Don Freeman wrote:
Yet you state that the snake was on the bank, and you were 20 ft away, on
the water, and in a boat. Now THAT sounds non-provoked.
Yep, I got him before he got me , or my wife, or my grand kids at a
latter time. I'm just helping to control the numbers of them around
humans, there are plenty of places for them where humans don't frequent.
This bad boy was over 6 feet long, very large and very old for a cotton
mouth
They no longer have any natural predators, there numbers must be
controlled, or "people" die. My state DNR has no problem with people
taking them out, they are far from rare, actually they are too numerous,
and they are just down right MEAN compared to other snakes, they are the
most aggressive snake in North America, one of the few that will come
after you, instead of fleeing.
I've been handling snakes for close to 40 years now, When I was in high
school, I made my extra money "catching" poisonous snakes, that were
milked, then released. I used to get 4 dollars a foot for them "alive".
I know them well, and the cotton mouth is just dangerous to have
anywhere near people. You will hear of people keeping all kinds of
poisonous snakes, but never cotton mouths. They offered 10 dollars a
foot for them captured, back when I was doing it, I know of three
people, who did what I did, (they were pros) that got bitten trying to
catch those demons (they were actively looking for cotton mouths, in
their habitat, all claimed they never saw the snakes, until after they
got nailed)
Yep I hate those particular snakes, Now I love rattlers, you got to
almost step on one to get bitten, and they even warn you when your close
to them. Copper heads are very shy, you will get bitten if you step over
a log, instead of on top of it, or if your getting fire wood off a
stack, without looking where your putting your hand. They will flee if
they get the chance, or if they see you before you get too close, put a
hand or foot close to them and your gonna get nailed, but you have to
startle them when you do it, otherwise they are heading the other direction.
--
Rodney Long,
Inventor of the Mojo SpecTastic "WIGGLE" rig, SpecTastic Thread,
Boomerang Fishing Pro. ,Stand Out Hooks ,Stand Out Lures,
Mojo's Rock Hopper & Rig Saver weights, and the EZKnot
http://www.ezknot.com