Where Are The Snakes?

[Whiskey Joe]

Wow! didn't know I opened such a topic!

I remember wading dry fork creek between Rolla and St. James and seeing a huge over abundance of tadpoles. As I fished, I thought "hmmm, bet the snakes love this". Looked down the bank and saw 4 water snakes eating tadpoles on the bank! Honestly, 4 simultaneously!

Venemnous:

I've seen 2 cottonmouths in all my 25 years of fishing. 1 on the big creek near Troy. 1 at little prairie lake near Rolla. Only 1 live copperhead on way to get married in Paris, AR. I clipped the flower off the rose I gave her and used the stem to push the snake off the road before it got squashed and she STILL married me (sucker!)

[Daddy Carp]

I've fished the ozarks area for over 50 yrs. In all that time, I have only seen about 4-5 Cottonmouths all on Table Rock. I've not seen any, that I recall else where. I saw 1 about 15 yrs. back on Hillsdale lake in Kansas. Ya, the books say that's too far north too, but there he was and very agressive in the water. We lived in northeastern Ks. until July of this year. We had timber rattlers and copperheads on the place. Copperheads a-plenty, even though 1 is plenty enough for me. My grandson and granddaughter would hunt,catch and skin them to make hatbands. My daughter said we should leave them as they kill rodents. I explained to her that is the function of blacksnakes and DECON. Just before we moved, a copperhead bit my bird dog while he was in his kennel/run. His leg swelled up to about 3-4 times normal size. The Vet said not to worry as their bite is normally not fatal to dogs,but, a bite from a Rattler can kill a dog real fast. Go figure, Rattlers are less poisonous to people than copperheads. My nephew (30yrs. old) was bitten on the foot by a copperhead 4 years back. He was hospitalized, his leg turned almost black and swelled to about 4 times normal. He was very sick with a lot of pain throughout his leg. It took him several weeks of slow recovery. Yep!! Blacksnakes and Decon for me, the rest make nice looking hat bands! LOL God Bless, D.C.

[creek wader]

Yeah Whiskey, you opened a can of worms, er, snakes. Everybody has a snake story or two. Especially fishermen.

[Chief Grey Bear]

I think this is the key to understanding my comment about young NWS and young Copperheads. They look SIMILAR, but the actual pattern on their bodies is different. They are merely more alike in size and colors. For MOST anglers and hunters, that's close enough for government work!

I don't think I would go as far as to say they are similar in color. I don't know of any snake that is similar in color to a Copperhead. That is one snake that is very distinct in color. Markings? At a quick glance, yes you could have a valid comment with that. A small bit of looking though, one can easily distinguish the difference.

As for my post about my encounter with the Copperhead under the willow weeds, that was some tongue-in-cheek with a little humor. But the part about the duck walking, there is some truth to that. That sucker startled me and I meant to leave him be. Quickly!

It has been my experience that they stay mostly in wooded/rocky areas. But then again that is mostly where I have been. I have not been privileged enough to spot one on the prairies of western Missouri yet

To me the Copperhead is one of the most beautiful snakes. I used to always want a pair of boots made from them.

[Trav]

I killed more snakes(copperheads) in my yard this last summer than I did the 3 prior summers combined. Also saw a log while floating the James river past horse creek in May that had 8 to 12 cottonmouths on it.

[Daddy Carp]

Forgot to mention, Copperheads are most dangerous in spring when they are moulting(shedding). They lay along pathways or game trails waiting for prey as they are blind at that time. They will strike any movement nearby. So it's best to see them first! I have even seen them strike at limbs & weeds that move near them.

[jscheetz]

Question: "So where are all the snakes"??

Answer: Who cares as long as they're gone.

Just kidding of course - couldn't resist the seemingly obvious first answer you think of when one scares you to death by crawling around your legs in the river. My first scared of a snake story was when I was little and my Dad and I were fishing the Raccoon river in Iowa. We were fishing above this log jam and wading - of course with just a pair of shorts and no shoes back in those days. Standing in water about up to my chest I looked over about 10 feet and saw the biggest snake I had ever seen curled around this log sticking out of the water sunning himself. I sort of gasped and turned and said to my Dad "Dad, look at this huge snake" - when I turned back and pointed - he was gone. That moment could have been that movie effect like in jaws where the background moves and the subject is just standing still - you could see my mind thinking "Where is he now"??? Of course I am sure he was perturbed and by that time was clear on the other bank trying to get some peace back - but in my 8 year old mind he was swimming towards me just underwater planning his attact. I fished the next log jam from the sandbar.

Actually, I would not be surprised if the answer could be at least partially based on environmental problems and chemicals in the ground water. The decline of frog populations worldwide is an amazing study, most likely tied to various things, but certainly alteration of the chemical balance of water due to polution is one of the factors. I just posted a topic in this forum about farmers using atrazine and it showing up in toxic levels in Missouri streams - so who knows??

But when you do see snakes out on the stream - it sure makes things seem "right" in the big picture.

JS

[Kayser]

A couple of stories to share:

Though not at Bennett, I had a water snake try to crawl up my leg in the middle of the Current River. Knew what it was, just didnt want it on me.

My dad tells this story of how he was digging for nightcrawlers along the Bourbuese. You know, the BIG nightcrawlers. He turned over a shovel-full of sand, and here was enough bait to last him all day. So, before they can get away, he reaches down to catch the 8-10...Baby copperheads. A fine story of the bait almost biting back.

Rob

[timsfly]

Still plenty of snakes at Roaring River, there were several sunning last week when the temps were in the 70's, I've never seen snakes out in january before, but there were several times this winter when I've seen snakes sunning on the rocks in front of the lodge.

[Chief Grey Bear]

While at work earlier this week, a coworker and myself also saw a snake. I all most couldn't believe what I was seeing.

Just as strange my son and are still finding tadpoles in Hickory and Shoal Creeks. Tuesday I made a stop at Cherry Corners on Shoal Creek and found a Chorus Frog.

Maybe I'm wrong, but ain't these fellers supposed to be in a deep sleep? I can understand a Whistle Pig coming out of his feeble attempt at hibernation on a warmer than normal day, but reptiles and amphibians?