Keep Cochise County safe from dangerous reptiles
Donation protected
Hi my name is Brandon, and I am fundraising for Bill Schumacher aka our local reptile wrangler. Many people in our town have heard his name and know him as the rattlesnake guy. What you may not know is Bill is a very kind man who does all of his work voluntarily while on a fixed income as a 100% disabled veteran. He began doing this work in honor of his daughter who died on February 1st 2013 in Sierra Vista. He loves what he does and he is doing this for a great cause but I don't think our community is aware of just how much he helps us all out.
In the summer, Bill on average will get called up to 4 or 5 times a day to go pick up and relocate these snakes. This summer alone (2021) he has already picked up over 200 diamondback rattlesnakes. That number does not include Mojave's, Black Tails or Coral snakes. On top of this Bill is the only resident in Cochise County that is licensed by Arizona Game an Fish to go and pick up these reptiles and relocate them in a safe environment away from civilization. Because he is licensed, every January he is required to have paperwork filled out for each of the 100s of snakes we ask him to go get, and he turns that paperwork in to AZGAF. Due to financial circumstances Bill has never asked anyone to pay him more than what they can afford to donate. He understands that not everyone can afford to pay for the service he provides and these animals can show up at unexpected times so he doesn't want to cause anyone financial burdens in their life. That means on the occasions that he drives across the county to pick up a poisonous or venomous reptile, then drives out to the middle of the desert to relocate said animal, if he didn't receive a penny for his efforts, then he spends his own personal money on the gas and wear and tare of his vehicle. His efforts are to save people from the reptiles but also to save the reptiles from us humans. Now, I have seen his name tagged all over Facebook and I know he is potentially saving hundreds of pets, children, and loved ones from being hurt or even potentially finding themselves in an early grave. Bill served in our military and now, even to this day, he does what he can for our community and gives his time and energy to those in need. I have not ever asked him for his assistance (yet) but as a resident of Cochise County I more than appreciate what he does for our community and one way I know I can help is to donate a few dollars to his cause. I am starting this page in an effort to allow any other residents in Cochise County the same opportunity to give a little bit to help this man out. If you believe he is doing good in your community and have a few dollars to spare then this is definitely something you should be okay with supporting. If you don't have any money to offer then that is okay also, but it wouldn't be hard to send him a message and let him know you appreciate him for what he does. If you don't care about him or the reptiles/people he is saving from any harm then have a good day Richard!
A few more things to consider. Just because it is getting colder doesn't mean the reptiles stop existing. It just means they are probably coiled up somewhere inside tool sheds or under piles of junk in some of our yards. Bill still gets calls to pick up snakes like the main picture on this page that was picked up December 1st this year. Now that it is too cold for Bill to relocate these reptiles, he has a section of his house dedicated to keeping these creatures alive and healthy until springtime weather allows him to re-home them away from civilization. Yes you read that correctly, Bill will keep dangerous animals in his home through the winter months to protect families that call on him for help. This is a full time job and service that I assure you, this community needs and I applaud this man for the amount of work and dedication he has provided to our community! I am personally going to match the total of all donations up too 5,000 dollars, so please help me in making this process easier for our very much needed and very much appreciated friend Bill Schumacher.
Organizer
Brandon Hilderbrand
Organizer
Sierra Vista, AZ