Another Death By Snake Bite

[jdmidwest]

I believe the only good snake is a dead one.

And I believe that you don't pick up a dead one unless his head is removed from his body. He can still strike out of reflex.

[ciRe]

This is sad reading this. Snakes are good! I'm not saying if you see a venomous snake in a campsite with kids not to kill it. However when I see venomous snakes out on the prairie or woods I keep them alive. I can't tell you how many times fishing public streams that I have moved harmless snakes away from people who think they are a copperhead and want to kill it. But like I said I'll kill a venomous snake in a heavy populated area with kids just because I don't want them to be bit. When they are interested I will pick them up to show them what to look for when they see a snake.

And generally the worse snake I pick up is a rat snake. They are vicious. Rule of thumb. Treat snakes like a gun. They can be dangerous and they don't mix with alcohol.

[cnr]

I have never really understood the deep aversion people have about snakes. This whole notion of killing every snake you run across is ridiculous. Just leave it alone.

[moguy1973]

I have never really understood the deep aversion people have about snakes. This whole notion of killing every snake you run across is ridiculous. Just leave it alone.

Agreed. If you don't bother them they won't bother you. It's not like they are going to go out of their way to come bite you.

[REDSOXWSCHAMP]

sorry guys, but i will go out of my way to kill them nasty things

[Wayne SW/MO]

You realize that they don't carry diseases, but many of the things they eat do. They are like possums who also make meals out of bacteria laden and fly producing carrion, converting it to crap that doesn't support maggots normally.

[Ham]

I have never really understood the deep aversion people have about snakes. This whole notion of killing every snake you run across is ridiculous. Just leave it alone.

THIS!

[REDSOXWSCHAMP]

get bit by a snake, then tell me how you feel about them

[Feathers and Fins]

Been bit probably more times then anyone on this site and I can tell you how it felt... EMBARASSING as it was MY fault not the snakes because I lost my concentration and most bites by people that were responsible were the same cause, loosing focus and all of them felt the same way.... As for people who don't have to deal with them getting bit is because they were messing with something they had no business messing with. Just leave it alone and it wont bother you. As for non-venomous bites it hurts whoop de doo but your over it in a few minutes... As for killing them it is illegal in MO just fyi I swear a guy will get in a car after drinking or too tired and be more deadly than a snake ever is and yet they want to kill a snake just for it being what it is.

[ozark trout fisher]

This is a sad situation, and you hate to read about something like this happening.

That said, it's an extremely rare and odd set of circumstances at play here. First of all, most of us would not pick up a poisonous snake. Secondly, it's extremely rare for anyone ever to die from a copperhead bite (or from the bite of any other poisionous snake in Missouri) even if bit. This shows that it can occur, in the perfect storm of terrible circumstances, and that it's important to be careful and get the right medical care ASAP. But this type of unfortunate death probably won't happen to anyone else in this state for quite a number of years, based on many decades of evidence.

The point is, this is a heartbreaking story. But it's not an excuse to start killing poisounous snakes (or more likely, snakes improperly identified as poisonous) willy nilly as I fear may happen with some. It sure doesn't mean "the only good snake is a dead snake." It's just an incredibly rare tragedy, like someone dying of rabies after walking into a bat infested barn after dark. Doesn't mean it makes sense to kill all the bats we see flying through the air for the next few years.