Snakes

[nc recurveman]

I have a question, as all of us are about to hit the woods for various early seasons. What snake worries you the most? Here in coastal carolina cottonmouths are everywhere, your gonna see them, step on'um atleast once a week. We have copperheads and a handful of rattlers. Of all the snakes we have copperheads worry me the most, I dont think cottonmouths are inclined to bite or I would most likely be dead by now. Rattlers will warn you when your gettin too close. copperheads (or popper-leafs as they are called around here) seem to be just plain ass mean. Thoughts?

[Red4arm]

I'm with you, I don't think the copper heads are as posinous, but we gave a bunch of em and they are aggressive! I have darn near stepped on rattle snakes and they don't seem to care, but copperheads will jump at you.

[Red4arm]

I'm with you, I don't think the copper heads are as posinous, but we gave a bunch of em and they are aggressive! I have darn near stepped on rattle snakes and they don't seem to care, but copperheads will jump at you.

[Bud B.]

Allegedly this one was killed by a property owner here in Randolph County. My wife saw this on one of her facebook friend's page. I had to save the photo.

Last year my Brit sniffed a dead one killed by a farmer's plow. It was about four feet and had seven rows of beads on its tail.

Copperheads are the least venemous here in NC. More bites from them reported, but fewer problems when they do bite.

Keep liquid benadryl in your pouch or an epi pen.

 

[JimB]

Copperheads have the least potent bite and tough they never result in death that doesn't meen it isn't serious.I'm not sure what is meant by agressive but none of our North American snakes will come after you,intentionally.

Copperheads were blessed with natural camouflage and they use it by remaining motionless longer than most snakes.I have stepped beside them with no reaction.If stepped on or surprised,they will strike in rapid succesion.You have to be very close to get them to strike.

Most 8' or 10" leather boots will stop most snake bites.Big diamondbacks may go higher.Pants outside the boots give another layer of protection.

You just need to not sit or put your hands or feet any place you can't see.If you can do that,you won't have to worry about snake bites.Average strike distance is 1/3 the body length.Extreme strike distance is 1/2.If you can see 1-2' around your feet,you should be good.

[Grey Taylor]

Have you ever seen how some guys will hold a fish way in front of them so a little mackrel looks like a big tuna in the pictures?
That's what he's doing with that snake. It's not nearly as big as it looks. That's about what I'd expect from a picture found on Facebook.
Guy

[Bowwild]

We have timber rattlers and copperheads in my area but both are pretty rare in central KY where I live. I've never seen one.  However, I'm careful when stepping on logs (never step over one because snake could be lying on the other side). I'm also careful in around large rock piles. A really good day to find snakes (before they hibernate) is after a soaking rain. They'll come out to get away from wet conditions. The vast majority of people who are bitten by venomous snakes were trying to handle them.

[Spectre]

You leave them alone, they leave you alone. I'll bet we would all freak the hell out bad if we found out how many poisonous snakes we have stepped on, next to, or over while in our forays.

 Mr. Noshoulders don't bother me much. Now SPIDERS, thats some terrifying stuff!

[nc recurveman]

I went to the local store (the mayberry kind where all the old men sit out front) one day on the way to hunt. One of the men said I killed a snake the other day one the path over there. I asked what kind was it? He says, " Son theirs only 2 types of snakes, cobras and rattlesnakes they are all the same." LOL

[ishoot4thrills]

I'm fascinated with snakes, been that way all my life. At one time, as a teenager, I had 14 snakes I kept in my room at one time, of course they were kept in aquariums. I have kept snakes and studied them for years. I would have loved to have been a herpetologist.

Anyway, we only have copperheads and timber rattlers in my area and I don't ever see any of those in the wild close to where I live.

Oh, Bud B., the "beads" in the rattles, as you call them, only indicate how many times the snake has shed it's skin. It has nothing to do with the snakes age, as is often thought by some, since a snake sheds more than one time a year, depending on how fast they grow based on the food supply. Each time a rattler sheds it's skin, it adds another rattle or "bead".

It never ceases to amaze me as to how many people see a snake and swear it was a poisonous pit viper. Around here, 9 out of 10 people who see a snake in the wild, claim it was a copperhead or a cottonmouth. And 9 times out of 10 it's neither one of those, but is usually just a black rat snake or just a king snake or maybe a common water snake. Actually, there aren't supposed to be any cottonmouths in central KY but I hear about average people "seeing" them quite often. I've been an outdoors person all my life and have never seen a cottonmouth in KY.

Sorry for rambling on but I'm kinda sensitive when it comes to snakes.

[Froggy]

That Eastern Diamondback in pic was killed pretty recently in Screven Co, Georgia. North of Savannah. Fellow and his buddies were working on food plots and walked up on it. Was 6ft 6in long. You can see the full story on GON.com, with a couple more pics. And Guy, a 6ft 6in Eastern DB is a big snake whether held out front, to the side, above or below...... a impressive critter for sure !!!!

Froggy

[seabass]

i am not afraid of any snake.i love them.when i was younger i had dozens of snakes.we don't have any venomous snakes where i live now,but i did live in asheville nc when i was younger.i caught hundreds of copperheads.when you get the venom on your hands it itches and burns like stingweed.we really shoulden't kill them,but their hide looks so great on the back of a bow.

[J-dog]

Never worries me - yeah here in eastern NC cottonmouths rule the roost - lotsa copperheads on the island - we have had issues with them at the station. Rattlers, canebreaks, are around - a 4 footer was killed behind the station.
Really think about how much time you have spent trompin around out there and how many times you had a bad run in with a venomous snake? dern near more likely to get hit with lightening.

J

[J-dog]

seabass, you dont have to be scared to get killed - I like em too and will not kill one that is not near where any kids are known to roam, it is just easier to side step em - if I think kids will be about, dead snake - if venomous.

[waknstak IL]

We have cottonmouths, timber rattlers, and copperheads in Southern IL   I've seen timber rattlers pushing six feet in length. I've never cared for snakes. I'm not even fond of big worms:)

[Bud B.]

Took these photos this year myself.

The water snake is often mistaken for a cottonmouth. Here's a mating couple at Lake Brandt Marina in GSO.
     

I walked by this guy three times before seeing him. Great camoflage. Right in my backyard woods.
         

And this guy slid out of a hole while we were building a mountain bike trail in Uwharrie.
         

None were aggressive. The rattler never rattled.


As for my first post in this thread, the first word was alledegly. There's a reason I began it that way...

The only poisonous snake I haven't seen this year in NC is a coral snake. Never have seen one in the wild.

Hunt safely.

[nc recurveman]

I have seen only 2 coral snakes in my life. both were in hyde county. I dont mind the snakes I can see its the ones I dont see that bother the devil outta me. last year had a black snake fall on my back while trackin a shot, thats 10 years off my life. I step on 3-4 cottonmouth a year.

[mscampbell75]

My family has a small lease in Bladen County.  I remember when I was younger, blood tracking deer in brush in early bow season in brush higher than my head on my hands and knees in the dark with Mag lights.  The next day killing a rattler less than 50yrs from where we were a few hours before.  We have serveral run ins with Rattlers and a few very large cotton's through the years.

  I would be more cautious now fer sure. I dont bow hunt down there any more, so not really an issue.

Thinking about this reminds me of a funny story.  James Collier, the man that owned the same farm my family leases.  He passed away close to 5years ago now, cancer.  

I took a friend hunting one weekend with me.  We got off work on friday afternoon, gathered our stuff, stopped by the grocery store for some food and headed out.  We got to the club house, finally, aroung 11pm.  Now, the club house was and old chicken house. We converted one end of it into the club house.  I say we, it was actually the elders in the family.  They have been hunting down there longer than I have been alive.  Anyway, walking under the breeze way was very dark.  I walked in and felt my way to the pull string for the florencent light overhead.  If anyone has turned on a florecent light in complete darkness, they know how it flickers before it comes on bright.  Well, as it was flickering, I noticed something at my feet.  Light comes on fully, and unmistakable its a rattler laying less that a foot away going between the trash can and the wall.  I wish there could have been a NBA scout on site.  I did a new record for the veritcal jump for a 6'0" white boy.  Then once I was far enough away, I was glad there wasn't, because, I almost messed my pants. I then grabbed the shovel off wall and I proceded to kill the dead rattler.  I realized his head was missing once I finished killing him.  In fact it was no where to be found.  

Fast forward the next day, James made his usual saturday mid morning rounds.  He asked about the snake. He said he had killed the snake and left it.  Because if you kill one and leave it laying around, that it attract other snakes so you can kill them as well.  Looking back, I dont know how he kept a straight face.  But he didnt so much as blink.

At his funeral, his family told the story of the rattler he set out at the club house to scare the guys, (yeah, ME).  Thats when I found out that it is possible to laugh and cry at the same time.  I wounder how many people he told about that story.

Sorry for the long story.

P.S. I killed a copperhead last hear at the base of my stand

   

[Bud B.]

Awsome story! Thnaks for sharing.

[Friends call me Pac]

I have more close encounters with cottonmouths than rattlers or copperheads.  Never seen a coral snake in the wild.  

I've never had a snake strike at me.  I have never felt like a copperhead or rattlesnake even wanted to bite me.  I have had several cottonmouths act aggressively.  That being said the biggest cottonmouth I've ever seen just laid there as I walked by about 3 feet away.  I didn't see him until I was in striking distance.  He was not aggressive and just wanted to be left alone.

The 1st deer I shot with my recurve is a case in point about how I normally don't worry about copperheads.  I was tracking my deer in the dark and the blood trail almost splashed on a copperhead coiled up in the leaves.  I believe he was just trying to hide and hope I didn't step on him.  I took note of the snake and continued the trail.  After a few yards I lost the trail and went back to last blood next to the snake.  He had not moved and I really believe he was more afraid of me than I was of him.

I can identify all but the coral snake fairly easily.  However, this summer when a snake fell out of a tree in my backyard and landed on my head and shoulders before dropping to the ground I didn't care what kind he was at the moment.

If they made snake boots that went to my neck I'd buy them.  Just for insurence purposes.