My uncle shot a snake day before yesterday. It had a big hole in its head and was still moving around about 20 minutes after he shot it.

Back in December or Jan (I don't remember exactly) we found a copperhead in his tool shed. My uncle was looking through a drawer and he put his hand right next to it before he realized it was there. Good thing it was trying to hybernate.

Oh, poor snake! I just leave them alone if they're non-venomous. If they are venomous, I do the next best thing and RUN LIKE HECK! All critters have their place in nature or they wouldn't be here on this earth. I even put out rotting bananas for the opossums that come into my backyard. Some people don't like them because they think they carry rabies - but they don't. Their body temp is too low to carry the virus. Also, they eat slugs! Good for my hostas.

Dawn, what kind of 'nake did you see? Did you get a pic? I was laughing at the frolicking butterflies in the backyard today. I had 3 Goatweed Leafwing males playing all over the place. Funnnnnny!

Susan

Cityboygone country,

You know, you really have to watch those snakes. I have seen them move around a little and exhibit signs of life HOURS after being shot or run over by a car. About the time we started construction of our home in July 1998, one of our soon-to-be neighbors was bit by a rattlesnake. It wouldn't 'let go' of her arm, so the paramedics had to cut off the body of the snake and transport her to the hospital with the snake's head still attached! I can't even imagine that!

Sometimes we get surprised by a rattlesnake or a copperhead in the shed during the winter too, and it is not the kind of surprise I enjoy.

Susan, I thought it was harmless, but after I described it to my son, he told me it sounded like a baby water moccasin. And I was close to the rainfall retention pond at the edge of the vegetable garden, so he is probably right. And, you know, we only kill the venomous snakes if they are a threat to us or to our animals. Usually, I run in one direction and they slither off just as quickly in another direction.

Almost all of my cats and dogs have been bitten by a copperhead and most have survived. Most of my venomous snake encounters are with timber rattlers, copperheads or water moccasins. Every now and then I run into a western diamondback rattler. We have an arrangement. I'll leave them alone if they leave me alone.

I don't see Goatweed Leafwings a whole lot, at least not until it is really hot. I hope you enjoyed watching yours.
We have plenty of possums without doing anything to attract them. Lately we haven't had as many skunks and armadillos, but I AM NOT complaining. I don't miss them at all.

Dawn

Dawn, I had a huge black snake in the daylillies last summer. I calmly walked back in the house and told DH. He asked me the shape of the head. I looked at him like he had lost his mind. I can't even go into the snake house at the zoo without freaking and he asked me what the shape of the head. Come on, he was shedding his skin in my daylillies. Out out d. snake!

My brother told me he had seen several up in the Tulsa area but they were sluggish cause it was not warm enough. I know all Gods creatures have a place, just no snakes in my yard. Had a nurse friend that was bitten by a pigmy rattler last year in her hosta bed and had all kinds of problems with her arm, got her in the finger. Okay, now I have just creeped myself out. But while digging today, I was very careful. I watch for them since I am so crazy about them I always want to know where they are.

Happy snake hunting! Steffie

Steffie,

I once had a pygmy rattler two inches from my hand. I practically did a backwards somersault to get away from that thing.

We will always have tons and tons of snakes here, as we are very close to the Red River and the countryside is just teeming with wildlife. I think it is inevitable that I will be bitten by a venomous snake one of these days because I spend a huge amount of time outdoors.

Yes, venomous snakes scare me, but they are not the worse wildlife I've encountered here. We have cougars (aka mountain lions) and black panthers. My son has had a close encounter with a black panther IN OUR DRIVEWAY, while I had a close encounter with a cougar. I was in our yard. He (she?) was in the neighbors' pasture and roared at me. I will never forget that sound. My neighbor heard it 7/10s of a mile away and thought I was a goner. Eventually I got over the scare and could laugh about it, but it took quite a while. I am still pretty skittish about being outside alone after dark.

The neighbor whose property lies between our back property line and the Red River has a HUGE copperhead problem. Last year he would sit out on his porch on the weekends (he's a weekender up here, lives in Texas during the week) and could see dozens and dozens of snake eyes looking back at him. When he shone the flashlight on them, all he could see was copperheads everywhere. Just hearing that described gives me the creeps. He shot those copperheads every chance he got, and still had tons of them.

After this discussion, I probably will be seeing snakes everywhere tomorrow....you know, snakes that aren't reallly there. :)

Dawn

March is when the largest numbers of snakes come out of hibernation. Sometimes if you're lucky (or unlucky depending on your perspective ;-)) you can even see snakes in January or February.

Yesterday was a good day in this part of the country. Over here in Missouri, me and my wife went out and found 39 snakes in 2 1/2 hours yesterday. The only venomous one we found was a juvenile copperhead that I found by lifting a rock. We left them alone except for taking a few pictures with a digital camera.

"I think it is inevitable that I will be bitten by a venomous snake one of these days because I spend a huge amount of time outdoors."

Possible but I think the odds favor you avoiding a bite your entire life since the vast majority of people bitten are white men between 18 and 40 (usually drunk) who have been messing with the snake. I'm a more likely snakebite victim since I actively seek them out, lift rocks with my bare hands looking for them (and often finding them), and walk around at the edges of snake dens housing multiple snakes. But even though I see some 700 plus snakes each year and a good number of venomous snakes I've never been struck by a venomous snake. Snakes are a lot more mild-mannered in their behavior than we usually give them credit for. They usually only bite when continuously provoked and harassed (though there are always exceptions to the rule).

Anyhow happy gardening and keep your eyes open... :-)

Hi Wayne!

As soon as I saw 'Wayne_Mo", I knew it was the snake guy!

You know, I try to peacefully coexist with them, I really do. And I try to be careful.

One reason I feel doomed to be bitten by a snake is that my next door neighbors, who are about 1/4 mile south of us, have had TW0 people bitten on their property--one was a teenager stepping out of a swimming pool and the other was outside barefoot at night (running down to check on an auto accident in the roadway).

Also, whenever neighbors stop by to chat while I am working in the garden, they always say "Be careful, don't get snakebit out here...." as if I wasn't already paranoid enough. :)

Anyway, YOU be careful out there, 'cause you are more likely to get bitten than I am, and I would hate for that to happen.

Later,

Dawn

Even if one is too frightened to take note of an encountered dark colored snake's head shape or fang indicator features, water Moccasins are generally easy to identify compared to the other non-venomous swimming, large black snakes.

The non venomous dark colored snakes will usually try first to retreat. The water moccasin generally seems to stand his/her ground and even; often times, goes on an agressive offensive in response to animal or human approaching or invading the moccasin's present location.

Sounds like blue racer's to me, too. I grew up in rural Kansas and we had lots of snakes and other critters around us.

I was going to ask if your neighbor had rocky property cause that's what Copperheads tend to seek out as refuge and territory.

We had lots of cottonmouths, too. I try to let nature be nature. As I said, my dad loved that big old black snake that lived under our porch and took care of our garden snackers!

Wayne, Hi there! I find snakes absolutely fascinating. Course I find all wildlife fascinating. I just try to be cautious; don't provoke or threaten anything. I just have a natural curiousity about snakes, though.

Have you ever seen a walking fish?

Susan

Susan, I try to let nature do its thing, too, but still don't like to find venomous snakes right under my feet when I'm working in the yard or garden.

Our neighbor's property is just like ours. Tons of wooded area and open pastureland. Almost no rocks at all, until you dig down 8 to 10 feet. We do have a lot of exposed rock in the creekbed that runs through their property and ours. The creek is probably 300 yards from their house and about 100 yards from ours

The overgrown wooded area that sits between our home and theirs is just crawling with copperheads. The neighbors cleared out some of the undergrowth in that wooded area this winter, but I don't know if that will result in there being fewer snakes or maybe more snakes?

Around here, copperheads are about as common as houseflies. During the 'hot season' from about late May to late September I see snakes every day of the week. Some are venomous, some are not.

We have lots of prairie-lined racers, Texas Brown Snakes, Texas Lined Snakes, Rough Green Snakes (whom I often see sitting up in my trees and shrubs), Texas Rat Snakes, Great Plains Rat Snakes, and many other non-venomous species.

We also have Western Cottonmouths, Western Diamondback Rattlesnakes, Prairie Rattlesnakes, Broad-banded Copperheads, Pygmy Rattlesnakes, and Timber Rattlers which are the biggest, fattest snakes I ever see and have beautiful black rattles that have a velvety appearance.

We even have glass lizards which many people mistake for snakes because they look more like a snake than a lizard.
And we have a lot of toads, frogs, skinks, turtles, salamanders, and even an occasional Texas Horned Lizzard.

A lot of people around here have rat snakes that live in their barns or sheds and are highly prized as a natural form of rodent control.

Our cats help keep snakes away from the yard area by keeping field mile and voles under control. Our guineas will sometimes attack snakes they come across. Our chickens hate snakes and they have a peculiar sound they make when they see a snake. It is different from the sounds they make any other time

Susan, what kind of walking fish?

Had a close encounter of the Cottonmouth kind @ Lake Hefner Dam (OKC), Wed. Mar. 28,'07 ~ 4:30pm. We both survived, although I fell hard on rip-rap trying to jump away when he reacted badly to almost getting stepped on. To his(?) credit, he didn't bust me when I landed flat-backed and facing his wide-open mouth. Had temps been warmer, he might have been faster and hit me, who knows. I was grateful for his inaction and initially was gonna leave him alone- I watched him for a bit- out of range- I was hurting from the fall and had shaky footing... and verbally thanked him for not hittin' me when he had the chance (don't ask me why). I then made a big mistake...I decided that kids fish from the dam every day and might get hurt, so threw a big rock trying to kill him... shouldn't have done that- he deserves to live, and I just made him mad...I missed and he got aggressive right back and took 4 shots at me as we danced on the rocks- he finally backed off after I stuck a big piece of driftwood in his face. Woulda served me right, all things considered.

He was a very big snake, thick as my wrist and a little over 3'- must have been an old one... nasty flat-black w/faint light broken lines on his back and discernable markings low on sides. He looked like this one: http://www.snakesofarkansas.com/gallery/snake/crotalidae/agkistrodon_piscivorus/a_piscivorus_031.jpg.html
http://www.snakesofarkansas.com/gallery/snake/crotalidae/agkistrodon_piscivorus/2C3V5146.jpg.html

On another note, all my cool-weather spinach, peas etc are thriving and lovin' this wet spring.

Oh, gee, Dawn, I don't know what kind it was. We were exploring Nantucket Island off the coast of Cape Cod and they guys were down on the pier fishing, and one of them caught the walking fish. We were fascinated by it. I just loved the Cape and the Islands when I lived up there, but summer is just too short. I think it was some species of catfish actually.

Every time I think about being up there, I get a craving for good fish and seafood. I got spoiled on it and can barely stand to go to a fish restaurant here. I loved the scrod, blue fish, lobster, clam bellies, salmon, you name it, I ate it. Even the McDonalds restaurants up there offer lobster salad up there. Of course, you couldn't find good Mexican or Barbeque there. But, I loved, loved, loved the fish. We even ate one time at the Wayside Inn (you know from Tales of the Wayside Inn by Longfellow?). Lots of great history up there and fall is BEAUTIFUL! Went to a German festival on one of the mountains and had THE best apple cider I have ever drank in the entire world! It is a totally different culture, though. No ice tea in winter - they completely quit serving it. If you ask for regular coffee, you get it with cream in it. YOu have to specifically ask for black coffee. And there are rotaries everywhere (streets that go in a circle with other streets that spoke outwards). I can't tell you how convenient they were when we didn't know where we were going. LOL! Some of the most beautiful countryside you will ever see. They don't allow commercial highway signs to detract from the natural environment. Such a cultural melting pot. Had great Greek food, too, as well as Italian. Boston is wonderful, especially down a Quincy Market - lots of food, vendors, and great fun. The Italian district (Little Italy) had festivals every Sunday, and the vendors sold calamari (I tried it and it was good!) on the streets, and every Sunday was a celebration of a saint, with dancing and frivolity everywhere.

We went to Thoreau's cabin in the woods, and to Emerson's house and gardens, just beautiful, beautiful natural gardens and streams. Like a picture postcard. Also, Louisa May Alcott and Emily Dickinson from there - many great writers from that areas. Robert Frost is another (New Hampshire). One of the towns I worked in still had cobble stone streets - very difficult to navigate in high heels, but so nice. I have many fond memories of living up there and would never trade the experience for anything. Talk about beautiful hydrangeas!

Sorry for going on so about it, but if anyone can ever get up there, they should. There is so much to do and see!

Susan

Susan,

I was wondering if it was a catfish. I've seen the walking catfish in an aquarium somewhere. It was years ago, so I don't remember where.

I enjoyed your description of Cape Cod. It sounds so breaktakingly lovely. It definitely made me want to go there! :) However, I don't think I could ever live in a place with a short summer. It would just drive me nuts. I have to live someplace with a long growing season

Dawn

Susan,
I had to laugh at your coffee and rotary descriptions. I was stationed at Ft. Devens, MA for quite a while in the early '70s and was fascinated by New England. The remnants of snowpiles in parking lots in June were too much for me, however, and Home Sweet Oklahoma for me.
Alan

Isn't Ft. Devens in northern Mass? Well, by that I mean it's about a 15 minute drive from southern Mass! LOL!

I couldn't believe how small the states were up there. I was used to driving hours and hours to get someplace. But, then you have to deal with the traffic up there, too, which can cause you an "hours and hours" drive.

However, I recall a funny story of someone who federal expressed a package from Boston to Texas, and they inadvertently sent it to Houston instead of Dallas. They couldn't understand why someone in our Dallas office couldn't just get in the car and go to Houston to get it and be back in an hour. Hee Hee! They have no conception of distance in Texas or Oklahoma for that matter.

Yeah, Dawn, that was the real drawback, the short seasons, or as a friend once put it, the 2 days of summer. LOL! Despite that, summers were nothing short of lush up there. Hot to them is 80*. They would perish in Oklahoma summer. Builders do not put in central A/C in any new homes to this day. And heat is still oil up there, too. Everybody here with a truck wears a cowboy hat, and everybody there has a snow scraper attachment on the front of the truck. One thing about it, is you never have to worry about navigating the roads because they are always clear up there. They don't get ice like we do. Just snow. Our first snow was 31". I drive a little white Mazda and couldn't find it! Had to attach a red flag to my radio antenna and hire a kid to dig it out.

But, they are much more environmentally conscious up there, too. They don't tear down trees to build houses, they just cut out enough area to build the house. They wouldn't even let Walmart build a store up there. Course, in Boston, they still had those huge apartment buildings, with walkups (no elevators), so if you lived on the 10th floor, you walked 10 floors to get there. My friend lived in downtown Boston and had to hire a crane to install his grand piano.

My daughter took ballet lessons up there and her teachers were with the Boston Dance Theatre. So much culture up there. They took lots of interesting field trips, like to Hammond Castle (the guy who created the Hammond organ), which was purportedly haunted, and was right on the coastline of the North Shore. Oh, and Salem was a hoot to visit - very historical. We saw the House of Seven Gables. The town sits right on the ocean and is just beautiful. The fishing villages along the North Shore are absolutely quaint.

We did get to go to the bar in Boston that the show Cheers was based upon, right before the show ended. Boston Commons is a beautiful park in downtown Boston, where they have the swan boats (boats are actually shaped like swans), and there are vendors everywhere. So beautiful.

Here I go again, I must hush now.

Susan

I've already killed 2 of those pgymy rattlesnakes this month. I bought one of those hoe type things that's shaped like a half moon. My husband says at least I'm out of striking distance with this new tool.
One of my neighbor's has also killed pgymy's. Looks like a bad season for these type snakes to appear. I have cleaned everything away from around my house that has leaves, debris, etc. that can be a potential hiding spot for any snake. Connie in Shawnee

Connie,

Around here last season was a 'good' snake season and we hardly had any snakes at all, so I guess I was already expecting a 'bad' snake season this year, since it seems to run in cycles. What you have seen just confirms what I was expecting. I think the pygmies are cute, but don't want them hanging out anywhere close to me.

Like you, I keep the debris and tall grass cleared from the areas around the house, barn, garden/landscape, shed and chicken and guinea houses. Still, I know we'll always have snakes as there's just too much open countryside around us.

Dawn

Connie, know what you mean. WE also have problems with the p.rattlers in Seminole. I have raked and tried cleaning up but I am a little slow cause I spend part of the time watching for snakes. So where did you get your hoe? I am in Shawnee everyday, maybe I should stop and pick one up after work. I have some friends who have told me to use moth balls or the chips in butter cups around the yard and that will keep snakes away. I know it keeps moles and mice but did not know it worked on snakes. I will let the snakes roam free and wild as long as they are not close to me. I have a deadly fear of being touched or bitten by one. I dont like to use any chemicals in the yard and dont think you can get more deadly than mothballs so I am passing on that one as well.

How much rain did you get last night? WE are saturated over here but some of my raised beds will be okay for planitng tomorrow evening.

Dawn & steffieok, Now I'm wearing my rubber boots also to work in the yard.
steffieok, I got the hoe? at Atwood's, kinda pricey(24.95) but it's contractor's grade and my hubby says it will last a long time. He says it's actually an edger. But whatever it is, it's shaped like a half moon.
I didn't check at Big Lots, they may have them cheaper.
Connie in Shawnee

Connie,

If you are willing to stand there and chop up a snake with a hoe, you're braver than me! I had neighbors in Texas that used to do that when I was a kid, and these were ladies who screamed if they saw a spider!

And, as far as the hoe being pricey, I have found that buying good-quality equipment pays off in the long run as it lasts far longer. Nowadays I buy all my rakes, hoes, shovels, etc. at Sears and get the Craftsman brand, because they come with a lifetime guarantee and Sears really does replace them if they break. I do the same thing with water hoses. Those big black heavy-duty water hoses from Sears have a lifetime guarantee, and Sears replaced one last year after my husband ran over it with the lawn tractor. :)

And, Steffie, I ALWAYS watch my feet when I am working around the place. I've become more cautious over the years after almost stepping on rattlesnakes in the garden numerous times. During snake season, it never fails.....I'll be walking across a paved parking lot at someplace like a mall or a Wal-Mart and my husband will notice I'm watching my feet as I walk, you know, watching for snakes! It is a hard habit to break once established.

I have rubber boots but I want some of the snakeproof boots and snakeproof pants I've seen at Cabella's. I have a neighbor who's lived here all his life and he wears snake chaps on his legs when he's working in brush or tall grass.
Still, you know, all of us are more likely to be bitten on the hand or arm while gardening, statistically speaking.

One of the reasons I mulch everything so heavily is that it cuts down on weeding and, presumably, on my chance of being bitten while weeding. I hate reaching into a shady mixed border of small trees, shrubs and ground covers in the summer months because you never know what will be in there!

Alan, I can't believe you were trying to pick a fight with a water moc! We have lots of them in our four ponds and they are very aggressive, as you know. We leave them alone in the three big ponds, but if they get in the lily pond that sits between the house and the barn, we remove them. (In a nice way if possible, like with a rake or by firing a gun at them and not hitting them.) If they won't leave in a nice way, my DH shoots them. We walk by the pond dozens of times a day and all our animals like to hang out around it, so we can't put up with snakes that close to us and the house.

To be fair to the snakes, most of the copperheads and rattlesnakes just want to get away from us as badly as we want to get away from them. One night my son, who was about 18 or 19 at the time, stepped out of his car after dark and stepped right on a copperhead. It startled him, but it didn't bite him. The cottonmouths are a whole different story, though, and we all steer clear of them.

We got 3.5" of rain here and had some minor street flooding. Even my raised beds have been pretty wet, but might be dry enough in a day or two for me to work in them. They drain fairly fast.

Dawn