Look what I found/almost stepped on today

[Sledgod2]

Found this beauty on the shore of a lake I was detecting near. I was doing a pass toward the water and for some reason looked up and VIOLA there it was in all it's glory! It took off in the water soon after I took this pic... didn't find much else but newer pennies so at least the day was somewhat interesting.

 

[gunsil]

I would argue that. Maybe not far past the Mason-Dixon Line, but we have them here, 20 miles north of it.

Sorry Elijah, you may Think there are cottonmouths in PA but you are mistaken, and it is a common mistake. Many people see a blackish snake in or near water and assume it is a cotton mouth, but in fact the northernmost habitat for them in the east is southeastern Virginia. The only poisonous snakes in PA are rattlers and copperheads, all others are harmless.

 

[sparkydog]

Maybe our Pennsylvania snakes aren't acquainted with the exact location of the Mason-Dixon Line? hehehe

 

[elijahhenry10]

Sorry Elijah, you may Think there are cottonmouths in PA but you are mistaken, and it is a common mistake. Many people see a blackish snake in or near water and assume it is a cotton mouth, but in fact the northernmost habitat for them in the east is southeastern Virginia. The only poisonous snakes in PA are rattlers and copperheads, all others are harmless.

Whoops, I meant copperheads. My dad tells stories of messing around with them when he was younger, and I got the two mixed up

 

[hunter_46356]

Pretty sure it's not a Cotton Mouth they usually don't reach that size (five feet) and have a much short stubby thick body and the younger ones are usually banded but the older they get they can turn solid . Typical water snakes come in quiet a variety of colors and marking which sometimes is solid like the picture but typically doesn't reach that kind of length typically. My guess is it's a Black Snake which are solid in color can reach five to six feet and longer in length. Also called Rat Snake, Mountain Snake, Pilot Black Snake, Black Racer and several other names mostly due to different geographical slang names that they have been called for years. Could look like a boa in appearance since they are actually in the constrictor family of snakes. They are typically harmless and their diet consist of mainly rats and mice. The farmers love em for obvious reasons.

 

[Jeremy S]

I'm glad that you didn't harm it and let it move along. Too many people have a great fear of snakes and kill them on sight. I have seen the locals here act like baboons with clubs and bash common Garter and black snakes to a pulp, simply because they are scared of them. Some have religious reasons such as "Satan was a snake" or some crap like that, but I mostly think it is just because they are ignorant morons who fear a creature that they will never understand.

Enough of my ranting and back on topic... Those water snakes can be quite aggressive. I've had them come into the boat with us while fishing and try to steal my bait. If you push them away, they will come after you ready to bite. The ones that I see around here look like this, and generally don't want to hang around people.

 

[RotZorn]

Sorry Elijah, you may Think there are cottonmouths in PA but you are mistaken, and it is a common mistake. Many people see a blackish snake in or near water and assume it is a cotton mouth, but in fact the northernmost habitat for them in the east is southeastern Virginia. The only poisonous snakes in PA are rattlers and copperheads, all others are harmless.

Per Wikipedia, but lets remember that this is a rough estimate. Range of habitat for any animal is always estimated on confirmed siting of the creature in question.

Then you have rarities- my son caught a northern painted turtle in the Miss at the side of the boat ramp in Memphis,Tn a good 80-100 miles down river from its normal range.... And it was the size of a Quarter, shell was still pale and soft- so he he was brand new to the world! We still have him!

When I was in high school I saw another example of this. I live in Munford it's about 30 miles north of Memphis. A Neihbor shot and killed a mountain lion on his property at about 5 am one morning. Everyone was pissed because the cougar was the name of the high school collective. Strange but true. I'll let you guys look up the cougars habitat range.

It's not all impossible for that snake - which I believe to be a cottonmouth - to be where he claims to have taken the pic. It looks way to big to be a common water snake. Head has the right shape too. I'm just saying.

 

[rainyday101]

The only time I have been scared while water detecting was when I was within a couple of feet of a large snapping turtle. We both went our separate ways with me being the faster of the two. The only place we have poisonous snakes in Wisconsin is southern and southwestern parts of the state and that is the timbler rattler. I have seen one and it was verified and killed in a friends garage in Poynette Wisc. A DNR fellow verified and took the snake. The farmer near the back of his small lot was plowing the field and probably stirred the snake up. I also saw one once in LaCrosse right near the Mississippi by a rocky area. Up here in the northern part of the state there are no poisonous snakes. That has to be a water snake. Either way if I saw that in the water with me I could prove to you that I am faster than 60HP. Evinrude because I would be hauling as# for the shore and probably be on planed out!

 

[Digger70pa]

That's a spreading outer. Snake scare me buddy. I get really startled when I almost step on one. I've had a close shave with a Copper Head. stepped right over it.

 

[WVPapaw]

Whoops, I meant copperheads. My dad tells stories of messing around with them when he was younger, and I got the two mixed up

It is claimed there are no cotton mouths in West Virginia, but I know of one that was reportedly killed. Ohio admits they have them, but WV does not and only the Ohio river separates the two states in my neck of the woods. I doubt if those snakes respect any boundary lines.

 

[WVPapaw]

Pretty sure it's not a Cotton Mouth they usually don't reach that size (five feet) and have a much short stubby thick body and the younger ones are usually banded but the older they get they can turn solid . Typical water snakes come in quiet a variety of colors and marking which sometimes is solid like the picture but typically doesn't reach that kind of length typically. My guess is it's a Black Snake which are solid in color can reach five to six feet and longer in length. Also called Rat Snake, Mountain Snake, Pilot Black Snake, Black Racer and several other names mostly due to different geographical slang names that they have been called for years. Could look like a boa in appearance since they are actually in the constrictor family of snakes. They are typically harmless and their diet consist of mainly rats and mice. The farmers love em for obvious reasons.

If you check WVDNR there is a book on WV snakes. It discusses and shows pictures for most of the snakes you mentioned. Several types of snakes are black in color and look similar but are from distinctly different snake families.

 

[NJnuggetpirate]

Ugh..I hate snakes..they give me the willies!

Lol ever see boa or venom

 

[NJnuggetpirate]

NO cottonmouths north of the Mason-Dixon line. It is a harmless water snake, no venom. Like most of the northern water snakes they are a little aggressive and don't make good pets. Better to leave wild snakes in their natural habitat anyways.

Not so fast partner I've seen cotton mouths over here in NJ not very common but there here trust me

 

[NJnuggetpirate]

That looks like a cornsnake

 

[relicmeister]

I saw one a week ago by a lake in PA, it looked a lot like yours, I ldentified it as a black racer

 

[WVPapaw]

I could give you a good run for your money in that situation. Some friends threw 2 buckets full of snakes in a boat with me one time and my brother swears that I ran across the top of the water to shore with rod and reel in one hand and tackle box in the other.

 

[christo000]

I could give you a good run for your money in that situation. Some friends threw 2 buckets full of snakes in a boat with me one time and my brother swears that I ran across the top of the water to shore with rod and reel in one hand and tackle box in the other.

Oh man that's bad. It is kinda funny considering how scared u were & still didn't leave behind ur rod & tackle lol

 

[WVPapaw]

Oh man that's bad. It is kinda funny considering how scared u were & still didn't leave behind ur rod & tackle lol

I was plenty scared for sure. There were big snakes and little ones and there were 30 or 40 of them. Those rascal friends knew I was scared to death of snakes and were going to prank me for sure. I beat on the snakes with a boat paddle but they kept coming to my end of the boat so I grabbed my stuff, jumped out and ran for shore. My clothes were wet but not much considering the depth of the water. My speed may have had something to do with that. Hahahaha !! Later they threw snakes in the tent with me. Then my brother started to come at me with a snake he was holding by the tail. I threw a flashlight battery about 30 yards, hit the snake in the head and knocked it out of his hand then told him the next battery would smack him right between the eyes. That ended the pranks because everyone there knew someone was going to get hurt bad if they tried it again. This was 50 years ago at least, and we laugh about it today though...yet I am more scared of snakes now than I was then.

 

[christo000]

I was plenty scared for sure. There were big snakes and little ones and there were 30 or 40 of them. Those rascal friends knew I was scared to death of snakes and were going to prank me for sure. I beat on the snakes with a boat paddle but they kept coming to my end of the boat so I grabbed my stuff, jumped out and ran for shore. My clothes were wet but not much considering the depth of the water. My speed may have had something to do with that. Hahahaha !! Later they threw snakes in the tent with me. Then my brother started to come at me with a snake he was holding by the tail. I threw a flashlight battery about 30 yards, hit the snake in the head and knocked it out of his hand then told him the next battery would smack him right between the eyes. That ended the pranks because everyone there knew someone was going to get hurt bad if they tried it again. This was 50 years ago at least, and we laugh about it today though...yet I am more scared of snakes now than I was then.v

Hahaha glad they learned there lesson liked the story hh

 

[NJnuggetpirate]

Lol that funny good thing no one got bit harmless or not it still hurts