Copperhead

[Doc]

While riding with my son along our trail to the boat docks he spotted this snake. Camouflaged and very hard to see. Once he pointed him out to me we backed up and looked closer. Looks like a copperhead. Kill it if we can. Surprisingly it did not move quickly out of the way the first time the knobby tires ran over it. So we did it a few more time till it looked like the pic below.

We went on down to his boat, dropped him off to take his boat to the ramp and I headed back up the trail to get the truck and trailer. I decided to cruise by the snake for a pic and took this one and damn if it didn't move and open it's mouth as if to bite. I was amazed but then put it out of it's misery.

I've been living here 20+ years and this is the first copperhead I've seen. All other snakes I say live and let live. Copperheads are the exception.

 

[FrancSevin]

Agreed. My Hippie Ridge Ozark retreat was crawling with them.

Snake Be Gone" and diatomatious earth deters them.

OR

Get some goats.

 

[bczoom]

Doc - I'm running out the door so can't to detailed looking but I don't think that's a copperhead.
IMHO, it's more likely a Northern Banded Water Snake. Very common for our region. They're aggressive but not poisonous.
Another thing about snakes. Yea, they can be dead but their post mortem muscles can still move the snake and it can still bite. I let them sit for an hour before approaching again.

 

[FrancSevin]

Doc - I'm running out the door so can't to detailed looking but I don't think that's a copperhead.
IMHO, it's more likely a Northern Banded Water Snake. Very common for our region. They're aggressive but not poisonous.
Another thing about snakes. Yea, they can be dead but their post mortem muscles can still move the snake and it can still bite. I let them sit for an hour before approaching again.

You may well be right.

Agkistrodon Contortrix​

Eastern copperhead

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MOSTLY FOUND IN
North America
Lifespan
25
years
Diet type
Carnivore
small rodents, insects, frogs
Length
19.7-37.4 IN
50-95 cm
A venomous snake that has a stout body and the head is broad and distinct from the neck.

Copperheads may be distinguished from other pit vipers by their color, pattern, and body shape.

The venom of the southern copperhead has been found to hold a protein called "contortrostatin" that halts the growth of cancer cells in mice and also stops the migration of the tumors to other sites.

This species is capable of vibrating its tail in excess of 40 times per second— faster than almost any other non-rattlesnake snake species.

In the Southern United States, they are nocturnal during the hot summer, but are commonly active during the day during the spring and fall.

 

[Doc]

He looks close enough to a copperhead and his head appeared triangle shape. If not a copperhead sorry bout that but wasn’t taking any chances.

 

[FrancSevin]

If you don't know, yes kill it. Safe beats sorry any day.

 

[chowderman]

stuff happens....

West Virginia rattlesnake expert dies after he's bitten by a Timber rattlesnake

Snake expert William H. Martin died on August 3, 2022, after he was bitten by a Timber rattlesnake in West Virginia. He was active in locating hidden snake dens, even in his later years.

www.foxnews.com

 

[Doc]

This pic is from a lake Cumperland group on FB that I'm a part of.
A black snake killing a copperhead. Yay!!!!

From a member on that page
FYI: Black snakes/cow snakes/ will not only kill poisonous snakes but just having them around will keep poisonous snakes away by an odor they emit.

 

[m1west]

We have, Western diamond back rattlers and sidewinders. Killed a few when I first moved in 15 years ago. 1 a year for a couple years , I have not seen one on the property sense.My neighbor gets them around his house and under the porch. The only difference is we have cats and there is more activity around here than his place.

 

[Lenny]

The mojave green rattlesnakes are really venomous in the high deserts of California. My buddies and I had to get pretty drunk to head out and kill them.