Sweet video Adam, thanks for posting it!

adam,
thanks, that really clearafied it up for me for sure, thanks alot..... guys im trying real hard not to kill a snake if it comes close to me, and the saying at the end of that video really said it.....take the time to idenify if it poisinous or not.

like i said, its going to take some getting use to, i grew up being taught to kill all snakes, but after my last outing, and seeing so many snakes, i realized i cant kill them all for my comfort....

and tonight im fishing a bass tourney and i really know that they will be out tonite, and going to be really hard to tell whats what, but all the ones i saw the other day swimming in the water were non venomous (now i know) they were just harmless water snakes, but if one crawls in my boat tonite, i can assure u he will be dead if a few attempts a trying to get him out of the boat dont work......

ounce again thanks guys, all the info really helped

Glad to help! Having more confidence in being able to identify what kind they are really eases alot of people's fears about them, and makes you that much more of a knowledgeable person. Kudos for wanting to be a more responsible outdoorsman. I wish more people had your outlook on this!

ya, im currently stationed in grand isle,la......and dang those snakes dont play down there

They're no worse than any other ones. They might put on a big show, coiling up, showing their "cotton-mouth" but when it comes to actually biting, they'd rather run away and save their venom - it takes a lot of energy and a long time for them to make it. That being said, I wouldn't pick one up with my hand to toss it out of my boat, but they don't deserve their aggressive reputation. I don't know a single person who's ever been attacked/bitten by one, and I know an awful lot who have been scared off by their open, white mouth and the thought of a snake nearby...

that is THE MOST INFORMATIVE post on snakes, and/or killing them
I have ever seen on this forum.
For all those who are now better educated, I thank you, Adam.
Perhaps we can put aside the ingrained hysteria and appreciate
snakes for their benefits, and leave the bad ones alone.
I agree, those Georgia Boys probably didn't test any of those
mean-a$$ cottonmouths during breeding season,or after they've
shed. Those snakes are the worst-tempered suckers I've ever met!
BTW, copperhead bites SUCK, but I still love snakes.
thanks again Adam
tight lines
-Brian

ya our neighbor at lake fork was bit on a morning jog by a copper head, her leg just swoll up real bad, and got really sick, she was just runing on a black top road and it was in the leaves next to the road and jumped out and bit er

ripdalips, that is true for watersnakes as well, and is practically useless, sorry.

Good post Northerner. I grew up around water moccasins and have never had one try and "attack" me. It wasnt until I joined the the TFF and started reading posts about snakes that I ever heard of water moccasins chasing people. After reading about it so much on hear I actually tried antagonizing them when I would see one. Still havent had one chase me. They just try and get away or hold their ground and watch me.

Classic

Thanks WGA. It's really unfortunate when somebody does get bit, and if myself or my family was ACTUALLY in danger of being bit, I'd never hesitate to kill a snake, but people tend to really exaggerate things (we're all fishermen, after all!). There's an awful lot of us who fish, hunt and are outdoors all the time, and I only know one person who was ever bitten by a poisonous snake (and it's because he tried picking it up). I won't hesitate to pick a venomous snake up with a rake or something to move it away from myself or others if it's near, but don't see a need to kill them. On average, about 12 people die every year in the USA from snakebites. I bet alot more than that die due to unsafe boating practices...

you know, lastnight was the first time i wanted to see snakes to try to identify one, and did not see a single one.......oh well

Had a question brought to us about if you are on a boat fishing on any of our public waters, can you legally shoot the snakes?

No hunting from boats, except for migratory game birds; however, a person may defend themselves from imminent danger or threat. Snake swimming by is not a threat.

Major L. David Sinclair
Chief of Fisheries and Wildlife Enforcement

Office: (512) 389-4854