Let's talk aBout Snakes

Bates

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Jul 27, 2016
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I have strict rules about when I go in the woods I've always felt safe at least till the end of March but today I saw a snake skin I've always been under the impression that snakes and spiders go away during the cold I live in Georgia and it was cold last night that snakeskin was not there yesterday so he came out last night I seriously would have a heart attack if I saw a snake I probably wouldn't see it because I'm so blind I would probably get eaten by it any advice on the how to never see a snake ever
 

Terry Soloman

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They are sunning sometimes in late winter if the days get warm enough. They are usually very lethargic and have to be really provoked to strike. :coffee2:
 

pa plateau hiker

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Snakes won't hurt you. I've even had rattlesnakes crawl away before I could get close enough to take a photo.
 

GB1

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i always carry a rifle or a pistol while in the the last one i saw it was at my foot it was a copper head i jumped back and drew the pistol and he was dead i hate snakes always have always will
 

Rookster

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I've deer hunted here in my state of course in the winter and walked up on a rattler. His eyes were gray meaning he was blind and getting ready to shed. If you happen to see a snake in the cold months, first make sure it's not a harmful snake ie.(king snake, rat snake,black racer) stay back.I've seen snakes ready to shed strike at movement. Just stay cool. They are cold and Won't chase you so just avoid them. If you happen to step on one just remember in most cases you have a digging tool or shovel in one hand and take care of business. As a side note. Look for a comfortable pair of snake boots. Most snakes bite at the ankle or a little higher. Snake boots run almost to the knee. You might want to walk around small brush piles. Something else to think about is, I walk in small streams detecting the banks and the stream. Don't walk the banks detecting the stream. Snake Won't usually harm you unless you invade their space.Good luck.
 

smokeythecat

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Snakes, don't like 'em. Won't bother them either unless they are in my personal space and aggressive, at which point they go to snake heaven.
 

DeepseekerADS

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I was bitten by a copperhead when I was 12 (1961), was wearing brand new unwashed jeans (heavy like jeans used to be), squatting fixing chicken wire with the fabric tight to my knee - basically bullet proof. Its' fangs snagged in the fabric and only scratched my skin. My parents took me to the hospital anyway where I received an anti-venom.

Where the fabric tangled its' fangs, it was a large stain dried crusted yellow. I was very fortunate.

I kill copperheads on my property, but leave all others alone. Haven't seen a rattler here since the 50's.
 

smokeythecat

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Yes, here in Maryland, the north central part, the last known rattler was run over by a car about 1985. It was a timber rattler. They are impossible to see in the dry leaves. Now mountain lions, coyotes and bobcats - we got 'em.
 

GB1

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Snakes, don't like 'em. Won't bother them either unless they are in my personal space and aggressive, at which point they go to snake heaven.

defiantly
 

DeepseekerADS

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As another story I've stated on here before, my first year home after retirement I was all set for Mother Earth News organic gardening. I had 5 raised beds. All through the first part of the season I kept seeing holes in the bed soil. After my first crop was finished, I was kneading the soil with my bare hands and pulled up a copperhead by it's tail - and I was outta there like a rocket. At the end of the season I took the beds down - I didn't know that copperheads would travel under the ground, and those beds were nice soft soil.

Locals recommended I get a rat terrier, I'm not a dog person so I didn't - but I don't stick my hands into the soil anymore either and keep a watchful eye where I'm stepping.
 

FreeBirdTim

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The odds of you being bitten by a snake in the U.S. are 1 in 25,000. The odds of you dying from a snake bite is 1 in 65 million. Bottom line, don't sweat it and leave them alone. No reason to act like Elmer Fudd and blast away at every "dangerous" creature that crosses your path.
 

Ammoman

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As another story I've stated on here before, my first year home after retirement I was all set for Mother Earth News organic gardening. I had 5 raised beds. All through the first part of the season I kept seeing holes in the bed soil. After my first crop was finished, I was kneading the soil with my bare hands and pulled up a copperhead by it's tail - and I was outta there like a rocket. At the end of the season I took the beds down - I didn't know that copperheads would travel under the ground, and those beds were nice soft soil.

Locals recommended I get a rat terrier, I'm not a dog person so I didn't - but I don't stick my hands into the soil anymore either and keep a watchful eye where I'm stepping.


My son did the same thing a few years ago while digging a signal in the woods. He saw what looked like a thick rope. Having gloves on, he could not feel the texture of the skin and yanked the snake out of the hole. Since it was cold, the snake was pretty lethargic and didn't do more than scare the Bleep out of my son. Lesson learned, never assume snakes are not around in the winter.
 

DeepseekerADS

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The odds of you being bitten by a snake in the U.S. are 1 in 25,000. The odds of you dying from a snake bite is 1 in 65 million. Bottom line, don't sweat it and leave them alone. No reason to act like Elmer Fudd and blast away at every "dangerous" creature that crosses your path.

:) Well, there's not 25k members on TNet, so I'll take the slot of the one bitten here - and everyone else is safe :)
 

smokeythecat

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I dug up a small garter snake a year or so ago. It ran away. Chicken. I basically leave them alone. Cute story: My daughters and I were coming home one day I guess after church. Years ago. They were maybe 7 and 10. Something like that. Anyway there is a HUGE garter snake with it's head jammed under this one landscape timber after the toad that lived there. Jennie Toad! Well, this was the biggest garter I ever saw! Something like 2 feet long and fat. We stepped around it and went into the house. My kids asked if they could catch the snake. Well, I knew they probably wouldn't get bit and if they did I'd just take them to the doctor and lie like hades about me giving them permission to "catch" the snake. I had a broom handle with a hole in the end so took some speaker wire, the old kind, and made a snake snagging stick. I also taught them to loop it around the snake's neck and tighter it and they'd have the snake. The snake would also not be very happy. So out they go with the cat to go snake hunting. I'm watching from the upper step, about 5' away. They poke, and poke, and poke this poor snake and finally it lets go of the toad and comes out of the hole. And it is totally ticked off at this point. It chases the kids up the steps, along with the cat, who had more brains and ran first! So it's actually chasing these three up the steps, they run right past me into the house, two kids and the cat and the snake is still charging up the steps now right towards me. Well, I didn't run. It must have realized something was wrong. Saw me and it turned around and headed back down the steps and off toward the bushes. At which point first the cat, and then both kids realized they were back in control and tore off after the snake. The snake ran off, unharmed, the cat was disappointed and the kids went back to watching tv. Everyone lived happily ever after. Except Jennie Toad. She didn't make it. I like toads.
 

Tpmetal

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snakes..... thats why I love the north, mostly harmless around here. only the occasional rattler south or east of here.
 

devldog

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I don't like No Shoulders. Period. If they leave me alone, I'll leave them alone, unless I catch a venomous Copperhead on my property inside my fence. Then they have invaded my space and will be wisked away where all No Shoulders go. Wherever that may be.
 

pa plateau hiker

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The only good snake is a live snake. I video taped this one from 3 Ft. away.
 

lookingharder

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I have two black snakes that live in the old wood pile. One is about 7ft, long and we named her Big Mamma. They do a great job at keeping my house mouse free.
 

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