Speaking of snakes

[flatwater]

Afew years back it was one of those hot and dry summers where the snakes have to come down to the lower levels to find food and moisture. I have lived in this location for over 25 years and have never seen a rattler until that year. We have a lot of black snakes, some people call them bull snakes. There great snakes to have around but they can mimic a rattler real well. Any how to make a short story longer , I saw a snake crawl though a hole I had in my shop and it looked like a big bull snake. so I went into the shop and the only place it could be was under the welder. So I got down on all fours and looked under the welder and thats when I heard the rattle and saw the viper jaws. I jumped up and went in and got the 4/10 and shot him. He was four feet long and had six rattles. I think the only reason he didn't spring was there was no head room under the welder.With that said , what kind of snakes do you-all have and have you had any run ins with them?
Flatwater

[walls0stone]

at this elevation, just garden snakes and those racer things. not far from here they hunt rattlers and copperheads are found. If I find anything larger than a worm...protected or not...it's bait! :)

[OzarkMtnDaredevil]

Well, flatwater. I certainly hope you didn't let that snake go to waste! ;) That's the perfect size for steaks. If you've never eaten it, you're missing out. Don't let anyone try to tell you that it tastes like chicken. It's way better. Heck, I like it better than Crappie and almost as well as Gator-tail. Very sweet and flakey white meat when fried properly. Marinated and baked is pretty good, too.

Here in north-central AR, we have rattlers, mostly Diamondbacks and the occasional Western Timber. They're quite rare, though. We have an abundance of Copperheads. In and around ponds in wooded areas, Water Moc's (Cottonmouth) are also prevalant.

Those are the most common 'bad guys'. Eat them before they eat you! Your tummy will thank you. I promise! :)

[flatwater]

I did more then just eat him , I tanned his hide little holes and all.
Flatwater

[Drawbar]

In my family, its against family law to see a snake and not kill it. So far I have seen two and I have killed both of them.

Maine is unique in that we are the only state in the lower 48 that does not have any poisonous snakes. No matter, if I see a snake I make every effort to kill them.

Growing up you could see where the snakes were by looking at the windrows of hay. They would all be perfectly paralle looking down the field, but in one spot you would see the windrow make a diversion. That's where there was a snake and we would swerve the mowing machine to grab it and kill it by driving it through the squeeze rollers.

Did I mention I hate snakes.

In some ways I attract them because I build a lot of rock walls, and here in Maine where its generally cool, they love rock walls. I typically build rock walls until I see my first snake, and then I am done for the year. After that, if I venture into snake country, I grab my Miniature Schnauzer who is a rat/snake dog (bred to run rats and snakes on ships) and we patrol the area. He's a very good snaker.

Now did I mention I hate snakes?

[walls0stone]

snakes goe'n into the mower, kinda like woodchucks going into the mowing equipment... hate them also.

[mom]

Afew years back it was one of those hot and dry summers where the snakes have to come down to the lower levels to find food and moisture. I have lived in this location for over 25 years and have never seen a rattler until that year. We have a lot of black snakes, some people call them bull snakes. There great snakes to have around but they can mimic a rattler real well. Any how to make a short story longer , I saw a snake crawl though a hole I had in my shop and it looked like a big bull snake. so I went into the shop and the only place it could be was under the welder. So I got down on all fours and looked under the welder and thats when I heard the rattle and saw the viper jaws. I jumped up and went in and got the 4/10 and shot him. He was four feet long and had six rattles. I think the only reason he didn't spring was there was no head room under the welder.With that said , what kind of snakes do you-all have and have you had any run ins with them?
Flatwater
rattlers; water mocs; copper heads and coral - every poisonous snake found in america is found in my area

[bookwormom]

I used to live and let live as far as snakes were concerned. I heard they lived on rodents, so that was fine with me. for years a big black snake called Mr. Slim lived in a drain tile near the house. Once, when I was going to take a 'shower' in back of the house, I was here all alone and had worked on the house, I had the eerie feeling something was staring in my back. I turned around and there were two black snakes on a wall ledge looking straight at me. I guess I had interrupted something..Everytime I was here I would find a shed skin. well, my attitude changed, they made me madder than a wet hen. Last summer Husband killed five big chickensnakes up at the barn. They dined on eggs and little chicks. we found one gosling dead that one tried to eat and it was too big, only the neck down to the shoulders fit in and it regurgitated it.
Grossest looking thing you ever saw. this year a setting hen left her nest, there were only four eggs left and I know who ate the others. We have killed a few copperheads. I saw a 'spreader' snake when I was clearing brush, it tried to act like a cobra. I like rattle snakes best, they rattle to let you know they are there. Once, back in Eastern Ky I had to hit the bushes and it was mighty nice to hear that rattle before I hunkered down.

[flatwater]

Boy that would give a whole new meaning to scared shitless.
Flatwater

[Winston_Smith]

My grandpa used to tell me that when he pastured cattle on swampy ground where the cattle would wade in the water that occasionally a cow would come into the parlor with a snake attached to it's teat. He claimed this was why they were called milk snakes. I've often wondered how true this story is, I should ask some old timers around here. Anybody here care to give their two cents on this? The old man loved to tell a story so I've got to wonder... I do know for a fact that snapping turtles will take a cows teat right off.

[walls0stone]

yep,
they do it in the barn to

[justgettinby]

In Indiana we have 31 different kinds. In my area I have seen Water, Brown, Garter, Rat, Milk, Green. I have heard of folks close to me seeing Copperheads, and Timber Rattlers.

Funniest snake story for me was when I was younger I was mowing the lane to one of our fields and saw a black snake slithering across the lane, at the time I was a snake hater and made a beeline for the snake. Knowing mom would be so proud of me for killing it I was staring at it as I ran over it with an open mouth smile. That's when it all went south, I killed the snake alright but not before it got it's revenge and sent a piece of raw skin/meat/gut into my open mouth. I jumped off the mower nearly forgetting to shut her down and began gagging and sputtering all the way to the house. I rinsed my mouth for the next 5 minutes or so. Mom could do nothing but laugh at me when I explained why my mouth was wide open.