Jerry Brown ‘conquers’ rattlesnake

Gov. Jerry Brown wants you to know he conquered a snake.

In a photograph posted by Brown on Facebook and Twitter over the weekend, the governor stands in a rural landscape, his left hand on his hip and his right gripping a forked stick over a snake.

The photograph appears be taken on land Brown’s family owns west of Williams, where Brown and his wife, Anne Gust Brown, plan to build a house.

“Out here, you never know what you’ll run into,” the governor said on Twitter. He added the hashtag “#Anne’sNotFondOfRattlesnakes.”

It is unclear if the snake was dead or alive, or what role – if any – Brown played in its disposition. The 77-year-old governor’s most notable previous feats of strength involved pull-up contests.

For the snake picture, Brown wore a hat, a blue shirt and hiking shoes. A hammock was strung between two trees behind him.

The governor’s office declined to answer questions about the photograph, saying it speaks for itself.

Facebook users, on the other hand, happily weighed in – both on the snake and other things.

One man offered, “I think my uncle has that same outfit.”

Editor’s note: This post was updated at 4:20 p.m. Monday to include comment from the governor’s office.

This story was originally published April 20, 2015 at 4:22 PM.