I had a friend in the 4th grade that was like those kids holding snakes. He picked up a small snake, about 6 or so inches in length and put it in his shirt pocket to bring it in class. It bit him 4 or 5 times thru his shirt. He just laughed that the little snake was mad and bit him. About thirty min later he collapsed to the floor and died shortly later. The snake was a cotton mouth.

He wasn't like those kids. These kids have a parent who has taught them how to identify and handle snakes, not put them in shirt pockets.

Every snake I see is either a copperhead, cottenmouth, Rattler or coral until it is dead.... then i will identify it with it's head severed.

I don't know much about snakes, but from what I've learned from this site, the head was the first thing that told me it wasn't a Copperhead.

I'd actually go corn snake on that one. Very similar to a rat snake but the head has a little different look to it. Rat snakes have larger eyes and head in general in comparison to body size. Corn snakes are far less common than rat snakes in Texas but we do have them.

snakes are good

Lookin at the snake handling hook I am sure the kids are very snake educated. Cool pics. Growing up at 7 or 8 I would come home grab the 22 and a fishing pole and head to our creek by my self till dark. My mom was never worried because I was taught the right way to handle things. Taught how to handle a loaded fire arm or snake anything else dangerous at a young age makes a great impression and goes a long way. How long have you been into herpatolagy pope? How did you get started?

Snakes don't scare me, but I'm way too ignorant about them to try to handle one. I just steer clear.

Unless I'm in the kayak. For whatever reason, snakes are WAY scarier when they're swimming towards me and I'm in the kayak. If one ever falls out of a tree into my lap, I will most definitely lose half of my belongings when I flip over.

Yup. Everything looks like something poisonous.

I got into herpetology when I was very young, probably around 5 years old. My great-grandfather killed a racer in our yard and I was hooked. As I grew up hunting and fishing I graduated in my appreciation of the ecosystems I used for both and slowly became the resident naturalist in our town.
Once I went to college, I studied biology so I could work in the field each day. I've never looked back. I feel extremely lucky to have two children who enjoy science and herps.
Your point in making the analogy with guns and snakes is a good one. Guns are far more dangerous than snakes. My son can handle both and snakes much more easily than guns.

WTF? That's why I kill every snake I see.

I can see the young man being educated on snakes somewhat, but the young lady looks a little young to be able to recognize snakes without her educated parent around

OMG..its a south texas cobramoccosinrattlemambareticulatedspittingpitanacondahorned viper............don't make me say it again please

^This^