Copperheads in the park (PSA)

[brittsnbirds]

Good info.  Not a friend or enemy of snakes, just don't like the "all of a sudden" kind. 

 

While down at Montauk last month I had what I thought was a water snake try to take me on.  He didn't want to move away as I was working my way up stream along the bank.  Looked alot like a copperhead.  Is there a quick way to tell the differance without looking at their slotted vs round eye pupils?

[Gene K]

12 minutes ago, brittsnbirds said:

Is there a quick way to tell the differance without looking at their slotted vs round eye pupils?

https://youtu.be/FkxPiVPp6sk?t=7m19s

[Gavin]

The dark bands on the sides of a copperhead look kind of like a row of Hershey's kisses, Water snake markings are blocky in comparison.

 

[jdmidwest]

I had a very light phase cottonmouth in TN about a month ago that looked alot like a copperhead or common watersnake.  But it was a cotton mouth.  It rode high on top of the water and sported cat eyes.  But not coppery like a copperhead.

[fshndoug]

any cottonmouth pics I have seen,they have a band across their eyes,kinda like a mask

[brittsnbirds]

I have heard that cottonmouths are aggressive, watersnakes not so much.  The one I encountered didn't want to give an inch.  Usually they will duck down into the water and swim away.  He raised up in the water an acted like he was going to go Spider Monkey crazy on me!!

[MOPanfisher]

I have had more aggressiveness shown from water snakes than from Water Moccasins, usually the Moc's tend to lie in the sun and give you the look similar to an old yard dog, "don't mess with me, and I won't mess with you" look.  Water snakes seem to be much more likely to come calling and get all snotty about me being in their part of the creek.  Only snakes I have ever been bitten by were water snakes and one lone black snake that might have gotten a little excited while I was catching him, didn't give him time to calm down.

[Gene K]

4 hours ago, MOPanfisher said:

I have had more aggressiveness shown from water snakes than from Water Moccasins...

Me too. Water snakes are bold, cottonmouths not. This little feller posed for a pic, but never made a move towards me...