Bitten by Snakes or Snapping Turtles while Swimming?

Don Freeman wrote:

"Rodney Long" wrote in message
...

One day I was canoeing and a big Cotton Mouth was just 20 feet away on the
bank, I pulled out the trusted 22 automatic pistol to dispatch it.


Reason being?




They, and man, have no place together, a cotton mouth does not fear man,
and will attack, non provoked, I've had it happen to me more than once,
but I have always been able to avoid the strike, because I saw the snake
before it got in range. I even had one try to get in the boat with me,
because I was anchored across his path, I could not even beat him away
with a fishing rod, he kept fighting it and me, I ending up shooting
him, although he was in an area where he would not have harmed anyone
else,, he just would not leave, and would not keep from trying to get
into the boat with me, and I couldn't move the boat with the two anchors
out, I couldn't get them in and fight the snake off at the same time

I "NEVER" kill non poisonous snakes, (and I know the difference) and
only kill the poisonous ones when they are a threat, by just their
location, sometimes. a cotton mouth within 50 yds of a swimming area,
house, or area where people frequent, DIES ! It's not worth the chance
of someone getting bitten. If they were rare, perhaps I would catch and
transplant those that are on the bank in these areas, if it hits the
water, there is no catching them, and you will get bitten trying

--
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

"Rodney Long" wrote in message
...
Don Freeman wrote:

"Rodney Long" wrote in message
...

One day I was canoeing and a big Cotton Mouth was just 20 feet away on
the bank, I pulled out the trusted 22 automatic pistol to dispatch it.


Reason being?

They, and man, have no place together, a cotton mouth does not fear man,
and will attack, non provoked, I've had it happen to me more than once,


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.

--
-Don
Ever had one of those days where you just felt like:
http://cosmoslair.com/BadDay.html ?
(Eating the elephant outside the box, one paradigm at a time)

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

"Rodney Long" wrote in message
...
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.


Doing a search on "aggressive" and "cottonmouth" I find a lot of disparity
in opinions on wither the cottonmouth is actually aggressive or not.
Looking closer at the sources I find that the more reliable ones (as opposed
to joe blows blog site) tend to support the position that its aggressive
nature is not deserved. Regardless, the number of biting incidences is
incredibly low and the number of deaths from those bites minimal. Hardly
justifies killing every one you come across, especially if it poses no
threat to you.

--
-Don
Ever had one of those days where you just felt like:
http://cosmoslair.com/BadDay.html ?
(Eating the elephant outside the box, one paradigm at a time)

Don Freeman wrote:

Doing a search on "aggressive" and "cottonmouth" I find a lot of disparity
in opinions on wither the cottonmouth is actually aggressive or not.
Looking closer at the sources I find that the more reliable ones (as opposed
to joe blows blog site) tend to support the position that its aggressive
nature is not deserved.

Man that sounds like the shark huggers (naturalist) who claim bull
sharks are not aggressive, they mistake humans for fish.

A couple of naturalist were proving that very fact a couple of years
ago, in knee deep water, with bull sharks all around them, and guess
what? one of them got nailed! on camera, yet they still claimed they are
not aggressive

California banned cougar hunting a few years back, and now people are
dying, while they are jogging in their neighborhoods

There are no "naturalist" that will claim any animal is aggressive
towards man, it's politically incorrect, and would cost them their jobs.

My feelings on the matter is from personal experience, not based on what
I have read somewhere, and I would bet Joe Blow's Blog site is based on
the same thing, his personal experiences

Regardless, the number of biting incidences is
incredibly low


Yep they are low,, because people like me keep them from places where
people are. That's why they are not protected by law, at least not here

and the number of deaths from those bites minimal.


Have you ever seen someone that survived a snake bite ? Go on the net
and take a look at the damage caused, how would you like your child to
go through that, because you thought that cotton mouth you saw the week
before, was no threat

Hardly
justifies killing every one you come across, especially if it poses no
threat to you.

I never said I kill everyone I see,, hardly, in some of the places I
fish I will see a dozen of them a day, hanging on limbs over the water,
these are some out of the way places, where few people go, and those who
do, know they are there, they also don't run their boats under tree
limbs :-)

Cotton mouths normally don't hang around clear banks, or open water,
they like it back in the feeder creaks, swamps, and the over grown
banks, where they can drop on their pray from limbs (few people get on
these banks, and fewer still swim in those areas) this is where the
cotton mouth has a place in nature, not on your swimming beach, under
your pier, or in your back yard



--
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

"Rodney Long" wrote in message
...
Don Freeman wrote:

Doing a search on "aggressive" and "cottonmouth" I find a lot of
disparity in opinions on wither the cottonmouth is actually aggressive or
not. Looking closer at the sources I find that the more reliable ones (as
opposed to joe blows blog site) tend to support the position that its
aggressive nature is not deserved.

Man that sounds like the shark huggers (naturalist) who claim bull sharks
are not aggressive, they mistake humans for fish.

A couple of naturalist were proving that very fact a couple of years ago,
in knee deep water, with bull sharks all around them, and guess what? one
of them got nailed! on camera, yet they still claimed they are not
aggressive

Well duh, and if you walk into a pit of even the most timid snakes you are
bound to annoy at least one of them.


California banned cougar hunting a few years back, and now people are
dying, while they are jogging in their neighborhoods


Oh yeah, they're killing us left and right out here, can't walk to the
corner market without being attacked. That's why there are so many humvees
and other forms of SUVs in my neighborhood: to protects us from all the
unwarranted feline attention.

For a little perspective:
http://california.sierraclub.org/mou...on/safety.html

"Your risk of being injured or killed by a mountain lion is infinitesimal.
There have been only 13 fatal mountain lion attacks in all of North America
in the last 100 years. Eleven of the fatal attacks occurred in western
states and provinces where trophy hunting of lions is allowed. According to
the Department of Fish and Game's own records, in the last 20 years more
than 85 people have died and 700 people have been injured in hunting
accidents in California. For every person killed by a mountain lion in the
last century, 300 people have been killed by bees,. 750 people have died
when their cars collided with deer, 1200 people have been killed by
lightning, and more than 1100 people were killed in hunting-related
accidents. Hunting presents a much greater threat to public safety than
mountain lions."

My feelings on the matter is from personal experience, not based on what I
have read somewhere, and I would bet Joe Blow's Blog site is based on the
same thing, his personal experiences


More likely to have been based on apocryphal/anecdotal incidences. Which,
ironically enough, turns this thread on-topic for this group.

--
-Don "whose signature link is even more appropriate" Freeman
http://cosmoslair.com/BadDay.html ?
(Eating the elephant outside the box, one paradigm at a time)

"Don Freeman" wrote in message
...

"Rodney Long" wrote in message
...
Don Freeman wrote:

Doing a search on "aggressive" and "cottonmouth" I find a lot of
disparity in opinions on wither the cottonmouth is actually aggressive
or not. Looking closer at the sources I find that the more reliable ones
(as opposed to joe blows blog site) tend to support the position that
its aggressive nature is not deserved.

Man that sounds like the shark huggers (naturalist) who claim bull sharks
are not aggressive, they mistake humans for fish.

A couple of naturalist were proving that very fact a couple of years ago,
in knee deep water, with bull sharks all around them, and guess what? one
of them got nailed! on camera, yet they still claimed they are not
aggressive

Well duh, and if you walk into a pit of even the most timid snakes you are
bound to annoy at least one of them.


California banned cougar hunting a few years back, and now people are
dying, while they are jogging in their neighborhoods


Oh yeah, they're killing us left and right out here, can't walk to the
corner market without being attacked. That's why there are so many
humvees and other forms of SUVs in my neighborhood: to protects us from
all the unwarranted feline attention.

For a little perspective:
http://california.sierraclub.org/mou...on/safety.html

"Your risk of being injured or killed by a mountain lion is infinitesimal.
There have been only 13 fatal mountain lion attacks in all of North
America in the last 100 years. Eleven of the fatal attacks occurred in
western states and provinces where trophy hunting of lions is allowed.
According to the Department of Fish and Game's own records, in the last 20
years more than 85 people have died and 700 people have been injured in
hunting accidents in California. For every person killed by a mountain
lion in the last century, 300 people have been killed by bees,. 750 people
have died when their cars collided with deer, 1200 people have been killed
by lightning, and more than 1100 people were killed in hunting-related
accidents. Hunting presents a much greater threat to public safety than
mountain lions."

My feelings on the matter is from personal experience, not based on what
I have read somewhere, and I would bet Joe Blow's Blog site is based on
the same thing, his personal experiences


More likely to have been based on apocryphal/anecdotal incidences.
Which, ironically enough, turns this thread on-topic for this group.

--
-Don "whose signature link is even more appropriate" Freeman
http://cosmoslair.com/BadDay.html ?
(Eating the elephant outside the box, one paradigm at a time)


And the Sierra club is full of ****! There were only about 2 deaths from
Mt. Lions until they were put on the protected list. They are not
endangered, they are fairly common. They have about wiped out the
California Big Horn sheep in a few areas. We a lot living in the San
Francisco Bay area hills.

Don Freeman proclaimed:
"Rodney Long" wrote in message
...

Don Freeman wrote:


Doing a search on "aggressive" and "cottonmouth" I find a lot of
disparity in opinions on wither the cottonmouth is actually aggressive or
not. Looking closer at the sources I find that the more reliable ones (as
opposed to joe blows blog site) tend to support the position that its
aggressive nature is not deserved.

Man that sounds like the shark huggers (naturalist) who claim bull sharks
are not aggressive, they mistake humans for fish.

A couple of naturalist were proving that very fact a couple of years ago,
in knee deep water, with bull sharks all around them, and guess what? one
of them got nailed! on camera, yet they still claimed they are not
aggressive


Well duh, and if you walk into a pit of even the most timid snakes you are
bound to annoy at least one of them.


California banned cougar hunting a few years back, and now people are
dying, while they are jogging in their neighborhoods


Oh yeah, they're killing us left and right out here, can't walk to the
corner market without being attacked. That's why there are so many humvees
and other forms of SUVs in my neighborhood: to protects us from all the
unwarranted feline attention.

For a little perspective:
http://california.sierraclub.org/mou...on/safety.html

"Your risk of being injured or killed by a mountain lion is infinitesimal.
There have been only 13 fatal mountain lion attacks in all of North America
in the last 100 years. Eleven of the fatal attacks occurred in western
states and provinces where trophy hunting of lions is allowed. According to
the Department of Fish and Game's own records, in the last 20 years more
than 85 people have died and 700 people have been injured in hunting
accidents in California. For every person killed by a mountain lion in the
last century, 300 people have been killed by bees,. 750 people have died
when their cars collided with deer, 1200 people have been killed by
lightning, and more than 1100 people were killed in hunting-related
accidents. Hunting presents a much greater threat to public safety than
mountain lions."

In other words, your risk of being injured or killed by a mountain lion
is orders of magnitude smaller than it is of being mistaken for an
aggressive snake and being offed by a trusty .22 handgun.


My feelings on the matter is from personal experience, not based on what I
have read somewhere, and I would bet Joe Blow's Blog site is based on the
same thing, his personal experiences

More likely to have been based on apocryphal/anecdotal incidences. Which,
ironically enough, turns this thread on-topic for this group.

Never attribute that to folklore which is more obviously explained by
abject total and willful ignorance.

Don Freeman proclaimed:

"Rodney Long" wrote in message
...

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.



Doing a search on "aggressive" and "cottonmouth" I find a lot of disparity
in opinions on wither the cottonmouth is actually aggressive or not.
Looking closer at the sources I find that the more reliable ones (as opposed
to joe blows blog site) tend to support the position that its aggressive
nature is not deserved. Regardless, the number of biting incidences is
incredibly low and the number of deaths from those bites minimal. Hardly
justifies killing every one you come across, especially if it poses no
threat to you.

But Don, it was large and old! Pay attention dammit! And it was a
threat to him and his wife and his unborn grandchildren! And it was
MEAN! And obviously intelligent, having survived all previous risks
other than the idiot factor--that alone can be a danger to some folk.

Don Freeman proclaimed:
"Rodney Long" wrote in message
...

Don Freeman wrote:


"Rodney Long" wrote in message
...


One day I was canoeing and a big Cotton Mouth was just 20 feet away on
the bank, I pulled out the trusted 22 automatic pistol to dispatch it.


Reason being?


They, and man, have no place together, a cotton mouth does not fear man,
and will attack, non provoked, I've had it happen to me more than once,



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.


I think he misunderstood the snake's motivation. The snake was really
trying to protect him from the Killer Rabbit that was trying to crawl
into the boat from the other side.