With the incident yesterday at my son's house, and the upcoming hunting season, it might be appropriate to review the poisonous snakes in your locale, in my case, the venomous snakes found in central Louisiana. Hereabouts, there are five species to be concerned about, although others are found in the Florida parishes east of the Mississippi. A full list can be found here, They are, in no particular order:
Canebrake rattler (also called the timber rattler, or banded rattlesnake), this is the one that my daughter-in-law dispatched yesterday.
Pygmy Rattlesnake. This one is seldom seen, but can cause problems as well.
Cottonmouth. Also knows as the water moccasin, or in some locales, the stubtail. Found in low, swampy environs.
Copperhead, with a wide distribution, if's found in piney-hills and swampy land.
Coral snake Two varieties in Louisiana, but they both have red bands touching yellow. Remember the adage "Red and yellow kill a fellow."
Lots of folks will be out in the woods in the coming months, and it might behoove us to go to the link above and review the poisonous snakes in our woods.
There is, though that mythical beast that I call the Copper Headed Rattle Moccasin. Bad attitude, powerful venom, I shoot those every time I see one. Y'all be careful in the woods this autumn.
5 comments:
In fairness to the decent hard-working non-venomous ones just earning a living eating disease-ridden varmints, the rest of that adage goes "Red on Black, Friend of Jack." Around here, that'd be the Scarlet King Snake, and his cousins Corn & Rat Snakes. Grew up knowing them as "Farmer's Friends". But you got the Moccasin right. Its the meanest, nastiest, smelliest, most agressive thing going. I take 'em when I see 'em. .38 shot does a fine job.
Red and yellow, kill a fellow. Green and white, up all night.
Only one of the nice thing about living in The People's Dimmokrat Republik of Washington. At least West of the Cascade Mountains summit. No venemous animals except black widow and brown recluse spiders which are not common and difficult to encounter and a few housefly looking types armed with harpoons.
That one you mentioned is found in the same woods where the legendary Bopotamus is known to roam. Dangerous out there! Of course one could always move to Ireland, no snakes at all. St. Patrick ran 'em all out. GW
My favorite crazy uncle, a Seattle Police Officer, said that St. Patrick chased all Ireland's snakes to Boston, where they became cops.
PS. Da missus and I went to Boston to see some American Historical sights. We had two interactions with "Boston's Finest". I learned that my Uncle was correct and we will never go East of the Mississippi again. Any Vacation money we spend will be in the Western half of the country except Kalifonistan, the rest can go pound sand.
The Police in Western States and in Western Canada who I've spoken with have all been friendly, polite and professional. The po-po's in Eastern US I've spoken with have all been a$$wipes.
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