Pond Boss Forums INTRO Questions & Observations Snake Control

Sqeeky,
Your right, everything I have read says water moccasins can grow to 6 ft in length. The 4 footer I originally mentioned on this page was identified as a WM but it wasn't 4 ft long. It was 3' 11". Not a bad guess for someone on the run. I guess like everything else "there bigger in Texas"

I can think of 3 or 4 species that are big enough to eat skunks. The stink doesn't even slow them down.

The yellow and black snake you saw was probably a yellow rat snake. They are very prolific mousers.

Moccasin or coppehead, it really doesn't matter. Their poison is equally nasty and their temprament is almost identical. Neonates usually have a bad temper, and I stay away from them. I worry more about a 6 inch neonate than a 3 foot adult. The little ones are so hard to see!

I have no fear of snakes in the water. It's common on land for snakes to get trapped or stepped on, and are forced to bite. In water, they are free to escape, and do so very quickly. So I guess there is 99% less snake danger in the water.

NOW, having said that, you gave me a wonderful idea. People tend to ignore "No Trespassing" signs, and I'm afraid someone will drown in my pond. Well, I think a "Danger! Water Moccasins" sign would be 100% effective!

This question reminds me of that scene in Lonesome Dove...the river crossing, remember that one?

Probably has never actually happened that way, but what a graphic scene of WM terror!

"Entering water moccasin breeding program area. Please register emergency medical information and next of kin at guard house before entering." (Empty toll booth shack with notebook stands at gate.)

Somebody should collect all of these sign suggestions and those from the "MY Pond" thread.

I am going to take down my "Private Property" signs and replace them with " Beware - Protected Water Moccasin Breeding Area" That should work.

Come on fellas...I hate snakes as much as the next guy. I don't kill 'em though (now, poisonous ones would be a different story, though). They simply provide too much rodent relief. Now if the wife sees 'em...they just gotta die, unless she runs into the house so I can throw 'em over the fence.

Big babies! (Kiddin' now, don't flame me!)

This snake was an unnerving experience
for my wife when she opened this gate
the other night. I have no idea what kind
of snake it might have been, but it was
gone a few minutes later.

That looks like one HUGE Water Moccasin!

I'm just kidding, bull snake?

I saw a very large water snake last week in my pond when I was feeding the fish. He came to where the floating pellets were just like the fish. I couldn't tell if he had come to eat the fish or the pellets because when he saw me he ducked under the water. I was hoping someone could tell me what kind of snake it was. He had alternating dark and light bands and was about four feet long. I do not think he was a water moccasin.

A couple of weeks ago, I noticed a small king snake, about 18" long, in the road. I stopped and walked up to it to shoo it out of the road. I put my foot by its tail and kinda pushed at it. It struck me on the leg of my jeans. Scared the dickens out of me but it didn't actually bite me. Problem is, my wife saw it happen.

James Holt, from the marking you've described, I'm sure it was a copperheaded rattlemocasin. I just bought some of that .357 calibre rat shot that I'm gonna try out on the next one of those I see at my place.

you have already had a lot of replies on this, and it seems that no one likes snakes, it is the only thing that i will kill these days, my pond was very infested with snakes until we started mowing the grass down at waters edge. snakes do not like a clean enviorment, anything that they can get under rocks, boats, brush,drain pipes, they will, but if you have fish and frogs, which normally is what we strive for, you will end up with fish moccassins, cotton mouth, ( that's the real bad boy) just go out real early in morning with your weapon of choice. david903

thank you! I was sure that the wise men of pond boss would be able to identify it.

David903, I disagree. Many people like snakes and view them as part of the natural environment just like anything else.

We learn so much here on the Pond Boss forum about so many things beyond just fish. One of the most important things we learn is judgement and perspective. That is when to do something and when not to do it. Sometimes we should harvest a certain size of LMB heavily. Other times, that is the worst thing we could do.

There are so many species of snakes that do so much good that it is a huge waste to destroy them. In terms of judgement and perspective, about 5-6 people die of snake bites each year. About 50,000 people die in traffic accidents. If we're really concerned about our safety, snakes are the least of our problems.

I agree Norm, I only remove water snakes that eat the same things my fish eat. Same with turtles. Just trying to eliminate the competition. But. I will also remove poisonous snakes around the house.
However I believe the relative word is perception.
Relative to how many of our people are dying in Iraq the death toll on our highways is astronomical, but people perceive the war as a greater threat to life.
Most people likewise perceive all snakes as a threat.
I like you will always try to educate otherwise but I don't think we will win that battle.

For a bit of encouragement though I did convince my wife to catch & hold a 6' black snake with her bare hands a couple weeks ago! I even finally got her to let go of his head while she was holding him! I was proud!

Far as I can tell it looks like a bull snake.

Ric,

Without too much encourgement my wife put her hands around the neck of a 5'8" snake the other day. After a few seconds though see decided to release her death grip. Good thing too cause I was running out of oxygen

Russ

Well said David. It's far more trouble to chase snakes than to clean up the pond area.

It's also a lot easier to ignore snakes than to worry about them all the time. I think worriers get snake bitten just as much as non-worriers. (once every 97.5 years or so) So why worry?

Down here in my area, if you're afraid of snakes it takes all the enjoyment out of fishing. In fact, when go to a new pond or lake, I see snakes as a sign of good fishing to come.

You know, at 62 years of age, I don't know but one person who has been snake bit. Me! However, I stepped on the snake and was luckily wearing high top rubber boots. No damage done to anything but my underwear. I have only had one suicidal rattlesnake come after me with malice.

I've done a lot of wading in all types of water while fishing. I've seen tons of snakes in the water but they have never been a real problem. Yeah, they have startled me and made me hurt myself but have rarely shown any agression. I bet more people die of bee stings and lightning than snake bites.

Dave,
Your so reassuring. I think I'll wade in my pond this weekend.

Dave D. The real question is did you try to salvage your underwear?

Now THAT'S funny!

I don't recall being aware of the problem until I quit shaking. I'm sure it must have been poisonous. There were a couple of liquid lines on the side of my rubber boot. I mean on the outside of the boot.