Saw my Very First Copperhead In The Flesh

aftermidnite · #1 08/20/13, 09:18 AM

Went berry picking with dear sweet neighbor last evening (have been going in the mornings this year)..

She reminded me to look with EVERY step when I go back behind some areas where we pick and....

OHHH MY GOD.... am I glad I was looking down instead of up high where the berries were ..

Coiled right where my next step would have been was a med to small COPPERHEAD!!!!!!!

It looked just like the old leaves and dirt and ground and if I hadn't of been watching I would have stepped right on it !

I screamed and froze ...Talea was at the pond a little distance away and yelled ..What Mom What ?????

Looked TWICE to be sure I was really seeing what I thought I was seeing and then high tailed it as fast as I could all the while watching EVERY step outa there !

Dear sweet neighbor asked if I was sure while I was gittin outa the brambles and I offered to show her while telling her YES but she said NO!!! LOL..

She asked if I wanted to keep on picking and I said I would until I got too scared ..LOL cause I really thought I wouldn't be scared after my heart calmed down ..

WE picked some more but the longer I picked the more I got scared to venture any farther than right on the edge so after picking half a gallon of the biggest berries I have gotten all year I gave it up and asked if we could go on to the garden an then fish !

We have been picking at this place for 5 or 6 yrs and this is the first one I have seen even tho her son has killed many over the years ..8 last yr and one that we know of this yr...

Up until yesterday I haven't been as careful as I will be from now on let me tell you !!!!!!!

Neighbor says that August is the worst month for them since they are sheading and are sluggish because of it !

Hopefully I will go back again this year but am thinking it will be in the morning again ..

Since I cut our berry picking short by at least 45 mins we went on over to the garden to pick okra ,green tomatoes (gonna make chow chow ) and a few smallish cucumbers ..

then on to the pond and that daughter of mine said....

"Momma did ya crap yourself ?' all the while giggling like an dancing a little jig!!!!

I told her the snake gave new meaning to one of my favorite sayings...

Make your bung hole pucker tighter than eatin a green persimmon!!!!!!!!!!!

Irish Pixie · #2 08/20/13, 09:28 AM

I've never seen a venomous snake in the flesh but even the non venomous scare me to the point of screaming like a little girl and doing the snake dance. It's humiliating, and totally ruins my bad girl image and country cred.

However, knee high rubber boots, aka snake boots, are your friend. I'm practically invincible in my multi color polka dot snake boots.

aftermidnite · #3 08/20/13, 10:08 AM

I have a pair of croc winter boots but they aren't leather the shoe part is just heavy plastic type and are cloth at the ankle so I am thinking they really wouldn't be much help .

Irish Pixie · #4 08/20/13, 10:31 AM

$20 at Target, my friend- best spent money evah.

My regained dignity is priceless.

Ravenlost · #5 08/20/13, 10:54 AM

Hate to tell y'all, but the only copperhead that ever struck at me would've hit me in the upper thigh. Y'all got some thigh high boots to wear?

Actually, boots are a good idea as they will provide protection. So are jeans, even in hot weather jeans are a must if you are going to be venturing into areas where venomous snakes could be lurking.

I can't even remember how many copperheads I've seen over the years. When I was a kid and we were out playing, if we came up on a copperhead we would kill it and bury it. We didn't want our Daddy to find out because he wouldn't let us play in the woods if he knew there were copperheads where we were playing!

I've seen copperheads, rattlesnakes and moccasins...they're the only snakes we kill. We've had dogs get bitten five times this summer by moccasins and copperheads....more than any other summer in the past nine years we've been here.

Snakes are bad this year. Take every precaution...boots, long pants, make lots of noise and keep a sharp eye out.

Irish Pixie · #6 08/20/13, 12:10 PM

Why yes, I do have thigh high leather boots but I've never worn them outside the house.

I just went out to the garden and didn't see a snake but I was prepared with my trusty snake boots. Now all I need is a cape and a shirt with a picture of a snake with a line through it.

LisaInN.Idaho · #7 08/20/13, 12:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Irish Pixie

Why yes, I do have thigh high leather boots but I've never worn them outside the house.

I just went out to the garden and didn't see a snake but I was prepared with my trusty snake boots. Now all I need is a cape and a shirt with a picture of a snake with a line through it.

when you get the whole ensemble together, I demand a picture.

EDDIE BUCK · #8 08/20/13, 01:23 PM

Yep copperheads are hard to see on leaves unless they move.One bit a friend of mine in the corn crib as he was shucking some corn.Bit him on the arm.Hos gave anti venom soon he was ok.

Those cottonmouth moccasins are the ones that give me the creeps.They are mean and will come toward you.Once while fishing i paddled the boat under a blown over tree, as soon as the boat cleared the tree,my face was six inches from the open mouth of one about the size of the one in this clip.I gave him the boat.

Irish Pixie · #9 08/20/13, 02:16 PM

I almost bought hip waders to wear in the garden! Luckily, I googled researched cottonmouth snakes and they don't live in NY.

Lord, that's a big ugly snake.

aftermidnite · #10 08/20/13, 03:55 PM

I do wish I could afford some better higher boots but have lost my job .
I so LOVE berry picking season ,for the most part I pick for the enjoyment of the activity .I usually end up freezing mine and then will either can them ,make jam ,or gift them to someone am thinking of making blackberry syrup this year ..Hopefully I can get over my fear so we can continue until they are gone again for another year ..

Ravenlost · #11 08/20/13, 05:51 PM

Eddie Buck, when I was a kid a cottonmouth chased me, my brother and a friend up a hill. It was in the creek and the two boys were poking at it with sticks. We were convinced it was still behind us when we got to the back door!

One of our dogs was bitten by a cottonmouth this Spring that was in our front yard just a few feet from the front porch. It was a small one, but I don't like them getting that close to the house. Hubby has killed cottonmouths every year that we've lived here...some mighty big ones too. It doesn't help that we have a pond at the end of our front yard and a bigger one on the side of the yard between the house and the barn. He's killed some big ones over five feet long.

Last week I read a news article about a cottonmouth that was killed in Florida. It was seven feet or more long and weighed 65 lbs. They believe it will set the new world record.

LisaInN.Idaho · #12 08/20/13, 06:11 PM

After reading this I'm thankful yet again that I live in an area with no venomous snakes.

DamnearaFarm · #13 08/21/13, 09:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Irish Pixie

I've never seen a venomous snake in the flesh but even the non venomous scare me to the point of screaming like a little girl and doing the snake dance. It's humiliating, and totally ruins my bad girl image and country cred.

However, knee high rubber boots, aka snake boots, are your friend. I'm practically invincible in my multi color polka dot snake boots.

Mmmmmm...nope. Can't picture the invincible boots. Need a pic.

Well, dang. Just read Lisa's demand. I'm holdin' out for the whole ensemble photo as well, then.

CJBegins · #14 08/21/13, 09:32 PM

My horse and I were chased out of a swimming hole by a very aggressive copper head when I was a teenager. That mare new that snake was very bad news.

I have thrown rocks a moccasian that wouldn't move out of the road and the darn thing chased me. I was a little surprised. I thought it was just a water snake until it got a little closer to me.

Shygal · #15 08/21/13, 11:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LisaInN.Idaho

After reading this I'm thankful yet again that I live in an area with no venomous snakes.

There are no rattlesnakes in Idaho?

You DO have grizzly bears though

therunbunch · #16 08/22/13, 06:27 AM

I walked right past a snake while we were out looking at houses last week and man did I freak out! I caught movement out of the corner of my eye and the thing had its head lifted up and I was terrified it was going to strike! I shrieked, jumped, and took off running. The agent (behind me.. yes.. totally left her.. I'm no good in a crisis apparently.. every man for himself and all haha) says, "What's the matter?" I said.. oh man.. there's a snake back there! Totally embarrassed I took off without her. DH and I went back to take a second look and saw it again.. this time it scurried into it's hole. Probably nothing serious but scared me to pieces!!!! I was really grateful that we didn't have the kiddos with us because they are loud and tend to spread out and not look where they are walking.

Nette · #17 08/22/13, 07:08 AM

My preferred way of berry picking is to back the truck up, right next to the bushes, and just pick what I can reach from the truck bed. This isn't always do-able, but sometimes it works.