Water Moccasins / Copperhead Snakes

[bobby b.]

Question -

When referring to Big Indian and Little Indian Creek, is that usually meant to be that area south of Baxter?

We have a place on the lake at the complete northend of Indian Point (about 4 miles north of Indian Point between Branson West and Silver Dollar City) that we call Indian Creek with an adjoining creek to the south called Little Indian. What is the relationship of these creeks?

[Martin]

I'm pretty sure they are talking about the creeks near Baxter. Little Indian runs through Dogwood Canyon before entering the lake. The Carroll Electric guys that cut those swaths through the forest see alot of snakes and told me that thge Little Indian / Dogwood Canyon area has more and bigger Copperheads then anywhere they've worked. We got into the discussion after they helped me kill a really large Copperhead on the road next to my house. We have also seen more Pygmy Rattlesnakes in the last few years then we used to. When they rattle, it sound like a bee buzzing. We've had 2 Timber Rattlers killed within a few hundred feet of my place last year. None so far this year.

We had to "remove" a large Cottonmouth doing his courting dance at the dock this spring. We have many water snakes and do not mess with them unless we have swimmers in the water. The big Cottonmouth was floating in a coil. He was floating very high, as somebody said, like he was made of styrofoam. Then, he would flip upside-down, still coiled, and float that way for awhile. Very neat to see, but.....a very dangerous snake, so he "went away".

I live in Cow Creek, SE of Lampe, North of Blue Eye. I agree with most everybody. The are lots of copperheads, and a few rattlesnakes & cottonmouths. They are there, just watch where you step.

[RSBreth]

Of course I'll be the odd man out and ask why? Why worry about a native animal (or two) that hasn't killed healthy adult who wasn't screwing with them intentionally in years?

If you don't mess with them, they won't mess with you.

Driving to put your boat in at the ramp is the most dangerous thing you do every fishing trip, not anything to do with snakes.

[fly2fish]

Which one of the 3 snakes is poisonous?

[Flysmallie]

Which one of the 3 snakes is poisonous?

This has gotta be a trick question but I know you can kill them all with fire.

[SKMO]

Which one of the 3 snakes is poisonous?

Number 1 & 3 for sure not poisonous. They both have round pupils. The one in the middle is hard to tell, bad picture, impossible to tell.

Middle one does not seem to have the girth or head shape of a viper but without a better pic impossible to tell. Just another big black snake from the picture. Actually looks like the tip of the tail was chopped off and sitting a couple inches away. From the blunt end of the tail in general I might guess it as a moc, but head a little slender. I'll stand by my original statement a person needs to get a good look at the head/eyes which you cannot do from this pic.

[abkeenan]

This past 4th weekend i had to kill a copperhead around the house in the front yard. I hated to do it as it wasnt bothering anyone just slithering through the grass but my grandmother who is nearly 80 with heart conditions works out in the yard sometimes and lives alone and if she got bitten no telling what might happen to her. Also with it being summer kids in the family are down playing in the yard, walking to the dock and what have you and its just not worth the risk of having something happen to them. Hated to do it as i dont like killing anything without reason but just had too.

[jdmidwest]

Which one of the 3 snakes is poisonous?

If you click and expand the pics, you will see the answer.

[SKMO]

If you click and expand the pics, you will see the answer.

Ah yes. A big black snake. Possibly a cottonmouth, possibly something different. It's got a cottonmouth tag on it on the Internet so must be true?

To reiterate, there are a few positive moc ID's but you got to be up pretty close and personal for most all of them unless you are pretty strong on herp ID's. Not trying to stir up stuff or be cantankerous but there is a lot of mis-information about snakes in general.

L

[Coldspring]

I was wading a small spring branch once. Not paying attention, I hear a hiss and look down to see a cottonmouth between my legs. I somehow managed to just keep walking, instead of being "startled". It was all so fast, but I didn't freeze up with goosebumps and my hair standing straight up until I was well away from the snake. Yes, the snake was looking back at me and I could see its fangs!