We used to kill em on little isolated clumps of ground out in beaver swamps. They had to swim over there but we had never seen one hit the water coming or going.
That’s a really neat picture.
Back in the 80's I'd hunt swamps in February when the snakes were down. They are fast and big. I used high brass duck loads on them. Regular #6 field load for cottontails wouldn't do the job.
we had a new guy hunting w/ us one day that shot one about 15ft out in a beaver swamp....he waded out in thigh deep water to get it....hunted rest of the morning in 30-40degree weather....