Is this a Copperhead? ***SOLVED***

[ModernMiner]

I was walking the dog this morning and saw this snake in the gutter. After poking it with a stick a few times, I found out it was dead.
Of course, being the jokester that I am, I carried it home and laid it next to the newspaper in the driveway.
When my wife & daughter came home they freaked! They wouldn't even drive up the driveway with it there.
My question now is.........is this a Copperhead or water snake?
Thanks,
MM

 

[Dustin V3]

Re: Is this a Copperhead?

i have been from southern Ohio to the southern

end of Florida to west Texas in search of snakes and have caught and studied thousands.

i now live i in s/w Oregon and have a nuisance animal trapping business specializing in rattle snake removal.

 

[ModernMiner]

Re: Is this a Copperhead?

I want to thank you all for the input. This has been a real learning lesson for me, and seeing that poor guys arm in those pictures after a bite was but sickening and incredible. That is why I stay out of the woods here in the summer. The ticks, mosquitoes, and poison ivy are bad enough, but I don't think any relic is worth going through what that guy went through to fix his arm back up. I'll wait until fall & winter to hit the woods.

It sure looks like a Copperhead to me, and I am NOT going to open his eyes!!!
It's safe & sound in the garbage can now. By the way, our garbage cans get hoisted up & dumped mechanically by a truck and not by a human. I wouldn't do that to the garbage guy. (only to my wife)

-MM-

 

[Bigcypresshunter]

Re: Is this a Copperhead?

I want to thank you all for the input. This has been a real learning lesson for me, and seeing that poor guys arm in those pictures after a bite was but sickening and incredible. That is why I stay out of the woods here in the summer. The ticks, mosquitoes, and poison ivy are bad enough, but I don't think any relic is worth going through what that guy went through to fix his arm back up. I'll wait until fall & winter to hit the woods.

It sure looks like a Copperhead to me, and I am NOT going to open his eyes!!!
It's safe & sound in the garbage can now. By the way, our garbage cans get hoisted up & dumped mechanically by a truck and not by a human. I wouldn't do that to the garbage guy. (only to my wife)

-MM-

Dont be afraid of the woods. Snake bite is rare. I cannot imagine being bitten in the face. It usually occurs from someone playing with a snake and usually on a limb. In the wild, snakes will try to avoid you.

My best advice would be to learn the color patterns of the few species of poisonous snakes in your area, and know them well. You can also tell by the shape of the head, if you can see it. If you dont see the head, back up!

Always look where you step and dont put your hand in or under something you cant see. Carrying a stick will help.

Go out and enjoy the outdoors. Educate yourself and be careful.

 

[Dustin V3]

Re: Is this a Copperhead?

This may be the reason Dozer was mistaken. They do not have Copperheads in Oregon. http://www.geocities.com/copperheadjunkie/species.html

Maybe you should ask him for his study notes. Over thousands of studies, must be long catalogues and detailed descriptions of at least a couple hundred captures. His house must be like a library of snake knowledge. Surely he could scan you a couple sheets full of his observations.

 

[Bigcypresshunter]

Re: Is this a Copperhead?

This may be the reason Dozer was mistaken. They do not have Copperheads in Oregon. http://www.geocities.com/copperheadjunkie/species.html

Maybe you should ask him for his study notes. Over thousands of studies, must be long catalogues and detailed descriptions of at least a couple hundred captures. His house must be like a library of snake knowledge. Surely he could scan you a couple sheets full of his observations.

You are correct and thanks for backing me up on the danger of dead snake venom but dozer is mistaken. Thats all.

 

[Dustin V3]

Re: Is this a Copperhead?

I'll wait until fall & winter to hit the woods.

There's no reason to stop hunting the woods, just be careful. If we listed all the stuff that could kill, injure, or mame you we couldn't get you to come out of the house all year with you're kind of reasoning. lol

Just educate yourself about the snakes in your area. Make sure you pay attention where you walk and just be cautious.

If you wrapped yourself in bubble wrap and watched tv all day a plane would fall on your house so don't become inactive stay active and become educated. If you want to hunt the woods hunt the woods just be smart about it. It's all good.

 

[Bigcypresshunter]

Re: Is this a Copperhead?

Here are some pics of a friend from my younger stupid days in my apt. of what not to do with a Pygmy Rattler. I think his eyes are elliptical. This snake eventually bit someone on the arm and I had to rush him to the hospital.

 

[Dustin V3]

Re: Is this a Copperhead?

...dozer is mistaken. Thats all.

I understand what you are saying. I just wish he was big enough to admit he was wrong. Advising people to check the eyes of potentially poisonous snakes dead or alive is going to get someone seriously injured.

If he would have just said he was wrong in the first place I wouldn't feel the need to go out of my way to show everyone how --deleted-- his advise was in the first place. I saw that he deleted all his post which was probably the best thing to do, but what if someone happened through here and read that advise and took it to heart.

Nobody should be poking around trying to look into snake eyes if they can't tell if the snake is poisonous just from looking at the full body.

Next thing you know you have kids getting bit in the face or sticking their fingures on fangs playing with the head of a dead snake.

 

[ModernMiner]

Re: Is this a Copperhead?

BCH,
Your buddy reminded me of Matthew McConaughey in "Dazed & Confused".
-MM-

 

[Bigcypresshunter]

Re: Is this a Copperhead?

Even Bill Haast, the snake professional of all professionals, has been biten many times. Whenever anyone in Miami was bitten back in the day I remember they would call Bill. His blood was almost immune to venom, he had been bitten so many times. (173 recorded snake bites) "King cobras. Green mambas. Palm vipers. Name a deadly snake and Bill Haast has either tamed it or been bitten by it". 'Miami snakeman' is 95 and still injects himself with venom."

Bill used to make medicine out of snake venom and inject it in his patients. I remember being at his clinic. The FDA kicked him out of Miami and he set up in the Carribean somewhere. I thought he was starting to look like a snake the last time I saw him. Do you remember Bill Haast, 4H?

http://www.pbase.com/donboyd/image/64581068

 

[ModernMiner]

Re: Is this a Copperhead?

I'll wait until fall & winter to hit the woods.

If we listed all the stuff that could kill, injure, or mame you we couldn't get you to come out of the house all year with you're kind of reasoning. lol

At first I thought you were talking about my wife until I read "out of the house". If you said "inside the house" then I would have known you meant her.
Thanks,
MM

 

[Dustin V3]

Re: Is this a Copperhead?

I'll wait until fall & winter to hit the woods.

If we listed all the stuff that could kill, injure, or mame you we couldn't get you to come out of the house all year with you're kind of reasoning. lol

At first I thought you were talking about my wife until I read "out of the house". If you said "inside the house" then I would have known you meant her.
Thanks,
MM

You can always get some snake guardz too. That would better protect you from snake bites while metal detecting.

 

[Bigcypresshunter]

Re: Is this a Copperhead?

I think we can mark this one SOLVED.

 

[creskol]

Re: Is this a Copperhead?

I'll wait until fall & winter to hit the woods.

If we listed all the stuff that could kill, injure, or mame you we couldn't get you to come out of the house all year with you're kind of reasoning. lol

At first I thought you were talking about my wife until I read "out of the house". If you said "inside the house" then I would have known you meant her.
Thanks,
MM