In my area of North Central Missouri, we have two venomous snakes. Copperheads, and timber rattlesnakes. The timber rattlesnakes are very seldom seen. I've only seen one in my lifetime. With all the rain we've been having, I've seen quite a few snakes on my bank fishing trips. The heavy spring rains flush these snakes out, and I always see more at this time of year. At one small lake I fish, there's a guy I've seen fishing there with his son. Last time I saw him, he told me he won't fish this lake anymore, because it's infested with water moccasins. This is wrong, and what he's seeing are common dark colored water snakes. They're non venomous. We don't have water moccasins in this part of Missouri. Black snakes are common here also. They can get big, and look intimidating, but again, they're not venomous. Of course, any of these snakes will coil up, and possibly bite you if they're cornered or harassed. In all my years, this has never happened, and they always avoid any confrontation. My conservation department puts out a pamphlet, which shows color detailed photos of all the snakes in the state. Just thought I might put this out there, especially for the bank fisherman here. Learn to identify the snakes in your area, and know which ones are venomous and non venomous. And, it goes without saying, watch where you walk in the tall grass. Can you identify the snakes that live around your lakes?

We have timber rattlers and copperheads here. I've not seen either in NJ yet. We get a LOT of eastern milk snakes here at the house (and some garter snakes). We used to get a lot more when we had pavers for our back porch and they could get into the voids around them hunting. Same with the tiny ring neck snakes which used to hunt salamanders and worms in the pavers. Our woods behind the house are filled with rocks and voids so I'm surprised we don't get more of the poisonous snakes given how many chipmunks and mice are around. I saw one in NY when we lived there. It was mid summer and I was walking the dog in some WMA swampy/thicket. We were heading out and I decided to take a shortcut walking along a chainlink fence that was securing a small pumping station because they weed wacked all around it. We were creeping under the trees when I looked not 20' in front of us to see one sunning in an opening. Solid 36" snake. Fortunately that dog had good recall and we avoided the issue. I definitely had to change my shorts when we got home. Water snakes are everywhere around here at the lakes and ponds. This part of NJ is very upland so swamps and damp areas everywhere so plenty of water snakes and their prey. I thought one was going to climb in the boat yesterday. It was a bigger one and avoided me as I went down the bank only to circle around behind me and start closing in on the stern. It eventually left. The biggest one I've ever seen in person was at a pond nearby. A solid 36" snake and as big as my wrist at its thickest: Baby milk, about 8". They have tiny teeth and like to use them when threatened. And everything threatens a baby snake. Adult milk snake ~(28") Adult ring neck, about 12" (super docile)

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May 22, 20242 yr

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4 hours ago, casts_by_fly said:

How did he get them to all line up like that and stay still for the picture?

Also dear god, I will never go into an old barn in texas ever.

I don’t think they had a choice. And that wasn’t even half of the ones they got out.

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May 22, 20242 yr

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Snakes are a common site in the yard and around the house.

Had a black snake looking at us through the door Monday evening.

I don't kill any snake, just relocate rattlesnakes and copperheads.

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May 22, 20242 yr

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3 hours ago, Tennessee Boy said:

A while back I saw a list of snake bite deaths that occurred in Tennessee. The most common place to get a deadly snake bit in this state is in church. Almost all of the bites that ended up being deadly happen during religious services. I’m glad the most dangerous thing we do in my church is eat too much. 😊

Yep! The statistical majority of snake deaths are young men that own venomous snakes 😂. Imagine that

don’t poke the bear

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May 22, 20242 yr

8 hours ago, GaryH said:

Friend tearing out old floor in barn in Texas.

That reminds me of this video: https://imgur.com/imagine-you-discovering-these-rattlesnakes-backyard-what-would-you-do-1BioyP5

Snakes don't bother me too much, I'm fascinated by them, but large quantities of venomous snakes like that are nightmare fuel.

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May 22, 20242 yr

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1 hour ago, TnRiver46 said:

Yep! The statistical majority of snake deaths are young men that own venomous snakes 😂. Imagine that

don’t poke the bear

This list makes for interesting reading.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_fatal_snake_bites_in_the_United_States

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May 24, 20242 yr

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There are tons of snakes here. Pygmy and diamondback rattlers, cottonmouths( which are the most common). I even saw 1 copperhead, which aren’t supposed to be in NE Florida.

Heres a healthy diamondback that was crossing the road between 2 palmetto fields in Guana preserve when I was hunting…

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May 25, 20242 yr

Super User

7 hours ago, N Florida Mike said:

There are tons of snakes here. Pygmy and diamondback rattlers, cottonmouths( which are the most common). I even saw 1 copperhead, which aren’t supposed to be in NE Florida.

Heres a healthy diamondback that was crossing the road between 2 palmetto fields in Guana preserve when I was hunting…

he looks so happy to see you!

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