I live up here in Minnesota and had a baby Northern water snake in my front yard. I am a mile up hill from the river. I had just put my new pond in the previous fall. But another thing I found out about these snakes is that they will keep striking you and you end up with multiple bites. They also inject a blood thinner into you so if you are already on coumadin, then stay away from this snake. Bobbi


Go for it!!