SNAKES-- YUK

RT - you only have timbers and copperheads in CT.  Eastern diamondbacks most northern range is southern North Carolina.   Some timbers absolutely have diamond shaped designs on their backs, but they are not eastern dbs...
 
Just fyi as ID can become important if anti-venom is needed.  I do not know if timbers venom has the same characteristics of easter db.
 
I've seen a few snakes in the upper fly zone in July.  No poison however.  Let's keep it that way !

That was a new one on me too- guess if I'm gonna get bit it may as well be by something unusual and different-makes a much better campfire story.( if ya live through it)
 Perhaps thats why they call it God's country up there-every time ya see someting ya have to scream  'what in God's name is THAT'.

i live in new jersey and believe it or not there is a state park 15 minutes from me that is loaded with copper heads and timber rattlers... i used to love hiking this area and straying off of trails to make it to highpoints that i would plot based from a topography map. it's been years now since i've gone to that extent due to all of the darned snakes i encountered. i actually prefer running in to the timber rattlers because they are less poisonous and they also let you know that they are there. the straw that broke the camels back for me was the copper head that was in striking pose that i almost backed up in to while observing a NYC view from 1000 ft. up; but luckily heard its hissing tongue at the last split second i could of and took off...

now, i'm not a snake expert at any means, but i do know the habitat in the salmon river region is nothing like this moutnainous/ appalachian area that i am familiar with. i'm talking solid rock with certain areas basically not even having any trees or growth due to solid rock... and btw; those darned things love sun bathing on an early spring day on those hot mountain sides...

with this being said; i doubt a copper head or rattler would frequent our "GODS COUNTRY" at all... i've yet to see one, but yes; i have seen tons of black or greenish nasty squiggly snakes along the banks and grass beds...big ones too... check out the salmon river hatchery throughout the summer and theres usually a a big old black snake sprawled out on the rocks right at the spill gate... and man, i would hate to get bitten by one of those suckers...

but as CBeagler said, you never know what you can find out there; so an antivneom kit would not be a bad idea...

    Hey Beagle-
    -Thanks much for that map- it shows the darned things are NOT at the SR- Close but NOT there.


    Dime-
    Have been in close situations with copperheads and timbers here in CT but the scariest darn thing ever for me was  one of those  common bitey snappy darned water snakes. They NEVER just bite once they are the eveready bunnies of the snake world. They just keep biting and biting and biting---
    Was Brook Trout fishing one day and went to sit on a low rock in mid stream. Well ya know when you are at that point when sitting down a little too far when your on the way down and probably cant quite stand up again?
      Thats about the time I glanced down at the rock and saw a water snake curled up on it with its head up ready to bite my whatevers.
      Missed the rock with an imposible contortion -snake tried but missed me and we both got very wet in opposite directions.
       For 50 years since I have ALWAYS checked when sitting in the great outdoors.

Almost, if I had to make a choice, if I were pressed I would probably say the rattler. One herpatologist I met was bitten and spent a month in the hospital. Neither is pretty, and I have met plenty of guys in the hills who have been bitten by rattlers. Some went to the hospital overnight, some were in for a week, One guy got bit two years in a row--the second one almost killed him. Another man spent a couple of days in bed and was fine after that. The copperhead supposedly does less tissue damage, and I have seen rattlesnake bites that look like someone took a blow torch to the skin.

No doubt any of them can do some serious damage and even kill you. But with other things it seems that people have different reactions sometimes.

I carry a Sawyer Extractor with me when in snake country. In PA I also carry a pistol with snake shot. If I get bit I am bringing that thing in with me so that if I am out they know what the devil bit me.

ORIGINAL: dimebrite


I actually prefer running in to the timber rattlers because they are less poisonous and they also let you know that they are there. the straw that broke the camels back for me was the copper head that was in striking pose that i almost backed up in to while observing a NYC view from 1000 ft. up; but luckily heard its hissing tongue at the last split second i could of and took off...

Dime, are you certain it was a copperhead? There may be some copperhead in the area that you described. I have personally never heard one hissing, but two other snakes that mimic the copperhead do. One is the Eastern hognose, it will flatten its head and hiss--but it is harmless. It also has similar markings as a copperhead. The other is the eastern milk snake--it will make a racket also and start shaking its tail like a rattler would--it is also marked similar to a copperhead. The milk snake will raise a welt like a bee sting if it nips you--they are generally ill tempered as well.

Since you had your camera, did you get a picture of it or just run? 
No shame in just running.

I spent plenty of summers chasing snakes as a kid too. I caught a black snake when I was living in the mountains and put it in my woodpile. They eat rattlers.

Dime- when you hear the hiss watch the snake for a while. Those hognose eventually will put their head back into shape and loose that wide appearance of a copperhead. Agitate it a bit again and if the head widens and the hiss comes out again--hognose. Wigleing a finger in front of it will usually agitate it quite nicely.


btw-thanks for the heads up on Atlantic fishing-probably wont get back up till bout 3 AM on Sat 11th till sometime Mon the 13th.

I second that cb; I keep my distance with most snakes... yes cb I post from time to time i post on fish erie, fly tying and fly tackle forums. How far from salmon river will you be? Im 4 hours myself but try to get up 1-3 times a month. There aren't as many members here as the pennsylvania forums, so your contributions will be appreciated and out of the steady posters here you can acquire some great knowledge of the area.

heres a site that gives you a bunch of information about venomous species of spiders and snakes. its http://www.venombyte.com/ Cool feature is you can list the different species by state.

Good to hear from ya clint; I hope none of those rattlers are making their treck up north to salmoncountry:) there are a lot of beaver swamps in the region here. You never know...

Little drop---HA--If I ever lift a sheet of plywood and hear a rattle the snake wont even be able to see me through the pile I leave behind.

yea saw one of those in arizona that was all of 8ft

Im so afraid of snakes any kind it took me 2 hours and alot of soul searching just to read these posts!!!!!!!My heart is beating i wouldnt nee anti venom i wouls need a cardiologist!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

icenut(Bill)

was it mating season?