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Pickle_Rick

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Was reading an article about 2 snake bites in Tennessee. Both were copperhead. The article had some tips for avoiding being bitten. The first guy bitten had caught the snake, dropped the snake, and caught it again. Then the snake tagged him.

Tip number 0) because it really doesn't need to be said, does it?: don't f$$% with the snake, moron! Copperheads are pretty laid back and generally prefer to avoid biting. Unless you f$%% with them! ( said at Sam Kinneson volume)

Tip number 1) do not ever, ever, EVER, f$%% with a pygmy rattler. They are meaner than a liberal during Christmas. They'll bite you, your dog, and hunt down the rest of your family just to bite them too. ( they have small snake envy)

This has been a Public Service Announcement for our EWWTEE visitors
(Kentuckians know not to f$$% with venomous reptiles)
 
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Ryan Lemonds Hair

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snake bite GIF
 
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Blue Bigfoot

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Yes, I ran into a small black timber rattler while walking up a narrow creek in Jefferson memorial forest. That thing was nasty and ornery.
Also ran into a huge timber rattler while hiking in Bernheim forest. (They released a bunch years ago). It was coming out of the tall grass and I almost stepped on it. I have always assumed that unlike Copperheads, a Rattle snake would let you know it was there. Not always true! This thing just laid there and didn't rattle or curl up into strike mode. He just kind of looked at me, like "why are you harshing my mellow man?" I think this thing might have had a big meal and was just trying to get back to it's den. It wasn't until I got a stick and poked at it, that it went into a slight strike pose and rattled a few times. If I can find the pics, I will try to post them. I don't like Copperheads because they blend into the leaf litter far too well.
 
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H. Lecter

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Blue Bigfoot said:
Yes, I ran into a small black timber rattler while walking up a narrow creek in Jefferson memorial forest. That thing was nasty and ornery.
Also ran into a huge timber rattler while hiking in Bernheim forest. (They released a bunch years ago). It was coming out of the tall grass and I almost stepped on it. I have always assumed that unlike Copperheads, a Rattle snake would let you know it was there. Not always true! This thing just laid there and didn't rattle or curl up into strike mode. He just kind of looked at me, like "why are you harshing my mellow man?" I think this thing might have had a big meal and was just trying to get back to it's den. It wasn't until I got a stick and poked at it, that it went into a slight strike pose and rattled a few times. If I can find the pics, I will try to post them. I don't like Copperheads because they blend into the leaf litter far too well.
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That’s a myth about rattlesnakes being released. And why would you poke a rattlesnake?
 
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Pickle_Rick

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BGCATFAN2012 said:
Seen a few timber rattlers killed in our area that was 5ft and size o





My dad killed an Eastern diamond back about 5' long out Ft. Knox. Was about as big around as a roll of toilet paper. Cut his head off with a Buck pocket knife. The snake, not my dad.

Biggest 1 I've killed was on the highway between Vero Beach and Lake Wales Florida. It was crossing the road in front of us and I ran it over. It was nearly 8' long. It's head was by the yellow line in the middle and it's tail was almost at the white line at the shoulder. And no, it wasn't a python, his tail was upturned at the end and I could see the rattles.

A friend of ours killed one a little smaller in his orange grove and had it mounted under his glass top coffee table. Very cool.
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LOL_Man

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Sometimes that snake, he looks right into ya. Right into your eyes. Y'know the thing about a snake, he's got... lifeless eyes, black eyes, like a doll's eyes. When he comes at ya, doesn't seem to be livin'... until he bites ya. And those black eyes roll over white, and then... oh, then you hear that terrible high-pitch screamin', the dirt turns red, and spite of all the poundin' and the hollerin', they all come in and they... rip you to pieces.
 
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TortElvisII

TortElvisII

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I had someone work for me that got bit by a western diamondback on their first day of work. That was out west.

I've seen two canebrake rattlers intertwined that were over 5 ft long. I gave them a lot of space. The zoologist said they were males fighting.

I worked with a TNC zoologist and asked him what the strangest thing he had seen was. He said he was in Arkansas and in a canebrake. He was pulling back the cane to see what was there and something was looking at him from about chest height. He kept staring at it because he couldn't figure out what it was. He finally figured out that it was a western diamondback and he slowly released the cane and backed out.

Copperheads in leaf litter take a while to spot.
 
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christophero

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LOL_Man said:
Sometimes that snake, he looks right into ya. Right into your eyes. Y'know the thing about a snake, he's got... lifeless eyes, black eyes, like a doll's eyes. When he comes at ya, doesn't seem to be livin'... until he bites ya. And those black eyes roll over white, and then... oh, then you hear that terrible high-pitch screamin', the dirt turns red, and spite of all the poundin' and the hollerin', they all come in and they... rip you to pieces.
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Show me the way to go home...
 
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DSmith21

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Darwin award nominee. This guy makes a living catching cobras, black mambas and puff adders while filming it at the same time. His show (Snake City) makes for pretty good tv.

 
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trueblujr

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Blue Bigfoot said:
Yes, I ran into a small black timber rattler while walking up a narrow creek in Jefferson memorial forest. That thing was nasty and ornery.
Also ran into a huge timber rattler while hiking in Bernheim forest. (They released a bunch years ago). It was coming out of the tall grass and I almost stepped on it. I have always assumed that unlike Copperheads, a Rattle snake would let you know it was there. Not always true! This thing just laid there and didn't rattle or curl up into strike mode. He just kind of looked at me, like "why are you harshing my mellow man?" I think this thing might have had a big meal and was just trying to get back to it's den. It wasn't until I got a stick and poked at it, that it went into a slight strike pose and rattled a few times. If I can find the pics, I will try to post them. I don't like Copperheads because they blend into the leaf litter far too well.
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Why would they release a bunch of venomous snakes into an area where people hike? That's like a sick joke.

When I was a kid, i used to get off the school bus one street over and take a trail that ran between our streets through a wooded area. I remember as I was walking down that trail, I looked down and saw a coiled up copperhead about an inch from my foot. That's how close i was to stepping on it. I took off running swearing that thing was chasing me (it wasn't, but in my mind it was) I think i ran all the way home and did about 3 laps around the house before I quit.
 
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Blue Bigfoot

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H. Lecter said:
That’s a myth about rattlesnakes being released. And why would you poke a rattlesnake?
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I was told that by someone I trust, and I have little reason to doubt since it is a research forest. They reintroduce indigenous animals all over. Why do you think we have a thriving bald eagle population now?
Because
A: I have never encountered a rattlesnake prior in Kentucky, his tail was back in the high weeds and i wanted to confirm it was a rattlesnake.
B: I was taking pictures with a zoom lens, and I got a long stick to see if he/ she would coil into strike mode for a picture.

C: Because it was fun.
 
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Blue Bigfoot

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trueblujr2 said:
Why would they release a bunch of venomous snakes into an area where people hike? That's like a sick joke.

When I was a kid, i used to get off the school bus one street over and take a trail that ran between our streets through a wooded area. I remember as I was walking down that trail, I looked down and saw a coiled up copperhead about an inch from my foot. That's how close i was to stepping on it. I took off running swearing that thing was chasing me (it wasn't, but in my mind it was) I think i ran all the way home and did about 3 laps around the house before I quit.
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It a huge area and they do wildlife research there.
Yeah, when I was in Boys scouts we had summer camp up at Horine Boy scout camp in Jefferson memorial forest. It was early morning, and we were playing capture the flag, and I decided to take the long way through the woods and come up behind where the flag was at. So I was running full steam through the woods like a spaz until I was so out of breath that I had to stop to catch my breath. I placed my foot up on a fallen log and was trying to suck air when I saw a copperhead coiled up and sunbathing on the log not more than a few feet right of my foot. I counted to three in my head and jumped away in the opposite direction and it took off in the opposite direction. Apparently, it wanted to avoid me as bad as I wanted to avoid it. I think the fact that I was running so fast, didn't give it time to hide itself before I got there. Better to be lucky than to be smart. And boy was I lucky.
 
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WayneDougan_rivals170043

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My lab was bitten by a Copperhead. We found him acting odd leaning against a wall and then he started limping. Took him in to the vet and they got him agitated and blood started going out two holes on his leg. And the holes were decently far apart meaning it was a pretty big snake. They gave him some benadryl and sent him on his way. No issues - apparently labs handle copperhead poison a little better than people.

On the other hand, a rattler would likely kill the dog.
 
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Ahnan E. Muss

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WayneDougan said:
My lab was bitten by a Copperhead. We found him acting odd leaning against a wall and then he started limping. Took him in to the vet and they got him agitated and blood started going out two holes on his leg. And the holes were decently far apart meaning it was a pretty big snake. They gave him some benadryl and sent him on his way. No issues - apparently labs handle copperhead poison a little better than people.

On the other hand, a rattler would likely kill the dog.
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How do you know it was a copperhead? Did the dog take a picture of it for you?
 
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H. Lecter

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Blue Bigfoot said:
I was told that by someone I trust, and I have little reason to doubt since it is a research forest. They reintroduce indigenous animals all over. Why do you think we have a thriving bald eagle population now?
Because
A: I have never encountered a rattlesnake prior in Kentucky, his tail was back in the high weeds and i wanted to confirm it was a rattlesnake.
B: I was taking pictures with a zoom lens, and I got a long stick to see if he/ she would coil into strike mode for a picture.

C: Because it was fun.
Click to expand...
According to Ky department of fish and wildlife it is a myth that rattlesnakes have been released. I’ve been a Bernheim member for awhile and heard this very question asked to a herpatoligist during a foraging seminar. They said never. My property joins camp crooked creek which joins Bernheim and knob Forrest WMA. I’ve posed this question to the scout master several years ago and he also said myth. But they very well could be wrong. Personally I have never seen a rattlesnake hiking all 3 of those places mentioned. Actually I’ve never seen a rattlesnake on any of my outdoor adventures. I’ve seen several copperheads though. But still probably less than 10.
 
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Blue Bigfoot

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H. Lecter said:
According to Ky department of fish and wildlife it is a myth that rattlesnakes have been released. I’ve been a Bernheim member for awhile and heard this very question asked to a herpatoligist during a foraging seminar. They said never. My property joins camp crooked creek which joins Bernheim and knob Forrest WMA. I’ve posed this question to the scout master several years ago and he also said myth. But they very well could be wrong. Personally I have never seen a rattlesnake hiking all 3 of those places mentioned. Actually I’ve never seen a rattlesnake on any of my outdoor adventures. I’ve seen several copperheads though. But still probably less than 10.
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Ok, yeah I've hiked all through Knob state forest. So do you live on the gravel/ dirt road that dead ends at the Camp Crooked Creek gate? I've probably had to turn around on your or a neighbors driveway more than once. 😁. I would love to have property back there surrounded by Bernheim, Knob state forest, and Camp Crooked Creek. Years ago some guy coming from that road stopped me while I pulling into the main trail lot ( out by the field.and power line cut through) His dog was lost and asked me if I had seen it. He also told.me that wild boar and even a black bear has been seen at some point back there, but I have yet to seen sign of either. Wasn't you was it?
 
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H. Lecter

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Yes I live back that road but I have never lost my dog so couldn’t have been me. They’ve had a bear on bernheim but I’ve never seen it. Haven’t seen any boar either but I always look for signs of both
 
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Pickle_Rick

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kywildcatsfannumber1 said:
Yeah I'm raising the BS flag on that one. My property runs along the Fort Knox reservation and can count on one hand how many rattlesnakes I've ever seen. The majority are copperheads, black snakes and seen a blue racer.















Okay.You know better than the person that was there. Ps. Dad was a Game warden.
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TortElvisII

TortElvisII

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kywildcatsfannumber1 said:
@Pickle_Rick Kentucky's venomous snakes are the copperhead, cottonmouth, timber rattlesnake, and pigmy rattlesnake. All four species belong to a group of snakes called pit vipers.

PS Straight from the Kentucky Fish & Wildlife Department. Read all about them Pages 7-12. https://fw.ky.gov/Wildlife/Documents/kysnakebook.pdf
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There is another. But it is never listed.

Eastern Hognose are venomous but are back fanged. I have encountered hognose in the wild and they sound like an air hose blew off a compressor.

They also play dead.

 
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ukalumni00

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Ran up on a TimberRattler back in my Boy Scout days. Was gathering firewood with a buddy when I lifted a log and immediately heard a rattle noise. Looked around and there was a pissed off Momma protecting her nest near some rock beds. Luckily was far enough away where she did not strike at me. Maybe fastest I have ever backed up. Terrifying moment but once far enough away we checked her out closer to make sure we could tell what type of snake she was.
 
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