Watch your step

[hatracked]

Lot of us are heading out to the field this year with snakes present. I am fortunate to have as friends some reptile enthusiasts that are well versed in how to exist in snake country without getting bit . I am also lucky to have a heck of a good reserve of actual field specimen photos from my own collection and my friends to help you id which ones are truely trouble. Here of some of the more common snakes you might encounter this fall in the woods. Northern hunters be advised, your not snake proof either.



Pictured Above:<i>Pacific Rattler coiled in crevace Watch where you put your hands! Climbing and reaching for hand holds that you havent checked out first can be a very bad day in the making. The snake pictured is a subspecies of prarie rattler and VERY COMMON on the west coast.</i>
picture unknown


Pictured Above:<i> Timber Rattlesnake from NY. This guy comes in a wide vairety of color phases. Easilly identified by the shape of the head, the general body girth, and of course the rattle at the end of its tail. This species is in trouble throughout its range and is under protection in much of its range. It is found as far north as Wisconsin and all the way to Flordia</i>
picture "coach"


Pictured Above:<i> Canebrake Rattlesnake This is a color varient of the south's version of a timber rattlesnake. They also have awesome camoflaugue and while this snake appears to stick out like a sore thumb in the undergrowth or grey tones of a cutdown hes pretty much invisible. They like to winter in old stumps with debris around the base much like you find in cutovers</i>
picture by SCtrkyhntr


Pictured Above:<i> Water Moccassin Very common in still water sloughs, drainage ditches, lakes and rivers from Texas to North Carolina. Southern bowhunters take note with a common bowhunters haunt being near am watering holes, it pays big dividends to have foot protection walking around these still water locations in the dark.<i>
picture by John Coit


Pictured Above:<i> Western Diamondback Rattlesnake Very common throughout the western states. Likes rocky outcroppings ans seeking shade under vegatation, and cactus skeletons and in rock creavsses mid day.</i>
picture by Tom Brennan


Pictured Above:<i>Western Diaomond Back Rattlesnake in a typical shelter spot on a rocky outcrop. Wouldnt think much about setting your foot on the stone to step up would you. Believe it or not as easy as it is to see this snake, when hiking and not paying attention its very easy to step right onto or next to a resting snake. I know I have done it many times.</i>
picture by Tom Brennan



Pictured Above:<i>Copperhead common from Texas to PA with some spotted populations north of that. Pictured is a Florida specimen. This is the king of camo in the woods and coiled or strtched out on fallen oak leaves is about impossible to spot. they are quick to bite and while very rarely deadly probably account for a vast majority of NA snakebites. I have stepped on several the last one about 3 feet in the dark while easing into a gobbler roosting area. Glad I had my snakeboots on.</i>
picture by "coach"

[Lilred]

Them water moccosin are all over virginia too..i know a few people that's been bitten by them...almost got bit myself a time er two. I was bitten this summer at the river while fishin...never seen him..dont know what kind of snake he was. To be honest, I thought he was a bee stingin me on the back of my leg...till the pain kept comin and didnt go away. That night when I got home, my leg had bruised from my ankle to my knee and the 2 holes was right in the middle. I figured iffin I wont dead by then I wont gonna be...so I waited it out. Took 3 weeks fer the bruises to go away..next time I go fishin in tall grass..I wont dismiss a pain to be a hornet or somthin.
Funny thing was...I beat the hell out of that grass to make sure there was no snakes there...I musta whacked him upside the head and made him mad...lol...leave it up to Lilred