“The Clan”

 The Cagle name made its way into North Georgia in the early 1800’s by way of what’s now Moore County, North Carolina, where our ancestry dated back another hundred years. Several members of the family received land grants in the land lotteries that took place across the Cherokee territory north of the Chattahoochee River. The early settlers, as were most in that day and time, were mostly farmers and saw millers.
Although not members of the trades of our ancestors, my sons and I are surveyors and field engineers, and own Cherokee Surveying Co. Inc (our day job). But like our forefathers, we still possess the appreciation of the outdoors. When we are not chasing boundary lines across the hills or swamps, we are either hunting or fishing. Our world has a sky for a roof.


"The Sticks"

 Every artist has his medium, and the snakes my son Keith and I bring to life grow inside small trees. How this occurs is when a hardwood, of varying species, is very young, a vine tightly wraps itself around the tree. During the growth of the tree, the vine becomes embedded in the bark. As the tree matures, the grain inside the tree begins to follow the wrap of the vine. If given enough time, the outer growth will also follow suit and the vine will become embedded deep inside the tree. The result is a “snake in a tree"- Nature’s very own artwork.

 Many miles and many hours are logged to find these “hidden” snakes.” (The live ones are easier to find in the summer months). Old clear-cuts close to streams are a good location to start, but anywhere young hardwoods and vines share the same ground have possibilities. After the hunt for the tree is complete, the drying process begins, which can take upwards of six months. During this time, some trees will dry fine while others will split. The keepers with the good clean wood are sometimes tied to posts to correct the sticks posture. Next step, the bark is removed, and the outer wood is carefully chipped away. The trees desirable to make a cane are 3 to 4 inches at the stem with vine wrap distortions at another 3 to 4 inches in diameter. As more of the exterior is removed, the type of snake is discovered. First consideration is, of course, given to native snakes of Georgia.

"Finishing"

 After the snake is shaped and the stem (the cane) is whittled to 1 to 1 1/2 inches, the fun part begins. Scaling is a long and precise process, done with a "v" shaped hand gouge one scale at a time. The scales are slightly lifted to give the snake its authentic feel. This part, on average, will take around twenty hours to complete. Already rustic and coming to life, the painting brings another timely process. To mock the snake’s pattern, each scale must be painted one at a time. Once satisfied with color and detail, several coats of polyurethane are added for shine and to protect the scale tips. The snake is ready to crawl off the stick when a pair of proper taxidermy eyes is set in place. The entire process can consume 80 to 100 hours of time, but the reward is a unique "one of a kind" work of art!