Fishing In The Trees,Be careful! Snakes!

[eyedabassman]

I was out fishing this week and we did get back in the trees and brush untill we did see a few Water Moccasin's sunning them self's in the trees and we did see a few Copperheads also! Alot of snakes swimming around the trees too! Just be careful!

 

[MoCarp]

Cotton mouths? those are rare around here, most are most likely northern water snakes

[MoCarp]

Cotton mouth

[MoCarp]

copperhead

[Flysmallie]

1 hour ago, MoCarp said:

Cotton mouths? those are rare around here, 

 

While they do get misidentified they aren't really rare. 

[BilletHead]

      

2 minutes ago, Flysmallie said:

While they do get misidentified they aren't really rare. 

       Totally agree with this.

[dtrs5kprs]

5 minutes ago, Flysmallie said:

While they do get misidentified they aren't really rare. 

Plenty of them in TR, including some brutes. They were thick in the bushes right after the big rise. Black, not brown.

[moguy1973]

If they are swimming you can tell the difference between the Cottonmouths and the water snakes as only the head of the water snake is above the water.  The whole body of a cottonmouth is showing when swimming. 

[JestersHK]

Saw this guy at our local pond.  I'm pretty good usually with snake ID but could use some help here.  He has a more triangular shaped head than what I'm used to seeing on water snakes, but his eyes looked wrong for a venemous snake.  Plus his tail markings threw me too.  Maybe 2.5 ft long?  I was thinking juvenile moccasin, but not sure.  Had no fear of us, but was not aggressive.

[BilletHead]

        If you don't think I know what I am talking about look here.

 

      The reptiles and amphibians of Missouri book put out by the department of conservation says in this part of the county where these pictures were taken there are no cottonmouths. Ha do not believe what you read or hear. I live in Vernon county just north of you MoCarp. I had a professor from SMS in Springfield several years back showing him an outcropping of chert he was interested in near my home. He walked right by one, I caught it and took a stick and showed him it's fangs with venom dripping. He about freaked . I don't make it a habit of doing this but wanted to show him. The book says they are not here either. Seen others there since then,

   BilletHead