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Re: Cotton mouth alert
[Re: GIG'EM AGGIES]
#12671590
03/14/18 02:25 AM
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Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 16,200
Kay Dyson
OP
HOT Mess!!!
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OP
HOT Mess!!!
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 16,200 |
Those are Black Diamond water snakes...
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Re: Cotton mouth alert
[Re: Kay Dyson]
#12671779
03/14/18 08:41 AM
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Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 5,400
Dubee
TFF Celebrity
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TFF Celebrity
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 5,400 |
Those are Black Diamond water snakes... That pic has been around for ever. It's not texoma. I think those are Lake Erie water snakes
Last edited by Dubee; 03/14/18 08:43 AM.
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Re: Cotton mouth alert
[Re: Kay Dyson]
#12675106
03/16/18 02:42 AM
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Joined: May 2014
Posts: 77
SuperSpookJr
Outdoorsman
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Outdoorsman
Joined: May 2014
Posts: 77 |
Seems every snake a fisherman spots in the water is a cottonmouth. Very often they're diamondback water snakes - very common here in Texas and non-venomous. They're naturally curious and like to investigate boats and kayaks. I've had to whack more than a few with my rod tip to keep them out of my kayak, but they're not the devil incarnate. They'll swim off with enough encouragement. Not reason to go killing wildlife because you can't properly identify a snake.
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Re: Cotton mouth alert
[Re: SuperSpookJr]
#12675108
03/16/18 02:44 AM
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Joined: Feb 2014
Posts: 9,347
Smurfs
TFF Celebrity
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TFF Celebrity
Joined: Feb 2014
Posts: 9,347 |
Seems every snake a fisherman spots in the water is a cottonmouth. Very often they're diamondback water snakes - very common here in Texas and non-venomous. They're naturally curious and like to investigate boats and kayaks. I've had to whack more than a few with my rod tip to keep them out of my kayak, but they're not the devil incarnate. They'll swim off with enough encouragement. Not reason to go killing wildlife because you can't properly identify a snake. Thanks for clearing that up. 
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Re: Cotton mouth alert
[Re: Doing it for the fans since 71]
#12675136
03/16/18 03:05 AM
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Joined: May 2017
Posts: 136
TrailHand
Outdoorsman
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Outdoorsman
Joined: May 2017
Posts: 136 |
Gardner snake or above it will die if I see it. Amen brother. I can always verify identity after I dig its body out of the ashes of the firepit.
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Re: Cotton mouth alert
[Re: Kay Dyson]
#12675210
03/16/18 04:39 AM
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Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 1,274
DillonCan'tFish
Extreme Angler
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Extreme Angler
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 1,274 |
And thats why my Glock gets a mag full of shotshell whenever I am fishing. Not gonna hurt one thats not bothering me but just in case things get too up close and personal...
GAHH those things scare the heck outta me! If one gets on the deck with me, youll witness a human running on water!
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Re: Cotton mouth alert
[Re: TrailHand]
#12675642
03/16/18 02:59 PM
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 2,934
Just James
Extreme Angler
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Extreme Angler
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 2,934 |
Is a pigmy rattler dangerous ?
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Re: Cotton mouth alert
[Re: Brad R]
#12675797
03/16/18 04:26 PM
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Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 654
Bug-e
Pro Angler
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Pro Angler
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 654 |
I'm a field biologist. Nature lover. Hiker, camper, etc. I know all snakes play an important ecological role and are beneficial. I know only a subset of snakes are venomous. I know that excellent scientific studies have shown that cotton mouths are far, far less likely to bite humans than water snakes. They are "aggressive" in the sense that they have a very effective "aggressive" anti-predator behavior that includes showing the white, "cotton" mouth. I know, I know, I know. I'm still scared to death of them and squeal like a little girl when I am startled by one. I don't even like seeing them from ten yards away. There is that young biologist who makes YouTube videos, catches all sorts of reptiles and then gives a short primer about them. He was showing how very non-aggressive cottonmouths are by setting up in front of them, getting them to posture up, then repeatedly nudging them with his boot. I don't think he ever got one to strike. And, they are typically blunt shaped, not very long, swim with more of their bodies on top of the water than submerged. Eyes are different, anal scales different. Don't get that close to any water snakes. Sounds like a good "id" to me, too, based on the description given. Be wary, though . . . next up might be the old tall tale about the guy falling off his skis and getting bitten by 100 cottonmouths in the water. It even made it into the great western movie (not the water skis but a cattle crossing), Lonesome Dove, as a scene. Brad Here's a link to one of the best studies that I know: https://srelherp.uga.edu/projects/docs/Gibbons&Dorcas2002.pdfLess than half of the cottonmouths that were picked up with a gloved artificial hand bit the hand. A very small percentage of cotton mouths that were stepped on bit and none of the cottonmouths bit when a person stood beside them. I met the authors of this study many years ago. Whit Gibbons is a legend among herpetologists. Those guys had some pretty crazy stories.
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Re: Cotton mouth alert
[Re: Kay Dyson]
#12675861
03/16/18 05:12 PM
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Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 7,677
TBassYates
TFF Celebrity
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TFF Celebrity
Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 7,677 |
Was fishing with my buddy Kenny years ago on Tawakoni. We were up under a over hanging tree flipping into some heavy cover when I hit the tree with my rod. Cottonmouth fell on the front right in front of us. My buddy took off. I stood there as still as I could and the snake took off and went right across the top of my sandaled feet. My buddy was already at the back of the boat and looked like he was trying to figure out which way to jump. The snake was heading to the point of either going down in the boat or off to the side. He decided to go right off the side of the boat at that time and right into the water. Kenny was terrified and could not believe I had just stood there during the whole ordeal. I told him "It wasn't like that snake was going to attack me or anything!" I played it cool but in reality I almost had a heart attack and was so scared I couldn't move at the time. We probably would have injured ourselves fighting to see who would get to the back the quickest.
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Re: Cotton mouth alert
[Re: Just James]
#12675931
03/16/18 05:56 PM
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Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 1,271
soonersorlaters
Extreme Angler
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Extreme Angler
Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 1,271 |
Is a pigmy rattler dangerous ? They are not known to produce enough venom to deliver a "fatal" bite to an adult.............but it's enough to make you wish you'd never been bit.
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Re: Cotton mouth alert
[Re: Just James]
#12703745
04/05/18 03:14 AM
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Joined: May 2017
Posts: 136
TrailHand
Outdoorsman
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Outdoorsman
Joined: May 2017
Posts: 136 |
We have tons of them up here this year. They don't normally kill, but they can and will put you in the hospital. They're small but they're the chihuahuas of the snake world. Small and quiet (rarely rattle) but they act like they're 80 ft long and made of fire.
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Re: Cotton mouth alert
[Re: GIG'EM AGGIES]
#12704097
04/05/18 02:21 PM
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Joined: Jul 2014
Posts: 1,989
SAKS
Extreme Angler
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Extreme Angler
Joined: Jul 2014
Posts: 1,989 |
Had one do the same. Wouldn't have been that big an issue for me except we were fishing a night tournament and visibilty was very low and didn't see him coming until he was almost in the splash well. Good thing he didn't make it in because I would have shot holes all in that boat trying to take him out.
Last edited by SAKS; 04/05/18 07:48 PM.
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Re: Cotton mouth alert
[Re: CrazyCrappieGuy]
#12704512
04/05/18 06:53 PM
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Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 7,040
ChanceHuiet
TFF Celebrity
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TFF Celebrity
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 7,040 |
Have any of you guys ever been bit by a cotton mouth? I have read million posts about them, and I got a few stories myself, but have never heard anyone post about gitting bit. I have read about dogs getting bit. Cousin got bit by one about 6-7 years ago. Stepped over an old log walking in the woods and it popped him in the ankle. I killed it and we brought it with us as fast as we could get back to house. 4 viles of anti venom and several 100 thousand dollars layer he was a-ok. Stayed in hospital 2 days. Whole leg from knee down swelled up like a football and was red like it been burnt.
I can backlash toilet paper.
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