Off Topic just a reminder/warning to watch out for these

[OUSOONER67]

Yesterday evening I was doing a little yard maintenence and had been all over the area where this thing likely came from and had just been on the patio in the same spot a few mins before I returned to find a young Western Cottonmouth lurking about. I thought it was a copperhead at first glance but realized it wasn't. Be careful doing yardwork as the nasties are coming out in the warmer temps. Had he not been on the concrete I likely would have never seen it and likely walked close to it when I was there a few mins prior but never saw it. It was about 16 inches long but just as deadly as a full grown one.

 

[GunsOfFrankEaton]

Nasty lookin' Lil s.o.b.

 

[LAY THE WOODY]

Fished the medina River just south of medina lake dam around 20 or so years ago. Me and my son on my 15' skeeter under a canopy of trees. Four cottonmouths 2 to 3 ft long dropped from the trees into my boat. Oar and a net saved our asses.

 

[OUSOONER67]

Late last summer my only neighbor was having some construction done enclosing his garage. One morning the crew removed a tarp they had coverung some lumber only to find a huge adult cottonmouth. One I saw may be one of its offspring, about the size one would be about now. Hope the others moved on already if thats the case.

 

[Medic007]

There are two types of snakes in existence and you can tell them apart by whether or not they make noise.

If the snake makes noise, it's a rattledheaded coppermoccasin. Stay away.

If it doesn't make noise, it's a cobra. Also stay away.

 

[Sunburnt Indian]

The copperhead that sent me to the 1973 Oklahoma-Baylor football game with a left foot 2 times the size of the right made no noise.

 

[OUSOONER67]

The copperhead that sent me to the 1973 Oklahoma-Baylor football game with a left foot 2 times the size of the right made no noise.

Thought about you when I saw it SBI.

 

[Sunburnt Indian]

Thought about you when I saw it SBI.

I always remember soonerinlOUisiana saying he looks to read about me undergoing a great white shark attack.

I've done the scorpion, copperhead, spider and pit bull dog.

 

[LAY THE WOODY]

I always remember soonerinlOUisiana saying he looks to read about me undergoing a great white shark attack.

I've done the scorpion, copperhead, spider and pit bull dog.

You're a warrior. 👍

 

[2012Bearcat]

The first few years we lived at our house it was a regular occurrence to run into rattlesnakes and copperheads. We had a black lab that would kill the snakes he found in yard and would bring the up on the porch for my wife to freak out over. Miss that dog.

 

[OUSOONER67]

The first few years we lived at our house it was a regular occurrence to run into rattlesnakes and copperheads. We had a black lab that would kill the snakes he found in yard and would bring the up on the porch for my wife to freak out over. Miss that dog.

Lots of critters around here that eat snakes but I guess they can't get em all. Did yardwork yesterday and I was looking pretty hard to make sure I didn't get surprised.
Lots of water too, A big fishing lake, countless ponds in all the pastures around us and 2 rivers so there is bound to be one every now and then. First poisonous one I have run across since we moved here in 2020.

 

[OUSOONER67]

Oh and I did see a bald eagle snatch one out of a pond in the pasture next to us about 2 yrs ago. Was a sight to behold watching that bird dive at mach 10. 😁

 

[JimmyBob]

As an aside, speaking of snake hunting, as a member of the Muskogee Boat Club on Ranger Creek, Ft. Gibson, one of our favorite night games was to go snake hunting.. I originally started with my semi-auto 22, but the "crew" didn't like all my shots (expert marksman from OSU ROTC) so bought a Dirty Harry 44 Mag and started shooting 'em with rat shot. More noise, but less shots.

 

[Sunburnt Indian]

As an aside, speaking of snake hunting, as a member of the Muskogee Boat Club on Ranger Creek, Ft. Gibson, one of our favorite night games was to go snake hunting.. I originally started with my semi-auto 22, but the "crew" didn't like all my shots (expert marksman from OSU ROTC) so bought a Dirty Harry 44 Mag and started shooting 'em with rat shot. More noise, but less shots.

I read the Smith & Wesson Model 29 became a super hot seller just after Dirty Harry first hit theaters.

Frank Sinatra was favored for the role but a wrist injury prevented him from handling the heavy Model 29.

 

[aliabedi]

Yesterday evening I was doing a little yard maintenence and had been all over the area where this thing likely came from and had just been on the patio in the same spot a few mins before I returned to find a young Western Cottonmouth lurking about. I thought it was a copperhead at first glance but realized it wasn't. Be careful doing yardwork as the nasties are coming out in the warmer temps. Had he not been on the concrete I likely would have never seen it and likely walked close to it when I was there a few mins prior but never saw it. It was about 16 inches long but just as deadly as a full grown one.

Get Mexicans to do your yard work it will solve two problems at once

 

[OUSOONER67]

Get Mexicans to do your yard work it will solve two problems at once

I do it myself and enjoy it but its allergy season so not so much enjoyment right now. Besides, Mezcans out here don't want to work.
Tried to get 2 different ones to screen in our big patio, one said any wood he put on I would have to paint it because he doesn't paint.
The other one didn't show up or call us to let us know he would be late, he was supposed to be here at 3pm one day to look and give us a quote. At 4 pm we call him to find out if he was coming or not and he said he was having lunch with his family and would be here when he is finished. I told him to keep eating. The best part of that one is he needed the work we were told. Around he ****ed and found out.

 

[2012Bearcat]

I do it myself and enjoy it but its allergy season so not so much enjoyment right now. Besides, Mezcans out here don't want to work.
Tried to get 2 different ones to screen in our big patio, one said any wood he put on I would have to paint it because he doesn't paint.
The other one didn't show up or call us to let us know he would be late, he was supposed to be here at 3pm one day to look and give us a quote. At 4 pm we call him to find out if he was coming or not and he said he was having lunch with his family and would be here when he is finished. I told him to keep eating. The best part of that one is he needed the work we were told. Around he ****ed and found out.

Yea here lately even some of the Mexicans are getting lazy. They been able to make so much money they only take the easy jobs and then want to charge like they are running a legal business with all the expenses. I've laughed at some of the bids I've received on the work I need done. What I used to get done for a few hundred dollars, they are wanting thousands now. I'll just do it myself.

 

[LAY THE WOODY]

Ive hired many over the years that work their ass off and I paid them well for good work. Eventually though word gets around and all of the sudden I'm flooded with those that only want to work for beer, weed or crack money. South Texas.

 

[purkey]

Yesterday evening I was doing a little yard maintenence and had been all over the area where this thing likely came from and had just been on the patio in the same spot a few mins before I returned to find a young Western Cottonmouth lurking about. I thought it was a copperhead at first glance but realized it wasn't. Be careful doing yardwork as the nasties are coming out in the warmer temps. Had he not been on the concrete I likely would have never seen it and likely walked close to it when I was there a few mins prior but never saw it. It was about 16 inches long but just as deadly as a full grown one.

read an article the other day saying cottonmouths are not an aggressive snake. I found a 4 foot black snake just minding his own business in a flowerbed. I ended up killing it as we happened to have a lot of people over and they all saw it and were going crazy. After the fact, I felt really bad killing it wishing I hadn't. A snake....and it was probably benefiting things around the house. Just scary looking. Haven't seen any snakes around since....and we used to have many.

 

[OUSOONER67]

read an article the other day saying cottonmouths are not an aggressive snake. I found a 4 foot black snake just minding his own business in a flowerbed. I ended up killing it as we happened to have a lot of people over and they all saw it and were going crazy. After the fact, I felt really bad killing it wishing I hadn't. A snake....and it was probably benefiting things around the house. Just scary looking. Haven't seen any snakes around since....and we used to have many.

I dispatched this one because we have lots of flower beds around that we are constantly tending too as well as yardwork. I always relocate the non venemous ones away from our property unless I cannot tell if its friend or foe. We are about an hour away from medical help so thats a factor too. Having said that I really hated to kill it but they can be very aggressive especially if they have young ones around.
Years ago I was fishing in a flat bottom boat on a small river and we came across a big Cottonmouth that did everything it could to get in our boat with us. 2 guys almost ended up in the water trying to fight it off and get it to go away, it wouldn't. We suspected later that it was so aggresive because it had young uns close by but we were never sure. Could have just been very territorial maybe?