Yall better be careful, I am in mississippi this early season warm spell.
Got hit by a large copperhead . When I saw him I jumped
Back but he still hit the toe of my boot. I went to get a limb to hold his down and cut his head off and he slid under the pine straw and I lost him. I always a carry a 22 but for some reason I
Didn't carry it won't happen again I bet. :smiley-char092:
With 70 and 80 degree days, I guarantee the copperheads, rattlesnakes and cottonmouths are out in full force so everyone keep an eye out and Be Safe!
Fellas, my sniffer doesn't work to well. Is it true that copperheads smell like cucumbers?
I don't know about cucumbers, but the ones I see all smell like poop.
Quote from: wvmntnhick on March 16, 2016, 02:34:00 PM
Fellas, my sniffer doesn't work to well. Is it true that copperheads smell like cucumbers?
That is IF they are riled so don't expect any warning other than the initial post above.
I have smelled a few in my career in the woods but any odors were those after they left or while being challenged.
I have accidentally straddled a diamond back and peed on it without it striking, nearly placed my foot into the mouth of a cottonmouth laying in a puddle of water and encountered several copperheads but never bitten.
Be careful because it happens somewhere every year.
Copperheads, rattlesnakes and water moccasins will all emit an unmistakable odor if they are agitated. Just so happens I have agitated a few of each in the process of making them good snakes. I can't say that I would call it a cucumber smell, but I do know I know it when I smell it.
One of the biggest changes for me moving from Louisiana to Missouri (other than having a lot more turkeys to chase) was the number of encounters with poisonous snakes all but disappeared when I moved to Missouri.
I call it a stinkweed smell
I stayed there a minute got my
Thoughts back together
And the smell I got in that spot smelled like stink weed
I had to make sure it wasn't something else. Lol
He went back under the pine straw so you better keep a watch
Quote from: FullChoke on March 16, 2016, 02:42:34 PM
I don't know about cucumbers, but the ones I see all smell like poop.
Haaaaaaaa. Isn't that the truth!
I've handled my share of rattlesnakes but have only seen a few copperheads. I've never noticed an odor from either of them. Of course, I don't smell stink bugs either so that an apparent plus.
That's why I wear snake boots. I can attest from personal experience that my muck woody armours are copperhead proof. In 29 yrs of turkey hunting been hit once & I'm glad I had snake boots on.
If he is getting away, I have a loaded shotgun in my hand!! I use it!!
Rattlesnakes smell like an old boar goat.
Between the rain and the recent warm temps in the southeast, they're out. Along with all of the insects of the biting and stinging variety. Glad you're ok from the strike.
Ya i would have done some patterning in the pine straw !
I always wear snake boots turkey hunting..i hear some many people on this forum say i only carry three shells with me turkey hunting .. all i can say is you are crazy..
The venomous snakes that I have encountered seem to have a very musky odor, almost like fox pee. It's an unmistakable smell after you have a couple close encounters and get a good whiff of one. From then on, you can just "smell" them
Glad to hear that you didn't get bit. You guys can keep those venomous buggers. We've got some timber rattlers in a few places here in NY, but most people go their entire lives without ever seeing one. Be careful.
Bob
Quote from: Sixes on March 16, 2016, 05:59:36 PM
The venomous snakes that I have encountered seem to have a very musky odor, almost like fox pee. It's an unmistakable smell after you have a couple close encounters and get a good whiff of one. From then on, you can just "smell" them
I've done my share of trapping and have been around my share of fox pee. Never smelled a snake that took on that odor. But then again, as mentioned before, my sniffer doesn't work the same as everyone else's. Kinda makes me wonder if we don't smell things differently but because everyone smells it different we get the same reaction. Strange, but a thought. Heck, a guy I used to work with would complain after a rain because he hated the smell of worms. :TooFunny:
A lot of snakes put off a musty odor when you agitate them. Have noticed most rattlesnakes will just retreat if given the chance. Copperhead on the other hand tend to be much more aggressive. I always wear snake boots while turkey hunting. Haven't had any close calls yet but you never know...
Ditto on snake boots
I been chain these birds since 83 and that's the
Closest I ever came to being bit.
Had a close call once while fishing but. he just rattled instead of striking. I was one step away from disaster. That was in August tho. It definitely gets the adrenaline flowing! Glad your ok.
We don't have copperheads here in central Fl but I am a magnet for cotton mouths and rattlers. I killed 5 this past deer season and all were right in my path or between my feet when I saw them. One of the cotton mouths flipped around and put me in retreat mode for about 15 feet before I cracked him with my shooting sticks. I mean he attacked like a raging bull and was striking every foot of the way. It took me a few to recover from that one !!!
I flat out don't enter the woods without my snake boots and even then my eyes are peeled.
I think you southern boys have more snakes than we do. I have spent over 25 years running around the woods and have only seen maybe 6 or 7 rattlesnakes and maybe 5 copperheads. I don't look for them and am sure I have passed by a few without realizing it but as long as they ain't messin with me I ain't gonna mess with them. Unless they are close to my house. Then it's on.
Quote from: born2hunt on March 16, 2016, 08:02:37 PM
We don't have copperheads here in central Fl but I am a magnet for cotton mouths and rattlers. I killed 5 this past deer season and all were right in my path or between my feet when I saw them. One of the cotton mouths flipped around and put me in retreat mode for about 15 feet before I cracked him with my shooting sticks. I mean he attacked like a raging bull and was striking every foot of the way. It took me a few to recover from that one !!!
I flat out don't enter the woods without my snake boots and even then my eyes are peeled.
if i ever get to hunt there , i will have extra drawers in my turkey vest :D
Listening to all of this reminds me why I'll never move south. Y'all have too many venomous snakes but what scares me more than that are the danged spiders. Those are the real sneaky fellas. Either way, not heading south. I've seen large number of rattlers at times but that was also at a den site. Pretty cool to see 30+ while standing in one spot. Also makes you wonder how you've fished that spot for so many years before without seeing one. The den is quite literally right along the river. As for the comment above about copperheads being more aggressive, I'll second that. No rattlesnakes at my buddies camp but the kill several copperheads every year. The joke has always been that the rattlesnakes don't stand a chance there because the copperheads are so mean they just eat them before they get a chance to even rattle at you.
Quote from: wvmntnhick on March 16, 2016, 09:37:19 PM
Listening to all of this reminds me why I'll never move south. Y'all have too many venomous snakes but what scares me more than that are the danged spiders. Those are the real sneaky fellas. Either way, not heading south. I've seen large number of rattlers at times but that was also at a den site. Pretty cool to see 30+ while standing in one spot. Also makes you wonder how you've fished that spot for so many years before without seeing one. The den is quite literally right along the river. As for the comment above about copperheads being more aggressive, I'll second that. No rattlesnakes at my buddies camp but the kill several copperheads every year. The joke has always been that the rattlesnakes don't stand a chance there because the copperheads are so mean they just eat them before they get a chance to even rattle at you.
I have never seen a den of snakes here in NY but have seen 3 rattle snakes before. If I ever see a den full of rattlers like the one below, I am just going to stay in my house..... :funnyturkey:
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=-DaGsnFv_00
snakes are why I always carry a few low brass 7-1/2's with me
best type of copperhead. This one was huge.
(http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c372/strut-n-rut/Mobile%20Uploads/2015-09/20150929_060300_zps58qdwris.jpg) (http://s31.photobucket.com/user/strut-n-rut/media/Mobile%20Uploads/2015-09/20150929_060300_zps58qdwris.jpg.html)
I will make sure to have my snake boots on. Copperheads and Cotton Mouths are the ones that scare me the most. Copperheads are really hard to see in the leaves so I try to stick to open fields where I can watch my step better.
I HATE snakes!!! I'm the luckiest unlucky person. I've never been bit but every year I seem to have a close encounter. I had an incident with a rattlesnake on a deer hunt coiling up under my feet one time that caused me to buy snake boots! A 4 foot rattler at your feet rattling when you go to stand up will make a man squirm!!! I ended up throwing my hunting bag on top of him as he struck it right between my legs as I stood up.
Man I hate snakes! Luckily I haven't encountered any yet!
I can't believe I actually watched that video... I was thinking of doing some solo hunting, but I am absolutely terrified of snakes, even though I have never walked up on one while hunting. I definitely wear snake boots any time I am out in the woods. Anywho, looks like I will be waiting until somebody can go with me...
Everybody keeps talking about snakes smelling like a cucumber or some type of stink but I can assure you if one went to bite me the only smell would be urine bc I would def pee all over myself. I mowed the yard today and there was a garter snake slithering across the grass and I thought well maybe that dude will help get rid of some of these moles, then reality set in and I had to go with the motto the only good snake is a dead one. He got mowed over.
I try to be like a turkey when I'm in the woods, I see everything. What I don't like is early in the am using a flashlight, if it's colder they don't move to well, so I have the upper hand. But warmer mornings better watch out. I don't like to shoot snakes while turkey hunting, that's the last alternative.
Quote from: FullChoke on March 16, 2016, 02:42:34 PM
I don't know about cucumbers, but the ones I see all smell like poop.
It is not the snake that smells like that... If you are anything like me, it is probably your underwear...
Actually, I am lucking in California. Rattlesnakes are not aggressive, and generally want nothing more than to get away from you. They give you good indication when they are around, and you really have to surprise one to get bit.
Using a weed eater at my duck club, a rattler struck at me, grazing my leg. I quickly dispatched it, and carried out my work (with far more anxiety than when I started). As I returned to the dead snake, I went to pick it up, only to realize it was another snake (right next to the dead one). I killed that one, and as I reached down to pick it up, there was a third...
I left my club with a bit of unfinished work, and was speaking an octave or two higher the rest of the day. But, had I not been using the weed eater, I certainly would have heard them buzzing, and easily avoided the whole encounter.
The water moccasins in Florida scared the crap out of me... They will flat out chase you. Had one get into my car while bass fishing along a canal (a whole different story unto itself)... I must have looked suspicious approaching my car and then running away, cause a police officer stopped to see what was up.
He did not believe me at first, and asked if I minded if he took a look. Not sure what he expected to find, but it was obvious, that even with my warning he was not expecting that snake. He offered to call animal control, but I ended up getting it out with my fishing rod.
that is why i wear snake boots. i will say im probably in a minority here because im not going to kill the snake ive only came up on a couple copperheads but when given space they stayed calm and slithered off.
I would shoot one if it were around one of my deer stands or the house, but I can't see ruining a hunt just to chase one down and kill it. Of course, that is easy to say right now sitting on the couch. Who knows what I might do if I were to walk up on one that wouldn't get out of the way.
Quote from: hs strut on March 22, 2016, 01:07:44 AM
I will say im probably in a minority here because im not going to kill the snake ive only came up on a couple copperheads but when given space they stayed calm and slithered off.
If I am somewhere where the snake poses a possible threat to people or dogs, I will kill it. If I am in the woods, they get a free pass.
I used to kill them on cattle ranches as well, but come to find out that cattle being bit by rattlesnakes is extremely rare... Maybe they can smell them???
Aren't the odds of actually being bitten by a snake pretty slim? From what I understand, a snake will usually get out of your way before you even know it is there, correct?
I encounter them on a regular basis. Mostly cottonmouths and copperheads,a rattler once in awhile. The rattlers with just lay there if you are close,and most try to get away from you . A copperhead is much the same way.A cottonmouth on the other hand will sand his ground and if you are close he will strike.
I look at the ground. Every time I put my foot down I look. Last year I stepped down into a small creek/ditch and felt him hit my boot. Looked again and there he was a good size copperhead I stepped over him and got to close for his comfort. The year before that I stepped right behind ones head .
Quote from: Izzyjoe on March 22, 2016, 12:24:02 AMI don't like to shoot snakes while turkey hunting, that's the last alternative.
Yep.
1st alternative..........rocks
2nd alternative.........big stick
Last alternative........shoot
:icon_thumright:
slipping through the swamp this morning thinking the same thing....had enough moonlight through the clouds I didn't break out a flashlight...comes with the territory I guess...but ever present in the mind
Quote from: bbcoach on March 16, 2016, 02:06:09 PM
With 70 and 80 degree days, I guarantee the copperheads, rattlesnakes and cottonmouths are out in full force so everyone keep an eye out and Be Safe!