The Copperhead has the least potent venom of all snakes in North America. It's extremely rare to die from being bittten.
Now that's reassuring!Originally Posted by moldy
I'll remember that if I get tagged again.
Snakes
Couple of funny stories. One early fall hike I was up above Maupins Field Shelter. I'd met some people who'd never seen a Rattlesnake. I was hiking ahead of them and as I got near Bee Mt. I ran across a Rattler about 3 1/2 ft long. I dropped my pack and jogged back to let them know their chance was fast approaching. When we got to my pack the snake was gone, or so I thought. as I was standing by my pack which was sitting among some dead ferns I happened to look down, the snake was curled around my pack just hanging out. He blended perfectly with the dead vegetation!
Another time (and this is a true story) I was at Harpers Creek Shelter rock hopping along the creek. I jumped off of a rock about 4 ft tall and as I did so I saw a pretty big Copperhead below me. I stopped in mid air and jumped back on the rock, impossible, but I did!
Lastly, me and a couple of friends were camping along the C&O Canal, we made camp for the night and as I was about to toss my guy line around a tree about 3 ft. around my buddy said "I don't think you want to use that tree" I took a look and there was the biggest Black Snake I'd ever seen. His head was level with mine, his body meandered down the tree to ground level, then went into hollow in the tree, came out the other side and was nearly touching his body where it entered the tree!
Most snakes are pretty docile but it's always a good idea to visit for awhile then move on.
I remember being on the Chickahominy River and watching a Copperhead on the bank gorging itself on small frogs that were just coming out of the pollywog stage of their development. We found another Copperhead there that was so gorged it couldn't move.
Although we think of Copperheads and Rattlesnakes as dry land creatures, they tend to frequent places near the water. Most of my sightings of these snakes have been near streams, rivers and ponds.
_IGP0065 by Bob Rogers5, on Flickr
Saw this fellow on a random roadside stop on the way to Cunningham Falls in MD.
Not sure what his buddy was on the other side of the pond. If I didn't know better, I'd say a water moccasin but they aren't supposed to be this far north.
That is huge. I know I'd keep a healthy distance from that one.
I absolutely would not kill a venomous snake in the wild. If I found one creeping around my house where my wife and kids walk around barefooted I'd seriously consider it.
I wouldn't kill a non-poisonous snake if I found it in my living room.
That looks like the biggest hog nose snake I've ever seen.
Not sure what his buddy was on the other side of the pond. If I didn't know better, I'd say a water moccasin but they aren't supposed to be this far north.
"You have brains in your head/You have feet in your shoes/You can steer yourself in any direction you choose." - Dr. Seuss
Thats not a water moccasin.
Not sure what his buddy was on the other side of the pond. If I didn't know better, I'd say a water moccasin but they aren't supposed to be this far north.
Thats a water snake. Different pattern then a copperhead and your snake has round pupils. A copperhead has eyes like a cat.
_IGP0065 by Bob Rogers5, on Flickr
Saw this fellow on a random roadside stop on the way to Cunningham Falls in MD.
Rather a rattler than a copper head.
Alcohol was involved!
Yes but it hurts like hell and it itchs. Long story involving teenage boys and a hay field.
Alcohol was involved!
There are two of them in there.
Yeah, I know it wasn't but that was teh first thing to come to mind since I'm from FL.
I wasn't getting close enough to view pupils but good to know.
Doubt I'd kill one in the living room either. Someone find me a broom and open the front door. Send him on his way.
Have found a non-venomous one in the LR; threw a towel over it (what can I say, I'm a chicken when it comes to snakes), picked it up and moved it outside. Lived on a ranch for 5 yrs and did kill only rattlers - had kids, dogs, cats, and farm animals and didn't like being surprised by them in garden. Wouldn't kill them in the wild.
came across a stretched out copperhead in worthington by the deleware water gap in nj/pa.
came across a rattler on the west mountain
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