Holy Cow! Copperhead in Laundry hamper

[augolf1716 21,140]

6 hours ago, AUld fAUx@ said:

You're right. They stab, spit, and suck, but it's through mouth parts. Pine borers on a woodyard nip pretty good too.

By the way,

Peaches work out OK?

Thanks for the thread.

Sorry we let it drift in your absence:

 

I don't speak French

[kevon67 2,368]

6 hours ago, SaltyTiger said:

Are you sure you killed the thing Alex. BTW, have had snakeperts tell me that a Cottonmouth will not bite unless you actually step on it. Saw a guy proof on a show once by stepping all around them

I don't know Sigfried said, "Love the Tigers"

[gr82be 14,424]

7 hours ago, homersapien said:

When someone tells me they saw a water moccasin -especially a spotting in upper Alabama -  I always assume it was probably a banded water snake. Most people aren't very good at snake identification.

Count me as one of the ones who has trouble identifying snakes. There all deadly by my logic because if they don't kill me I'm killing them. Glad you saw the copperhead before anything bad happened. Probably doing laundry now with head on a swivel. 

[homersapien 11,373]

16 minutes ago, gr82be said:

Count me as one of the ones who has trouble identifying snakes. There all deadly by my logic because if they don't kill me I'm killing them. Glad you saw the copperhead before anything bad happened. Probably doing laundry now with head on a swivel. 

With all due respect, that's no different from a little boy shooting songbirds with a BB gun -  immature and ignorant.

[SaltyTiger 7,798]

4 hours ago, aujeff11 said:

I was at Benning in tbe prone position pulling security when my drill Sgt tells me as calm as can be that a snake was right beside me. I look around and sure enough I see a 3 foot black snack slither his way past me, probably two feet away from my person. I find out later that the drill sergeant was trying to keep me calm by calmly telling me about the snake but it didn’t work. I got out of position and was screaming like a little teenage girl. Giving that I was Op-for, I pretty much gave away my location to the enemy, ruined the training exercise, and everything. I hate snakes. I am very open with it and I try to push myself to get over them. Having a small paranoia of the the venomous snakes is healthy, but what I have is way past that and I believe it came from watching them stupid predator movies when I was too young. 

Some days,  I watch mongooses out maneuver and outsmart the snakes on YouTube and it makes me feel better about snakes. Is also quality entertainment. The mongooses are like Floyd Mayweather- dancing and dancing, and when the snakes get tired, they make their own move. 

Meat of my working career spent as a government construction contractor at Benning. Love the place. Did a range job once. Another day at the office to encounter a 5' to 6' rattlesnake 

[SaltyTiger 7,798]

Hey,  @Proud Tiger @NolaAuTiger 

@homersapien has started a thread that all enjoy and no one pissed.  Told you guys he is ok

Good thread Homie

[homersapien 11,373]

Thanks.  Obviously I should stay off the political forums.

(I should stop drinking beer, too.) 

[kevon67 2,368]

1 minute ago, SaltyTiger said:

Hey,  @Proud Tiger @NolaAuTiger 

@homersapien has started a thread that all enjoy and no one pissed.  Told you guys he is ok

Good thread Homie

Took the words from my mouth?.............in this political climate its easy to form opinions of people that do not share similar veiws......its threads like this that show us that we have more in common than we might think.......great job homer?

 

 

[alexava 6,973]

46 minutes ago, gr82be said:

Count me as one of the ones who has trouble identifying snakes. There all deadly by my logic because if they don't kill me I'm killing them. Glad you saw the copperhead before anything bad happened. Probably doing laundry now with head on a swivel. 

Like homer mentioned the venomous snakes are generally proportionally fatter compared to their length as opposed to water snakes or rat snakes. I don’t think you see many venomous snakes over 4-4.5 feet long.  I try to spare the good ones. 

[SaltyTiger 7,798]

5 minutes ago, homersapien said:

 

(I should stop drinking beer, too.) 

Good Grief !!!! 

[aujeff11 6,243]

19 minutes ago, SaltyTiger said:

Meat of my working career spent as a government construction contractor at Benning. Love the place. Did a range job once. Another day at the office to encounter a 5' to 6' rattlesnake 

Never saw any myself, but apparently there are some mammoth wild pigs around Benning as well. I loved Benning as well it was just hot as Hades. Every briefing we had to hear about not messing with the red cockaded wood pecker. Guessing they’re nearly extinct.

[SaltyTiger 7,798]

Just now, alexava said:

Like homer mentioned the venomous snakes are generally proportionally fatter compared to their length as opposed to water snakes or rat snakes. I don’t think you see many venomous snakes over 4-4.5 feet long.  I try to spare the good ones. 

you are correct in not seeing them over 4.5'. they are there and abundant in rattlesnake country Alex. 

Anyone remember the story about the rattlesnake getting out of containment at Funchess in late 70's or early 80's? I remember the building being shut down for a few days while it was searched for and retrieved.   

[SaltyTiger 7,798]

6 minutes ago, aujeff11 said:

Never saw any myself, but apparently there are some mammoth wild pigs around Benning as well. I loved Benning as well it was just hot as Hades. Every briefing we had to hear about not messing with the red cockaded wood pecker. Guessing they’re nearly extinct.

I do not know that they are nearly extinct as much as they relocated to Benning. I did a job there once that was delayed and price escalated  because of the things.

I do remember plenty of the things as young turkey hunter. They told on after set-up. You could forget the turkey. 

Edited May 9, 2018 by SaltyTiger

[alexava 6,973]

9 hours ago, homersapien said:

Actually mosquitos don't really "bite".  But the biting flies can take a piece of meat out.

I made the mistake of fishing barefoot out of a canoe once in Michigan and a deer fly bit me on my little toe.  Later that day I felt like cutting my foot off it itched so much.

I have spent a good bit of time in the north woods - Michigan, Minnesota, Isle Royal.  While they don't have the snakes like the south and their "bug" season is short compared to ours, the ferocity of their biting flies and mosquitos when they are in season is unbelievable.  Way worse than ours.  You should plan your excursions around the peak black fly and mosquito seasons up there.  And if you forget your deet, just shoot yourself.

 

I missed 3 days of work due to a fly bite. Was putting in a duck blind in early November. Standing in water in waders felt like a mix between a mosquito and a sweat bee. On back of wrist 3” from hand. I called it a horse fly but it was only about an inch long. Iched like a summbich. Started swelling so I got home and took Benadryl. The next morning I went to the walk in clinic that’s tied to the hospital. It was swollen all over to the elbow and feverish. Doc was very concerned. Gave keflex and had me taking what I thought was a lethal dose of Advil. Called it cellulitis. He didn’t think it was an allergy but said some insects carry bacteria. Ordered me off work to rest and said if the swelling hadn’t gone in 24 hours he was admitting me to the hospital. I got back to work and a**holes had my locker and toolbox covered in fly trap tape. 

[kevon67 2,368]

7 hours ago, alexava said:

I missed 3 days of work due to a fly bite. Was putting in a duck blind in early November. Standing in water in waders felt like a mix between a mosquito and a sweat bee. On back of wrist 3” from hand. I called it a horse fly but it was only about an inch long. Iched like a summbich. Started swelling so I got home and took Benadryl. The next morning I went to the walk in clinic that’s tied to the hospital. It was swollen all over to the elbow and feverish. Doc was very concerned. Gave keflex and had me taking what I thought was a lethal dose of Advil. Called it cellulitis. He didn’t think it was an allergy but said some insects carry bacteria. Ordered me off work to rest and said if the swelling hadn’t gone in 24 hours he was admitting me to the hospital. I got back to work and a**holes had my locker and toolbox covered in fly trap tape. 

Aren't co-workers the best?

[kevon67 2,368]

Well it happened..........At 3ish am had the dang snake dream.........My son Zach and I were riding in our golf cart and noticed a neighbor at her mailbox holding a snake by its tail..........I step out to investigate........Snake strikes me betwix me legs.....Woke up and realize I was still holding 3 cups of coffee from 7pm...........needless to say I made a mad dash to restroom........as I am standing there I look down to make sure my taters dont look like Kenny's from We're the Millers.?

 

Edited May 9, 2018 by kevon67

[AUld fAUx@ 2,584]

17 hours ago, homersapien said:

That and the heavy body is a good tip-off.  Pit vipers also have eliptical (slit like) pupils while other snakes have round pupils. (A useless criteria if they are live and free.)

Also, banded water snakes have pretty prominent markings which can be somewhat muted if they are getting ready to shed their skin.  As a boy growing up in Alabama though, we considered any snake in the water a "moccasin". 

I've posted it elsewhere, but Dad taught me that snakes were like guns.

Treat'em as if they're loaded until you know otherwise.

[AUld fAUx@ 2,584]

16 hours ago, aujeff11 said:

I was at Benning in tbe prone position pulling security when my drill Sgt tells me as calm as can be that a snake was right beside me. I look around and sure enough I see a 3 foot black snack slither his way past me, probably two feet away from my person. I find out later that the drill sergeant was trying to keep me calm by calmly telling me about the snake but it didn’t work. I got out of position and was screaming like a little teenage girl. Giving that I was Op-for, I pretty much gave away my location to the enemy, ruined the training exercise, and everything. I hate snakes. I am very open with it and I try to push myself to get over them. Having a small paranoia of the the venomous snakes is healthy, but what I have is way past that and I believe it came from watching them stupid predator movies when I was too young. 

Some days,  I watch mongooses out maneuver and outsmart the snakes on YouTube and it makes me feel better about snakes. Is also quality entertainment. The mongooses are like Floyd Mayweather- dancing and dancing, and when the snakes get tired, they make their own move. 

Just two years in the Army, and somewhat different experiences w./wildlife.

My b'day at basic, belly down in sub-zero snow, learning Claymore set-up and feeling right miserable about my life. Bluebird landed on my left hand, looked around confused, chirped once and flew away.

2nd b'day, annual qualifying from a dug foxhole, a butterfly landed on my front sight while I loaded my 1st clip. Fluttered around while I fired and came right back and landed while I reloaded.4 clips, 4 landings, and the entire firing line was abuzz. Carried the moniker "flower child" for a week or three.

[AUld fAUx@ 2,584]

16 hours ago, ShocksMyBrain said:

I’ve been seeing snakes every time I’ve been out fishing lately in public parks with woods nearby. I’m not well versed enough, nor do I want to get close enough to determine whether or not they’re harmless water snakes or moccasins. 

I was walking a concrete path with standing 2” water on my right side, and the pond on the other. I was only scanning the right side and noticed movement on my left peripheral. About a foot behind me, a 2 foot long water snake/moccasin went swimming by and then submerged. I don’t know if it was curled up on the concrete and I just walked right by or it saw me from the water.

About 5 minutes later I was fishing on the bank and that same snake popped its head out of the water not a foot off the bank to check me out. I stepped back a couple feet and it just watched me, then went on its way. 

Be careful out there.

[AUld fAUx@ 2,584]

13 hours ago, augolf1716 said:

I don't speak French

moi aussi?

[homersapien 11,373]

11 hours ago, aujeff11 said:

Never saw any myself, but apparently there are some mammoth wild pigs around Benning as well. I loved Benning as well it was just hot as Hades. Every briefing we had to hear about not messing with the red cockaded wood pecker. Guessing they’re nearly extinct.

With the general disappearance of long leaf pine savannahs in the south, Ft. Benning has been a significant refuge for them.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red-cockaded_woodpecker

[McLoofus 35,182]

15 minutes ago, AUld fAUx@ said:

moi aussi?

Je ne sais quoi. Je ne sais pas. Je m'appelle Loof. Je'rcia je'rcia je'rcia!

 

[AUld fAUx@ 2,584]

6 minutes ago, McLoofus said:

Je ne sais quoi. Je ne sais pas. Je m'appelle Loof. Je'rcia je'rcia je'rcia!

 

Mercy bouquet?

[McLoofus 35,182]

4 minutes ago, AUld fAUx@ said:

Mercy bouquet?

Si.

[kevon67 2,368]

56 minutes ago, McLoofus said:

Je ne sais quoi. Je ne sais pas. Je m'appelle Loof. Je'rcia je'rcia je'rcia!

 

Goed een?