This guy was pretty good size (4 feet, maybe a touch more), and while I wouldn't say it was aggressive, I'll at least say he was in no way afraid, and really did track straight toward me for a bit. Western PA, in the woods near a creek.

Black rat snake. Can be aggressive if provoked but non venomous. One of the good ones so let it go.

Thanks! We were out on a trail, so once it cleared our path, we parted ways.

Four minutes! It's 'almost' as if one can remain on the scene prepared to dispatch the snake in question while awaiting an ID from SIGforum!

I'm not a snake expert, but it looks like the common black snakes that keep our yard clear of mice, moles, etc.

Ours don't trust people, they usually depart at a high rate of velocity when they spot us.

Eastern Rat Snake.
They eat rodents, bugs and things you don't want around.

Yep. A good snake that will eat vermin, on venomous and not dangerous (will bite if you try to handle it). Keep em around.

quote:

Originally posted by V-Tail:
I'm not a snake expert, but it looks like the common black snakes that keep our yard clear of mice, moles, etc.

Ours don't trust people, they usually depart at a high rate of velocity when they spot us.

The "depart at a high rate of velocity when they spot us” is typical behavior for the Southern black racer which is common in Florida.

Yep. Those black snakes are one of the few that I leave alone, because I can recognize them immediately as nonvenomous (no local venomous snakes look anything like them), and they eat pests.

Whereas any brown snakes are suspect.

They can get pretty big, though. And they like to hang out on porches/roofs for the sun. So it's easy to get surprised by one dangling from your roof or sitting by your front door.

We usually have a couple black snakes that hang around the back yard in the Summer. It's said that if you have a black snake around, they'll keep the rattlers & copperheads away. Might be an old wives tale, or maybe they're just better rodent hunters.

This one was here last year. When it went under the picnic table, it was end to end, so it was six feet.

Eastern black snake. Had a six footer up in the bird feeder just yesterday..

We had one about 4 feet long that I "captured" as it was trying to get into a bird nest box. Probably after the baby birds.

I took it a couple 100 yards and turned it loose.

One of the Ratsnakes, which one depends on where you live.

I agree it is a rat snake.

That's Elmer, he's as dumb as mud I saw him trying to eat a kids baseball one day.

I wish I could get them into my yard. I’ve got moles and voles and mice driving me nuts.

In S.Central PA there was a tradition among farmers of almost venerating the black snake. They will attack and kill copperheads-- and of course rats. Definitely a good guy.

Had one of those twisted up tight in a neighbor's nylon fishing-line-style rabbit fencing.

Darn thing did it when it was ridiculously hot, the neighbor was traveling and no-one was watching her backyard. She found it when she got back, and called me. Snake was limp, darn near dead from lack of water, and had twisted so tight trying to get itself free that the nylon line had cut pretty deeply into the skin, to boot.

My wife is the snake expert, but she was not due to be home for hours. So it was up to me. We like these guys - they eat the voles and are foes of our local copperheads, so I figured to give it a shot.

I asked the neighbor if she cared about the fence, and she said no, so I cut the nylon strings around where the snake was and got the snake loose from the fence, but with the strings still twisted into its skin. Then put the snake on her picnic table. Still nothing from the snake.

I figured, nothing to lose, so got up close and personal and used the scissors attachment on my Swiss Army knife, and cut all the strings that touched the snake. Still nothing from the snake - still limp.

But hope springs eternal. We had snake cages at home (kids pets) so I hand-carried the limp beastie home, put it in an empty cage, and put a cup of water down and a towel over the cage to give the snake a dark calm place to rehydrate and recover, hoping it wasn't dead.

Couple hours later, wife comes home and I take off the towel show her "Mister Limp - Maybe Dead -Snake" - Hah! Struck at the side of the glass as soon as the towel went off! Ingrate!

Wife (the expert) used her snake tongs the next day and put him to work in the yard.

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