# Cotton Mouth



## Bartona500 (May 23, 2011)

How many of you deal with these during summer months? Water work has become "let's go shoot the moccasins for an hour and, when we don't see any more, we'll train." I am using two ponds close to one another, I've shot nearly 15 in 3 weeks. Killed these two tonight.

Second, how many have had one of these bite your dog? I see all the rattle snake posts... What ab these suckers?


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## badbullgator (Dec 20, 2004)

Hate em. Damn I hate em. I don't see many training but there are a lot were we hunt gators. I use to see a bunch, but less and lees in the last ten years. Knock on wood. As far as dogs getting bit I know three people who have. One was in TX, one in FL, and one in LA. All three ended up fine but had major swelling and I mean nasty swelling. One had a pretty nasty infection from it as well. If I recall he had an indentation in his shoulder after he healed where bacteria had eaten and the vet had removed tissue. None died and all went on to hunt again. One of the people post here owned one of the dogs, maybe they will chime in.


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## Thomas D (Jan 27, 2003)

Had one get bit in the face. Looked like a Pug for 3 days. Nasty mouths and meds for infection needed.


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## forhair (Feb 4, 2013)

Had one on my heels in early May, but he did not strike my snake proof boots. He was smart because we would have lite him up. all of these snakes scare the retard out of me regarding my dogs. Heat and snakes are a dogs two worst enemies. Then again i know a fella that inadvertently closed his lab in the car only to find him dead later on when he went looking for his missing dog. Mother nature can put a hurting on your dog, but man's complacence can do the same. Always think about your dog from car to house, etc.


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## saltgrass (Sep 22, 2008)

Had one crawl up on the back of the boat the other nite fishing. Thot the daughter was going to freak out.


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## Darin Brewer (Jan 25, 2012)

Been dealing with them since early April, believe I have killed 9 to date at the multitude of ponds I have to use. They are fish ponds with smaller fish so it's a great place to find them. Needless to say haven't been back to the ponds since I started killing them.


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## Becky Mills (Jun 6, 2004)

My husband's GSP was bitten on the top of the front paw when he was five. It was horrible. Scotty had him at the vet's in less than an hour (we are 45 miles away) and they started treatment immediately but the swelling and necrosis was unbelievable. You could see the bones and tendons and all in his paw. 
I think he was at the vet's for maybe nine days?
Thankfully he did recover but I hope none of our dogs have to go through that again.


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## badbullgator (Dec 20, 2004)

Thomas D said:


> Had one get bit in the face. Looked like a Pug for 3 days. Nasty mouths and meds for infection needed.


Humm, forgot about that one. I guess I know four people.


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## badbullgator (Dec 20, 2004)

Becky Mills said:


> My husband's GSP was bitten on the top of the front paw when he was five. It was horrible. Scotty had him at the vet's in less than an hour (we are 45 miles away) and they started treatment immediately but the swelling and necrosis was unbelievable. You could see the bones and tendons and all in his paw.
> I think he was at the vet's for maybe nine days?
> Thankfully he did recover but I hope none of our dogs have to go through that again.



Ok,,five people I know.....dang maybe more common than I thought.


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## duk4me (Feb 20, 2008)

badbullgator said:


> Ok,,five people I know.....dang maybe more common than I thought.


I've had two bitten by copperheads so 6 and 7 and since a lot of people say I'm an old dawg and been bit make it 8. Not Moccasins but hey copperheads hurt too.


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## Labs R Us (Jun 25, 2010)

A couple years ago, a friend of mine had her dog down south for training with a pro. The dog jumped in a pond right on top of a water moccasin which bit her hind leg. Saw a vet immediately down south and brought her back home to heal. The damage was so severe, tho, her leg at hip had to be amputated. Wasn't sure if she'd ever want to get into the water again ... but she did and just achieved her MH title.


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## Derrik Boland (Sep 13, 2012)

Hey man, I am from right up the road in Nettleton. They're everywhere. Living in Vicksburg now but go to Nettleton every other weekend and there are tons of them in Vicksburg and Nettleton. I have shot about 10 since mid May. I shoot every snake I see, don't care if its a king snake...the only good snake is a dead one. And Mississippi heat makes them mad. They go after everything.


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## blake_mhoona (Mar 19, 2012)

buddy's dog went into the water to make a retrieve and came out with a cottonmouth wrapped around its flank. at first the dog didnt notice it and was on his way back up land to deliver then it freaked out 10 yards from the bank we assume the snake hadnt bit till just then. rushed to the vet and stayed there a few days with meds to fight infection.


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## golfandhunter (Oct 5, 2009)

At my new place in Boston, Ga. I have a pond. We cleaned up all around the pond
with a bobcat and bushog. before the clean up we shot 4 snakes, now they are out 
sunning on the banks, my neighbor has killed more than a dozen in the last month on his evening walk.
I think they breed like rabbits, chooot'em all.


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## John Kelder (Mar 10, 2006)

Friendly neighborhood that Demopolis is


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## Rick Hall (Jan 21, 2003)

I'd not bet anything I cared for that any of the dead snakes pictured in this thread are cottonmouths.


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## yellow machine (Dec 7, 2005)

I had to deal with cotton mouth in the early 70's. Once it hits you all you can do is sip some water till it passes. Damm I hate cotton mouth with a passion.


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## Swampbilly (May 25, 2010)

I see what looks to me like perhaps a few Banded Water snakes now that you mention it.


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## Granddaddy (Mar 5, 2005)

John Kelder said:


> View attachment 13482
> Friendly neighborhood that Demopolis is


Glad someone actually posted a photo of a cotton mouth. Lots of water snakes seen but not near as many are actually cotton mouths. Cotton mouths are very territorial and will be aggressive within their territory (more so than most any other snake IMO). Had one of my Labs bit on the head just above the ear a number of years ago during a warm start to duck season in west TN. Head was swollen bad within a couple of hours as we transported the dog to the vet. Treated there for 3 days (I thought her left eye was going to pop out with so much swelling), then her head pretty quickly returned to normal with no residual issues or evidence of having been bit.


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## duk4me (Feb 20, 2008)

yellow machine said:


> I had to deal with cotton mouth in the early 70's. Once it hits you all you can do is sip some water till it passes. Damm I hate cotton mouth with a passion.


Or the dreaded cold beer helps.


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## badbullgator (Dec 20, 2004)

Look at the bright side, a snake bite is a lot better than a gator bite.


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## dgengr (Nov 28, 2012)

Bartona500 said:


> How many of you deal with these during summer months? Water work has become "let's go shoot the moccasins for an hour and, when we don't see any more, we'll train." I am using two ponds close to one another, I've shot nearly 15 in 3 weeks. Killed these two tonight.
> 
> Second, how many have had one of these bite your dog? I see all the rattle snake posts... What ab these suckers?
> 
> View attachment 13479


Im right down the road in Amory and i have already had two run-in's with Snakes this year. One struck at my pup and missed "thank god". The other snake was in the water with my pup


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## Brad B (Apr 29, 2004)

A majority of what folks think are cottonmouths are not. Probably the most mis-identified snake around here. People assume that if it's near water then that's what it must be. I've only had two small ones around here lately. Had one of my dogs get bit about 3 years ago, 3 strikes on her throat and one on the nose. She has a big scar on her throat and survived just fine.


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## DoubleHaul (Jul 22, 2008)

Brad B said:


> A majority of what folks think are cottonmouths are not. Probably the most mis-identified snake around here.


I stick to my simple taxonomy of snakes:
If it rattles, it is a rattlesnake;
If it is in the water, it is a water moccasin;
If it is on land, it is a copperhead.

We were training this spring and heard a noise in the tree above the line and saw a snake crawling around. It didn't fit easily into the taxonomy, so since I was born in Okinawa, we just assumed it was a Habu preparing to drop down and kill us


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## awclark (Oct 20, 2007)

Believe me I am not a snake fan, but "shoot 'em all" is not exactly an appropriate response. Brown water snakes catch hell because they resemble moccasins. Lots of good snakes out there folks that eat rats and mice and all sorts or other undesirables. I try to identify snakes before I dispatch them and if they are in an area away from my house or dogs I leave them alone. An anvil shaped head is a pretty good indicator of venomous snakes. Came through my living room last week and saw something slip behind the bookcase... a yellow rat snake, came in through the dog door on the screen porch and then into the living room. Now, snakes in the house...that really creeps me out, but once I saw what kind it was I removed it and took it well away and let it go.


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## dgengr (Nov 28, 2012)

DoubleHaul said:


> I stick to my simple taxonomy of snakes:
> If it rattles, it is a rattlesnake;
> If it is in the water, it is a water moccasin;
> If it is on land, it is a copperhead.
> ...


I like your taxonomy of snakes....... 
I try to stick to this; every snake is the ever elusive RattlinCopperMocasinViperCobra, and the only way to verify if they are poisonous is to shoot them in the face till gun is out of ammo. Then reload and repeat till all available ammo has been consumed.


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## Keith Stroyan (Sep 22, 2005)

Iowa has few poisonous snakes, no gators, no africanized bees. This thread makes me glad for winter.


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## DoubleHaul (Jul 22, 2008)

awclark said:


> Believe me I am not a snake fan, but "shoot 'em all" is not exactly an appropriate response.


I don't shoot 'em all. Sometimes I have encountered one of these killers without a shooting thingy (Popper loads do work well at close range though) or other means to defend myself. In those cases, I strip down to my chinchilla thong and run the other way, screaming like a little girl.


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## dgengr (Nov 28, 2012)

Came through my living room last week and saw something slip behind the bookcase... a yellow rat snake, came in through the dog door on the screen porch and then into the living room. Now, snakes in the house...that really creeps me out, but once I saw what kind it was I removed it and took it well away and let it go.[/QUOTE]


I would have been trying to explain to the insurance company how my whole house mysteriously burnt to the ground. “no sir it has nothing to do with this empty gas can and this box of matches”


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## Wayne Nutt (Jan 10, 2010)

I have never encountered a cotton mouth in this area. Knock on wood. Copperheads and rattlers but not while training. Some have told me that there are not any cotton mouths west of the Trinity River. I don't know whether to believe this or not.


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## rboudet (Jun 29, 2004)

John Kelder said:


> View attachment 13482
> Friendly neighborhood that Demopolis is


I dont believe this is a WM. or the one on the left in the first picture. Looks more like a banded water snake. Also, in most states it is against law to just kill snakes unless you are in danger.


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## badbullgator (Dec 20, 2004)

awclark said:


> Believe me I am not a snake fan, but "shoot 'em all" is not exactly an appropriate response. Brown water snakes catch hell because they resemble moccasins. Lots of good snakes out there folks that eat rats and mice and all sorts or other undesirables. I try to identify snakes before I dispatch them and if they are in an area away from my house or dogs I leave them alone. An anvil shaped head is a pretty good indicator of venomous snakes. Came through my living room last week and saw something slip behind the bookcase... a yellow rat snake, came in through the dog door on the screen porch and then into the living room. Now, snakes in the house...that really creeps me out, but once I saw what kind it was I removed it and took it well away and let it go.


I agree. I have several black racers in the yard about 6' each and I love em because they control the rats that come after the fruit trees. I have one that has no fear of people and will slither right up on the porch while you are sitting there. Another lives in my garden and I have not lost a tomato to a squirrel in years. 
On the other hand I don't care for snakes in general and while I will not kill a corn, rat-snake or similar, but many a banded water snake has been fed lead (or steel if federal regulations require) because i couldn't tell what it was soon enough. When in doubt shoot it out. If I can't tell in a hurry what it is I kill the crap out of it. It is easier to tell what kind they are when they are dead. When they are alive any snake swimming or around the water are Cottonmouths until proven otherwise. 

Spiders are similar, for years I liked spiders as beneficial and more often than not just tossed them outside rather than kill them. My wife hated it and wanted them all dead. After two brown recluse bites, one black widow bite, one banana spider bite, and several unknown spider bites I KILL each and every spider I see.


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## RookieTrainer (Mar 11, 2011)

awclark said:


> I try to identify snakes before I dispatch them and if they are in an area away from my house or dogs I leave them alone. An anvil shaped head is a pretty good indicator of venomous snakes.


I agree about the triangle shape of the head. They are much more compliant about the review when they are dead. That said, I let a copperhead go last week after my wife and dog almost stepped on it in the middle of the road.


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## txags06 (Jun 4, 2013)

wayne, that is not true. TRUST ME they are west of the trinity river! a few close encounters myself while out hunting and camping. Beleive me, they don't like to be stepped on. Best invesment I've ever made was probably my camo snake boots


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## badbullgator (Dec 20, 2004)

rboudet said:


> . Also, in most states it is against law to just kill snakes unless you are in danger.


Its coming right for us 

Uncle Jimbo Regards


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## LSpann (Oct 1, 2007)

Fact: Alabama has more snakes per square mile than any other place on earth. So yes, I deal with snakes almost DAILY. Most of the ones I see are water snakes but me and my sons have shot a few cottonmouths this year. And yes I do know what a cottonmouth is. 

FYI
Last night me and my 17 y.o. son were feeding the dogs and there was a 3' rat snake in the barn. Spooked me when I first saw him but we didn't kill him.

L. Spann


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## coachmo (Apr 23, 2009)

One of the ways to quickly tell if it's a cottonmouth or a water snake if it is swimming is how their body is in the water. A water snake swims with more of its body underwater with it's head out of the water and a cottonmouth is more buoyant and swims with more of it's body on top of the water. I realize most people aren't going to wait to see but if you're in a boat or have time this is usually a good indication. PS I'm not a snake lover!


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## Rick Hall (Jan 21, 2003)

Fwiw, this is a water snake, perhaps trying to pose as a "triangle shaped" headed venomous snake:



And these are some little cottonmouths showing their signature flattop, like the old hair cuts with straight sides and flat top meeting at acute angles:



(Another "signature" that one displays is that they frequently, though not always, swim or float with much of their bodies out of the water.)





(Those last two wee ones also show the yellow tail tips they sport as babies.)


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## Brad B (Apr 29, 2004)

coachmo said:


> One of the ways to quickly tell if it's a cottonmouth or a water snake if it is swimming is how their body is in the water. A water snake swims with more of its body underwater with it's head out of the water and a cottonmouth is more buoyant and swims with more of it's body on top of the water. I realize most people aren't going to wait to see but if you're in a boat or have time this is usually a good indication. PS I'm not a snake lover!


Have to disagree, I've caught both WM's and water snakes and they can swim however they want to. Easy identifier for them is they have a black band that extends thru the eye whereas the rgular harmless water snakes do not. This can be seen from a decent distance too.


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## coachmo (Apr 23, 2009)

Well that's not my opinion on the subject it's a fact that WM's are more buoyant and swim with their heads higher out of the water and water snakes swim with a lower head set and with more of their bodies under the surface. I'm not disagreeing with your experience but what I stated is usually accepted when dealing with WM's and water snakes. Either way I'm not a fan of snakes.


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## 2tall (Oct 11, 2006)

Wayne Nutt said:


> I have never encountered a cotton mouth in this area. Knock on wood. Copperheads and rattlers but not while training. Some have told me that there are not any cotton mouths west of the Trinity River. I don't know whether to believe this or not.


Man, didn't you ever read or see Lonesome Dove? Pretty sure that scene where the snakes swarmed all over that kid and killed him was west of the Trinity!


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## Granddaddy (Mar 5, 2005)

I used to have annual encounters with cottonmouths when regularly fishing oxbows off the MS River during my younger years around Memphis & even here in middle GA. I've had several climb or drop into the boat wanting me out of their territory but I managed to take care of them or get them out of the boat & I then moved on. My potentially worst times were turkey hunting. Both times the low temperatures saved me. First I was just removing leaves from under a tree to sit down when I noticed in the low light that the roots were moving around a little - I just let that cottonmouth have his spot and moved to another tree. He was just too cold & stiff to get me. The 2nd time I had cut some cane & stuck it in the ground to serve as a little camo blind in front of my sitting position. After the sun came up I started seeing some movement out of the corner of my eye but I was looking past the cane thinking it was out in the woods. I finally focused on the cane & noticed the little cottonmouth curled up in the top of the cane about 6 inches from my head. I just picked out that stalk of cane and threw it away from me because I had a gobbler talking to me. In fact, I killed a nice tom that morning but it could have been a bad morning except for sub-freezing early morning temps which are unusual both in west TN & middle GA during turkey season.

And the real give-away if you have an aggressive cottonmouth after you is the open pearly white mouth - water snakes don't mimic that pearly white mouth.......


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## PalouseDogs (Mar 28, 2012)

Cottonmouths occur west of the Trinity, but they're not very common. They peter out through central Texas as you move west and don't occur in west Texas. One of the snake guys at Univ of North Texas (Denton, TX, north of Dallas/Ft. Worth, where I went to grad school) told me they were hard to find in that area. He also told me they preferred running water over still water or still water over running water, but I can't remember which it was.  He'd been bitten a couple times by cottonmouths when he was catching live snakes in water. Not something I've ever really wanted to try, but all the venomous snake scientists I've known have been bitten at least once. There must be some unwritten rule that snake guys have to get bitten to earn street cred among their colleagues.

In Texas, just about everything bites, including the plants (e.g. bull nettle) and things that are practically invisible (e.g. chiggers.) Eastern Washington is so much more benign.


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## Wayne Nutt (Jan 10, 2010)

Lonesome Dove both the book and movie were fiction. The first river they would have crossed would have been the Nueces which is extreme south Texas.


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## jollydog (Jul 10, 2006)

I am from West Texas, San Angelo, and I can promise you we have Cotton Mouth snakes.
Have a grad student right now that catches them and does experiments with them alive.
They have been pretty common in our area. My Dad was a science teacher and we went snake 
hunting quite a bit. Some day I will post some pictures that are pretty interesting 
When I see them or a poisonous snake we dispose of them, but not non-poison as they 
are here for a reason. That coming from someone who survived a poisonous snake bite while going thru 
chemo therapy and to this day almost faints at the sight of any snake.

http://www.gosanangelo.com/news/200...-asu-students-research-involves-sear/?print=1


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## BonMallari (Feb 7, 2008)

PalouseDogs said:


> Cottonmouths occur west of the Trinity, but they're not very common. They peter out through central Texas as you move west and don't occur in west Texas. One of the snake guys at Univ of North Texas (Denton, TX, north of Dallas/Ft. Worth, where I went to grad school) told me they were hard to find in that area. He also told me they preferred running water over still water or still water over running water, but I can't remember which it was.  He'd been bitten a couple times by cottonmouths when he was catching live snakes in water. Not something I've ever really wanted to try, but all the venomous snake scientists I've known have been bitten at least once. There must be some unwritten rule that snake guys have to get bitten to earn street cred among their colleagues.
> 
> In Texas, just about everything bites, including the plants (e.g. bull nettle) and things that are practically invisible (e.g. chiggers.) Eastern Washington is so much more benign.


Kelly, you needed to get out more while at NT...I lived in Lake Dallas, just down the road and I could show you where we had cottonmouth's both in Denton and on the north edge of the lake off Shady Shores road near Corinth...as for Central TX , we had quite a few on Decker Lake aka Walter Long Lake especially near the power plant, used to fish there as a kid when my oldest brother would sneak me in while doing his chemist stuff for the city, also shot them at the lease near Creedmoor...where there is water in TX, there is always a chance of stump tails


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## Granddaddy (Mar 5, 2005)

I've heard stories similar to the TX geography range the same down here in GA. Some biologists swear there are no cottonmouths in N. GA. So when I killed one on my pond near Canton GA years ago, I took the snake to the GA DNR biologist who was so adamant about their range and asked for him to identify the snake. His explanation was that was indeed a cottonmouth but it had to have been killed somewhere else......


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## Laird's Retrievers (Apr 20, 2007)

Originally Posted by John Kelder 
Attachment 13482Friendly neighborhood that Demopolis is 
I dont believe this is a WM. or the one on the left in the first picture. Looks more like a banded water snake. Also, in most states it is against law to just kill snakes unless you are in danger.


The picture of snake listed in master c is not a cottonmouth. It is a nonvenomous water snake. 

Rick hall posted great photos. The first is a pissed off water snake trying to mimic a water moccasin. Doing a great job I might add. The water moccasin in the next picture is typical swim style. Venomous snakes swim on top off the water, non venomous swim with their body under water and head poking out of water. 

One of my graduate students is from San Angelo, and he has brought water moccasins from there and in the concho river valley back to our laboratory. 

Please don't kill all snakes, your mammal pest problems will go up, but if you must kill one please do it safely. I deal with a lot of testosterone laden young males that got bite while killing the snake with a hatchet or machete. It is never pretty.

Chris


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## shawninthesticks (Jun 13, 2010)

keith stroyan said:


> iowa has few poisonous snakes, no gators, no africanized bees. This thread makes me glad for winter.


x2...........:d


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## duk4me (Feb 20, 2008)

I've learned from this thread. I'm afraid I killed quite a few that I thought were moccasins but were harmless. My guilt overwhelms me.


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## shawninthesticks (Jun 13, 2010)

duk4me said:


> I've learned from this thread. I'm afraid I killed quite a few that I thought were moccasins but were harmless. My guilt overwhelms me.


Now ya got me feeling guilty to.


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## duk4me (Feb 20, 2008)

I need a group hug.


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## Bartona500 (May 23, 2011)

If you really want to feel guilty, just think of the snakes still alive. They CAN'T hug.


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## duk4me (Feb 20, 2008)

Bartona500 said:


> If you really want to feel guilty, just think of the snakes still alive. They CAN'T hug.


Annacondas can.


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## Mary Lynn Metras (Jul 6, 2010)

rboudet said:


> I dont believe this is a WM. or the one on the left in the first picture. Looks more like a banded water snake. Also, in most states it is against law to just kill snakes unless you are in danger.


I would think if you saw one of those snakes listed you are in danger. I am north of the border training. None of those here to my knowledge.


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## Mary Lynn Metras (Jul 6, 2010)

Rick Hall said:


> Fwiw, this is a water snake, perhaps trying to pose as a "triangle shaped" headed venomous snake:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


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## John Kelder (Mar 10, 2006)

Laird's Retrievers said:


> Originally Posted by John Kelder
> Attachment 13482Friendly neighborhood that Demopolis is
> I dont believe this is a WM. or the one on the left in the first picture. Looks more like a banded water snake. Also, in most states it is against law to just kill snakes unless you are in danger.
> 
> ...


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## PalouseDogs (Mar 28, 2012)

BonMallari said:


> Kelly, you needed to get out more while at NT...I lived in Lake Dallas, just down the road and I could show you where we had cottonmouth's both in Denton and on the north edge of the lake off Shady Shores road near Corinth...as for Central TX , we had quite a few on Decker Lake aka Walter Long Lake especially near the power plant, used to fish there as a kid when my oldest brother would sneak me in while doing his chemist stuff for the city, also shot them at the lease near Creedmoor...where there is water in TX, there is always a chance of stump tails


I got out. Lived in Lewisville when I was in high school. (Does any high school have a dorkier looking mascot than the Lewisville Farmer?) Used to swim in Lewisville Lake before it was all built up. As a grad student, I did the vegetation surveys of the Lake Aubrey area before the dam was closed and the land was flooded. I didn't say cottonmouths didn't occur there, just that they aren't too common. 

Sometimes, a fellow grad student or two would come along when I did my vegetation transects. Invariably, they'd ask beforehand if I ever saw snakes. Virtually never, I'd say, which was true. And danged if we didn't see snakes practically everytime someone came with me. Maybe I should have explained that I don't see worth a darn. 

Interesting that cottonmouths make it to San Angelo. That's pretty far west and must be close to the western limit of their range.


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## BonMallari (Feb 7, 2008)

PalouseDogs said:


> *I got out. Lived in Lewisville when I was in high school. (Does any high school have a dorkier looking mascot than the Lewisville Farmer?) Used to swim in Lewisville Lake before it was all built up. As a grad student, I did the vegetation surveys of the Lake Aubrey area before the dam was closed and the land was flooded. I didn't say cottonmouths didn't occur there, just that they aren't too common. *
> 
> Sometimes, a fellow grad student or two would come along when I did my vegetation transects. Invariably, they'd ask beforehand if I ever saw snakes. Virtually never, I'd say, which was true. And danged if we didn't see snakes practically everytime someone came with me. Maybe I should have explained that I don't see worth a darn.
> 
> Interesting that cottonmouths make it to San Angelo. That's pretty far west and must be close to the western limit of their range.



You were correct, there werent many, but one year when the water came way up to the bottom of the IH35 bridge,it flooded within a mile of the house, it was great for duck hunting because we shot a ton of birds in areas that were usually high and dry, but we had snakes for about a year afterwards...I also hear there is an occasional sighting of a gator in the lake...Wont comment on the Lewisville Fighting Farmers, but I do miss the Grandy's Fried Chicken


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## The Snows (Jul 19, 2004)

Keith Stroyan said:


> Iowa has few poisonous snakes, no gators, no africanized bees. This thread makes me glad for winter.


I'm with you Keith! Think I will take ice, snow and black flies any day!!


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## Wayne Nutt (Jan 10, 2010)

I haven't seen a lot of cotton mouths. But the ones I have seen were more black than the ones in the photos.


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## Granddaddy (Mar 5, 2005)

Wayne Nutt said:


> I haven't seen a lot of cotton mouths. But the ones I have seen were more black than the ones in the photos.


Same for me, both in west TN & in GA, the cottonmouths I have examined closely (just a few), appear almost black. Those few were killed & I confirmed their identity by their viper eyes & opening their mouth to see a pearly white mouth & fangs.


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## Dman (Feb 26, 2003)

Wayne Nutt said:


> I haven't seen a lot of cotton mouths. But the ones I have seen were more black than the ones in the photos.


Same for me too. I think the lighter ones are generally younger snakes.


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## Rick Hall (Jan 21, 2003)

There may be a regional factor, too, because I've seen footage of some pretty brightly banded Florida moccasins. But here in Southwest Louisiana, the young ones are pretty and the adults generally very dark and washed out. Took this one's pic because he was still colorful for his size:


And while I'm in the file, here's the Boone and Crockett version:


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## pat addis (Feb 3, 2008)

I was thinking about retiring further south but you southern people that have to put up with critters that bite or eat you or your dogs makes me rethink that.


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## RJW (Jan 8, 2012)

pat addis said:


> I was thinking about retiring further south but you southern people that have to put up with critters that bite or eat you or your dogs makes me rethink that.



Pat, that makes two of us. Me and snakes, period, do NOT get along. God, just seeing these snakes pics gets my skin to crawlin'.


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## twall (Jun 5, 2006)

This thread reminds of graduate school at UF. A friend and I did a lot of hunting together. I'm sure the locals would have busted a gut laughing if they could have seen two Yankees out in the schwamps. We had some great times. 

My experience with WM is that they don't back down at all. Most I came across were very dark which makes their mouth look even whiter.

One of my favorite Yankees in the swamp story was when my buddy David was taking me out to where he had seen some turkeys roosting along the River Styx. It was dusk and starting to get dark. The water was only a few inches deep. As I heard a owl hoot I turned around to look at David and he was the one hooting and pointing at my feet. I had just stepped on a snake. We quickly decided the scouting trip was over. David had clear sailing back to the truck. I had to try and avoid the snake I had just stepped on.

David was out bowhunting in the same area once and watch a rattlesnake crawl up to the base of his tree. He would periodically look under his treestand and see the snake still there. Once it got dark he could no longer see the snake. He wasn't sure if it was gone or just too dark to see. When he climbed down the snake was gone.

Snakes and gators kept us one or toes but, we never let them keep us out of the woods.

Tom


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## RookieTrainer (Mar 11, 2011)

I don't turkey hunt because I don't need another addiction, but also because I have heard of too many close calls with reptiles. I am also not real gung ho about September teal hunting, that requires you to step out a perfectly good boat in the dark.

There are some drawbacks to living in the South, but the women, the football, and the barbecue far outweigh them.


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## Jerry Beil (Feb 8, 2011)

I don't mind snakes usually, and don't just kill them unless they're posing a danger, but it reminds me of a funny story.

We were hunting woodies in the early season - my brother and I. He had worn shorts, so he wet waded to put out the decoys (smart move of me to wear long pants!). Anyway about time the sun come up, a snake starts swimming through the decoys - he doesn't see it - I do. I mention it to him and he says - KILL IT!!!. I said no it was just a water snake. He said KILL IT. Again I said no. He said KILL IT OR YOUR GETTING THE DECOYS. BANG.


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## Swampbilly (May 25, 2010)

Rick Hall said:


> And while I'm in the file, here's the Boone and Crockett version:


WoW.

Looks to me like while alive, this one was big enough to pull a a plow.


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## Wayne Nutt (Jan 10, 2010)

My dad used to tell the story of squirrel hunting in Arkansas during the depression when food was hard to come by.

When still hunting he saw two squirrels in a tree. He snuck up closer and was stepping over a log. His foot was about to come down on a rattler. He balanced on one foot, shot the two squirrels and then shot the snake.

He must have been plenty hungry.


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## Rick Hall (Jan 21, 2003)

I didn't have the presence of mind to suggest holding it directly beside him for more accurate reference when I took the picture, but am pretty sure Ronnie said it was 6'1" when alive. Which is well beyond huge for a cottonmouth. Probably could have eaten nutrias.


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## shawninthesticks (Jun 13, 2010)

I keep getting this thread confused with the pot smoking dog thread that is also on the main page.


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## Mary Lynn Metras (Jul 6, 2010)

pat addis said:


> I was thinking about retiring further south but you southern people that have to put up with critters that bite or eat you or your dogs makes me rethink that.


Ditto would not want to deal with that while training.


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## HPL (Jan 27, 2011)

Laird's Retrievers said:


> Originally Posted by John Kelder
> Attachment 13482Friendly neighborhood that Demopolis is
> _*I dont believe this is a WM. or the one on the left in the first picture.*_ Looks more like a banded water snake. Also, in most states it is against law to just kill snakes unless you are in danger.
> 
> ...


I'll put it stronger: I can't tell for sure about the one on the right in the original photo, (I don't believe it is a moccasin) but the one on the left is absolutely NOT a moccasin, and neither is that one coiled up on the paper. Those two are definitely _Nerodia sp. _(common water snakes. often ill tempered, but not poisonous). A moccasin the length of the first two pictured would be twice that thick (at least) and their heads would have been much bigger, and the color pattern is wrong. I think they are probably _N. rhombifera_, but considering the photos I could be wrong as to exact species. I would really suggest that folks consider that the vast majority of snakes (in the water and on land) are not only not dangerous but actually beneficial. Get a field guide and learn about the world in which you live. I will admit that walking up on any snake in the wild makes my heart race at first, but I realize that I'm not a prey species (although I did come across a western diamondback a few years ago that might almost have been able to consider me one, man it was a monster) and that most snakes are totally harmless.


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## HPL (Jan 27, 2011)

Swampbilly said:


> WoW.
> 
> Looks to me like while alive, this one was big enough to pull a a plow.


For all we know the fellow holding the snake is 4'6" ;-)


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## Bartona500 (May 23, 2011)

The one on the left isn't a WM, the one on the right most definitely is. I killed them both. Killed the banded water in the shallow right near entry for a setup. The WM was sunbathing in the road and I followed it through grass under a tree. Once it saw I wasn't stopping, it came right out straight toward me.

It has thin neck, boxy viper head, aggression, and was much thicker and darker in color. But honestly, in a muddy cow pond doing young dog work, anything slithering is getting shot.


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## Rick Hall (Jan 21, 2003)

HPL said:


> For all we know the fellow holding the snake is 4'6" ;-)


If he was 3'6", it would still be a jam-up cottonmouth.


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## HPL (Jan 27, 2011)

Rick Hall said:


> If he was 3'6", it would still be a jam-up cottonmouth.


You definitely have a point there (actually, I consider any cottonmouth of any size a concern and one even four feet long would be a real whopper).


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## MooseGooser (May 11, 2003)

Well,,,UHHH,,,, As soon as I saw the pictures,,, my hands started to sweat!!!

I.m sorry,, but I guess I is gonna have to stay in Miserable Colorado! I would much rated have to deal with lefty Democrats than snakes!!

One good thing though,, at least you can shoot snakes !! 

Gooser


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## MooseGooser (May 11, 2003)

They were removing a HUGE Bull Snake at a HT one weekend...
A guy picked it up, and was carrying it off away from the test..

I said" if you drop that thing, and it comes anywheres nearme, I am headin straight to the water!"

The guy told me, "Gooser, they can swim"!

I said " I know, but I cant, and hopefully I will drown before the bastard bites me"

I Hate snakes!!!

And to think our government here banned High capacity Magazines!!!

I get so shook up,, it takes me 80 rounds firing at point blank range,, before I even come close!!


I hate snakes!!!

Gooser


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## HPL (Jan 27, 2011)

MooseGooser said:


> They were removing a HUGE Bull Snake at a HT one weekend...
> A guy picked it up, and was carrying it off away from the test..
> 
> I said" if you drop that thing, and it comes anywheres nearme, I am headin straight to the water!"
> ...


Snakes are cool.


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## Bob Glover (Nov 14, 2008)

coachmo said:


> One of the ways to quickly tell if it's a cottonmouth or a water snake if it is swimming is how their body is in the water. A water snake swims with more of its body underwater with it's head out of the water and a cottonmouth is more buoyant and swims with more of it's body on top of the water. I realize most people aren't going to wait to see but if you're in a boat or have time this is usually a good indication. PS I'm not a snake lover!


This is correct. On our lake we actually have more cottonmouths than banded water snakes; although they are hard to tell apart. One thing I've noticed while fishing is that cottonmouths tend to swim along the bank while banded water snakes are the ones usually found 'sunning' on tree limbs. They both can be pretty aggressive at times.


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## Bob Glover (Nov 14, 2008)

The biggest cottonmouth I've ever seen measured 52 inches long. I'm sure it was a cottonmouth because we pulled it out of the water and saw its white mouth & fangs. Boy, do they stink!


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## Spoonie-whacker (Jun 4, 2013)

Sorry to those who have encountered these. A friend had his dog bit over the weekend. Head was the size of a basketball. Came out of surgery perfect.


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