and run.

Copperheads, rattlers, roaches and rats - Hawkins combats them all as owner of Cahaba Pest Control and inventor of the Cahaba Snake Trap.

As the weather warms up and cold-blooded snakes crawl out in search of sun and food, customers have Hawkins' phone ringing into the night.Many want his new invention.

"I've been catching snakes for 10 years with a piece of PVC pipe," said Hawkins, 60, a self-taught snake and bug enthusiast.
...
"I told the people at church that I hope people don't think we are handling snakes here," Hawkins joked.

He keeps some of his trapped snakes in his basement freezer, to either stuff or use for publicity photos.

"I guess that's where the redneck part comes in," Hawkins said with a grin.

Hawkins likes the idea of helping people, and leaving a mark on the world.

"When I'm dead and gone, this thing may still be here," Hawkins said.
...
"Over the last five years, I've seen a steady increase in the snake population," Hawkins said.
...
"I have the best job in the world, but other people would probably say no," Hawkins said.