Holy Cow! Copperhead in Laundry hamper

[augolf1716 21,140]

23 hours ago, GiveEmElle said:

The only good snake is a dead snake. Fight me.

Well hot damn we agree....................hate snakes hate snakes

[kevon67 2,368]

On ‎6‎/‎7‎/‎2018 at 7:38 AM, AUld fAUx@ said:

Have to say no, but

I've heard that bee stings prevent arthritis?

I am willing to roll around in some if it helps my back and knee?

[aubiefifty 16,791]

On 5/8/2018 at 8:50 AM, AUld fAUx@ said:

The yellowjackets (vs yellow flies), however, are stinging wasps, aggressive as hell, hurt like hell, and are mob-swarmers.

Horseflies are naggingly persistent.ETA - even if you dunk, and swim underwater to 20-30' away, they're patrolling and looking for you.

i was a rodman for a surveying crew out of gadsden. jones blair waldrup and tucker. they gave us amply warning about most critters plus poison ivy etc. and we ran across a bunch of snakes poisonous ond no. i found that if the poisonous ones were given a way to retreat they normally would. and has anyon ever run across a puff adder? thats what the crew called it. sucker blew up about two or three times its normal size and would make the most awful sound you can hear from a snake other than a close rattle....lol. the crew got a big laugh out of me and told me later they were harmless. but YELLOWJACKETS........they would gang bang you and were relentless. a crew chief planted a line pole in a yellowjacket hole by accident. he got mad cus he kept trying to make us retrieve it and we told him hell no. so he did. took a runnning go from about fifty feet and ran by grabbing as he did. lol he still got bit twice. he was not well liked and a particluar crewman used to sneak down to the crew chiefs truck and cut loose some gas, roll the windows up and wait for the cussing to begin..........lol

[aubiefifty 16,791]

52 minutes ago, kevon67 said:

I am willing to roll around in some if it helps my back and knee?

i saw a video on that and i believe it to be true......

 

[aubiefifty 16,791]

On 6/2/2018 at 3:43 PM, homersapien said:

Well, sooner or later it was going to happen- got bitten on the little finger.

The good news is it was by a medium-sized Black Rat Snake I was trying to grab and throw out of the house.     (I didn't get close enough to the head on the first attempt.)

This is apparently the year of the snakes for us.

Still better than mice.

i have been over run with mice. i am tired of killing them cus i think they are cute but they will poop anywhere and i cannot have that.after spending way too much money doing traps ans rat poison i bought some peppermint oil. i was told dabbing some on cotton balls and putting them in cabinents and closests etc they would leave because they cannot stand the smell. i hope it works. and i was told snakes will not go near it either but i have no proof other than friends opinions.

[AUld fAUx@ 2,584]

12 hours ago, kevon67 said:

I am willing to roll around in some if it helps my back and knee?

Seems like it would take more than a spoonful of honey to help that medicine go down, but

I've found a proper hive robbing to be worth a few incidental preventative doses.

[AUld fAUx@ 2,584]

11 hours ago, aubiefifty said:

i have been over run with mice. i am tired of killing them cus i think they are cute but they will poop anywhere and i cannot have that.after spending way too much money doing traps ans rat poison i bought some peppermint oil. i was told dabbing some on cotton balls and putting them in cabinents and closests etc they would leave because they cannot stand the smell. i hope it works. and i was told snakes will not go near it either but i have no proof other than friends opinions.

Never heard that one, but it must be true? It's on the internet!

"10. Repel Bugs Naturally

Unlike us humans, a number of little critters hate the smell of peppermint oil, including ants, spiders, cockroaches, mosquitos, mice and possibly even lice.

A review of plant-based insect repellents published in Malaria Journal found that the most effective plant essential oils used in bug repellents include peppermint, lemongrass, geraniol, pine, cedar, thyme and patchouli and clove. These oils have shown to repel malaria, filarial and yellow fever vectors for 60–180 minutes. (17)"

Top 15 Peppermint Oil Uses and Benefits, for Gut Health, Headaches & More, at

https://draxe.com/peppermint-oil-uses-benefits/

Aside - We've got lemongrass on the property for its culinary uses, but actually attracts the queen of swarming honeybees.

[aubiefifty 16,791]

i will let ya know what happens..........if i do not forget. ya might need to remind me after a week or two.

[homersapien 11,373]

Well, the excitement never seems to end here.  I just looked up and there was a large Black Bear ambling around in the yard just outside the window.

Edited June 13, 2018 by homersapien

[AUld fAUx@ 2,584]

1 hour ago, homersapien said:

Well, the excitement never seems to end here.  I just looked up and there was a large Black Bear ambling around in the yard just outside the window.

Damn!

Hope the dogs (and, to a lesser extent, the snakes, mice, etc.) were safe indoors?

Any guesses as to what he/she was looking for?

[kevon67 2,368]

2 hours ago, homersapien said:

Well, the excitement never seems to end here.  I just looked up and there was a large Black Bear ambling around in the yard just outside the window.

If the Black Bear ends up in your laundry.............RUUUUUUUUNNNNNN?

[homersapien 11,373]

On 6/13/2018 at 2:57 PM, AUld fAUx@ said:

Damn!

Hope the dogs (and, to a lesser extent, the snakes, mice, etc.) were safe indoors?

Any guesses as to what he/she was looking for?

Thankfully, the dogs were inside and I immediately closed their dog door.  Of our three dogs, only our elderly pit bull mix - Hank - would have likely chased it.  Hank has tree'd bears in the past and always goes after them. The other two dogs are a little more "cautious" about bears. 

It was probably looking for a bird feeder.  We stopped using feeders a few years back because they attracted bears.  We just scatter feed on the ground for the birds now.  I am a little surprised it didn't go after the suet feeder though.  I think it heard me calling for my wife to come look. It started to walk off after I did that.

I suspect it may hang out in one of our wet coves close to the house. Our dogs frequently bark as if something's down there but haven't crossed over the electronic fence wire to go after it.  We also saw two large deer a few days ago.

And I heard one of our neighbors photo'd a bear sow with two cubs with a game camera earlier this year.

 

Edited June 17, 2018 by homersapien

[augolf1716 21,140]

5 hours ago, homersapien said:

Thankfully, the dogs were inside and I immediately closed their dog door.  Of our three dogs, only our elderly pit bull mix - Hank - would have likely chased it.  Hank has tree'd bears in the past and always goes after them. The other two dogs are a little more "cautious" about bears. 

He/she was probably looking for a bird feeder.  We stopped using feeders a few years back because they attracted bears.  We just scatter feed on the ground for them.  I am a little surprised he/she didn't go after the suet feeder though.  I think it heard me calling for my wife to come look. It started to walk off after I did that.

I suspect it may hang out in one of our wet coves close to the house. Our dogs frequently bark as if something's down there but haven't crossed over the electronic fence wire to go after it.  We also saw two large deer a few days ago.

And I heard one of our neighbors photo'd a bear sow with two cubs with a game camera earlier this year.

 

Are you THE original Grizzly Adam

[Mike4AU 1,739]

On 6/13/2018 at 12:19 PM, homersapien said:

Well, the excitement never seems to end here.  I just looked up and there was a large Black Bear ambling around in the yard just outside the window.

Mayflower Transit is available when you are!

[homersapien 11,373]

On 6/12/2018 at 9:07 PM, aubiefifty said:

i was a rodman for a surveying crew out of gadsden. jones blair waldrup and tucker. they gave us amply warning about most critters plus poison ivy etc. and we ran across a bunch of snakes poisonous ond no. i found that if the poisonous ones were given a way to retreat they normally would. and has anyon ever run across a puff adder? thats what the crew called it. sucker blew up about two or three times its normal size and would make the most awful sound you can hear from a snake other than a close rattle....lol. the crew got a big laugh out of me and told me later they were harmless. but YELLOWJACKETS........they would gang bang you and were relentless. a crew chief planted a line pole in a yellowjacket hole by accident. he got mad cus he kept trying to make us retrieve it and we told him hell no. so he did. took a runnning go from about fifty feet and ran by grabbing as he did. lol he still got bit twice. he was not well liked and a particluar crewman used to sneak down to the crew chiefs truck and cut loose some gas, roll the windows up and wait for the cussing to begin..........lol

That would be a hognosed snake.  They are a real hoot.

As you say they will puff themselves up and hiss and flatten their necks like a cobra.

But if that doesn't work, they will roll over an play dead with their mouths open and tongue hanging out.  They even exude and odor which attracts flies in a few seconds.  And if you turn them right side up they will roll back over on their backs.

It's one of my favorite snakes. It's especially fun to show kids their two part act.

Oh and yellowjackets sting not bite. They are a type of wasp.  (Although I am sure their bite could be pretty bad also as they are predators who carve their prey up if it's too large to carry.)  I would rate yellowjackets as the #1 threat of animals to avoid, especially in the late summer/fall when the nests are large and particularly aggressive. 

And if you are hiking in the woods and see some raw dirt as if an animal has been digging, approach it with care.  There are some animals - like bears and skunks - who actually dig up yellowjacket nests for the larvae.  Often, the area will still be swarming with very angry wasps.

 

 

[homersapien 11,373]

On 6/13/2018 at 9:07 PM, augolf1716 said:

Are you THE original Grizzly Adam

No, I just happen to live on a little bit of wilderness.

It comes with the territory.

[homersapien 11,373]

1 hour ago, Mike4AU said:

Mayflower Transit is available when you are!

The only place I would even consider moving to would be Alabama, but it would have to be something very similar to what I have now, so that's not likely to happen. 

[kevon67 2,368]

1 hour ago, homersapien said:

No, I just happen to live on a little bit of wilderness.

It comes with the territory.

Nothing wrong with the wilderness especially if you get snow and good cold winters........Not Devil's Lake winters of course, just good and cold?

[aujeff11 6,243]

GOAT friend ever! 

[SaltyTiger 7,798]

On 6/13/2018 at 12:19 PM, homersapien said:

Well, the excitement never seems to end here.  I just looked up and there was a large Black Bear ambling around in the yard just outside the window.

We have a big population of the Black Bear around Mexico Beach. Wife saw one just a while back while stretching before a jog. Had a big one run across the road in front of my truck few weeks ago. Did not realize how big they get. We do have a city ordinance regarding garbage containers being bear proofed if kept outside. BTW, understand that they love pizza.  

[homersapien 11,373]

1 hour ago, SaltyTiger said:

We have a big population of the Black Bear around Mexico Beach. Wife saw one just a while back while stretching before a jog. Had a big one run across the road in front of my truck few weeks ago. Did not realize how big they get. We do have a city ordinance regarding garbage containers being bear proofed if kept outside. BTW, understand that they love pizza.  

I think Florida has probably always had black bears, but their range and population  is expanding.  The population in Florida has reportedly doubled:

https://news.nationalgeographic.com/2015/06/150626-black-bears-animals-science-nation-conservation/

[SaltyTiger 7,798]

1 hour ago, homersapien said:

I think Florida has probably always had black bears, but their range and population  is expanding.  The population in Florida has reportedly doubled:

https://news.nationalgeographic.com/2015/06/150626-black-bears-animals-science-nation-conservation/

Good article. I someway do not finding it comforting that they only kill 2 people per year.

[kevon67 2,368]

35 minutes ago, SaltyTiger said:

Good article. I someway do not finding it comforting that they only kill 2 people per year.

When I think of bears hybernating in winter makes me wonder how they sleep in Florida?

 

[homersapien 11,373]

19 minutes ago, SaltyTiger said:

Good article. I someway do not find it comforting that the kill only 2 people a year. 

I found that surprising  - 25 attacks per year.  That's pretty rare, but it's still more than I would have expected.  I suppose it's all relative though.  On average there's 40 deaths per year in Florida from bee stings.

A few years back, I scared a bear away from the house by firing into the air with my shotgun. 

Later, I read about a fatal bear attack in Algonquin Park, which we had recently visited.  Until then, I never really considered them much of a threat.

It occurred to me that when I chased the bear off with my shotgun, it happened to be with loaded with skeet shells, which were the first shells I grabbed.  Obviously, you wouldn't want skeet loads if you suddenly had to stop a charging bear, no matter how unlikely it might be.  

[SaltyTiger 7,798]

4 minutes ago, homersapien said:

25 attacks per year.  That's pretty rare, but it's still more than I would have expected

Same here but it is a wild animal. Probably most often when they assume protecting cubs. The one my wife saw took off running away when it noticed her.

 

7 minutes ago, homersapien said:

On average there's 40 deaths per year in Florida from bee stings.

 Got to watch out for cow kicks to

 

 https://earther.com/bee-stings-and-cow-kicks-kill-way-more-americans-than-s-1823402460