OK - I've been following this thread with interest, so I guess I'll chime in now. I personally hate guns. They scare the willies out of me. We do have a rifle on the farm (securely locked in a gun cabinet), but it's not for personal protection - more for vermin control (rabbits, foxes) or if we need to euthenase one of the cattle.

I fully support Alan's stance. I am happy to live in a society where gun ownership is tightly controlled. The fact is if you have a gun, you're more likely to use it. If everyone has a gun, what's the advantage?

As for the snakes (we don't live in the desert, BTW), shooting them with a rifle would be fraught with danger and ineffective. Far better to use a shovel or some other long-handled implement. Most snakes are more scared of you than you are of them, and it's only when they're cornered or trodden on that they're likely to strike. Snakes are a protected species here. People are able to call upon shire rangers to catch and relocate troublesome snakes. We generally leave well alone, unless they appear regularly around the house or the cattle yards. We believe we lost a 4 month old calf to snake bite this year.