Small Cottonmouth

[Silver Britches]

Walked up on this small cottonmouth not long ago while scouting one of my hunting spots. It was laying right on the trail I walk in and out on. If you look closely, you can see it's belly is full. Maybe full of frogs, or possibly baby snakes. Good thing I have a habit of walking with my head down.

 

[lagrangedave]

Could you smell it?

 

[Nicodemus]

Great shot of the little rascal.

 

[Cmp1]

Nice shot,,,,

 

[Silver Britches]

Could you smell it?

Nah, but she prolly got a strong whiff of something! I walked right up on that joker, too. I've seen so many of them over the years, and each time I see them, they still give me the creeps. I've had them hiss at me too, and brother, that'll raise the hair on your neck!

Great shot of the little rascal.

Thanks, bud. I have seen more venomous snakes this year, especially cottonmouths, than I have in a long time. I even see them laying all over the main roads when ridding the woods.

Nice shot,,,,

Thanks, bud. I took the video and pic with my iPad Pro. So I had to kneel down closer than I'd like to get the shots. I was out of striking range, though. I'm not going to be that stupid and get too close.

There is a ton of hog sign in this area, and I've heard they will eat snakes. So she's laying in a dangerous area.

Again, thanks y'all!

 

[cohuttahunter]

Yikes! Great shot.

 

[lagrangedave]

One time me and my best friend went to his daddy's lake and turned over my 17' canoe and he stepped right on a 3' cottonmouth as thick as my arm...……….we both screamed and he came right back down on top of the snake...……….luckily we didn't get bit. After we calmed down I asked him why he came right back down on the snake...………………….he said " because I cannot fly"...…….

 

[Silver Britches]

One time me and my best friend went to his daddy's lake and turned over my 17' canoe and he stepped right on a 3' cottonmouth as thick as my arm...……….we both screamed and he came right back down on top of the snake...……….luckily we didn't get bit. After we calmed down I asked him why he came right back down on the snake...………………….he said " because I cannot fly"...…….

You don't have to get bit, they'll make you hurt yourself. I walked up on one laying on a log, while easing through water up to my thighs. I was easing through the water, staying close to the trees, and when I came around this one large cypress tree, there it was laying on the log. I didn't see it at first, but I heard a loud hiss. At first I thought it was ducks coming in to land in the water, and even looked up for them. It didn't sound right, but that's what I thought it was. Then I heard it a second time and caught movement out the corner of my eye, and that's when I seen the cottonmouth on the log. An extremely large cottonmouth. He had swollen himself up to make himself bigger. His mouth was open and he was shaking his tail. If he would have bitten me, he probably would have gotten me in the groin / thigh area. Not good! That was the scariest encounter I've ever had with a venomous snake. That really shook me to the core. All I could do was slowly turn to walk away. My legs were shaking like crazy and I had that water rippling all the way to land. As far back as I was in that river swamp, I honestly doubt I would have made it out alive had he bit me. This was long before cell phones, and even if I had one, it probably wouldn't have done me any good. I had one heck of a long walk out. I'll never forget that for as long as I live.

 

[blood on the ground]

Little rascal just waiting on someone to step in the right spot... Yikes!

 

[EAGLE EYE 444]

I agree that this snake has obviously eaten something because there is a huge bulge showing when I zoomed in on it.

I agree that these jokers are enough to make your hemorrhoids pucker so tight that you couldn't drive a nail "somewhere" with a 3 lb hammer !!!!

This is why I have my .22 Magnum Colt Frontier Scout loaded with snake shot in my right hand when I am checking all of my trail cameras etc. Copperheads actually worry me more because their color pattern blends so easily with the leaves/dirt etc on the ground. I try my best to walk slowly while watching the ground out about 6-8 feet in front of my path and I hope to see them first.

 

[wvdawg]

Glad you saw it soon enough. I would have given it even more room when taking a pic - that's too close for my comfort!