Yeah, that's a "Bad Nope Rope"

Kill it before it kills your dog

The guys saying water mocassin and cottonmouth are both right. Two names for the same snake.

I live not far from where the OP is. Sometimes it is difficult to tell the difference between the banded water snake and a young moccasin at a distance but there is no doubt about this one. It is a moccasin. I kill a couple of these a year on my property-this is a young one but still very dangerous and can be aggressive. If you see a large fully developed moccasin you will immediately know it. Be careful-a significant percentage of envenomations occur even after the snake is dead.

Definitely a Cottonmouth. Catch it and send it to me. I have a place to let it go where it will be among friends.

quote:

Originally posted by pbramlett:
<<snip>>
We had a guy die last weekend from a copperhead bite in my area.

I guess I missed that! Was it on the local news? First I've heard of this, though obviously not doubting you...

Yup. Definitely a snake.

Kill.

Concur with the cottonmouth/water moccasin opinion. Need to get that one out ASAP and keep the dog away.

 
I've read (but don't know if this is scientific fact) that adult venomous snakes learn to control their venom delivery in a strike, based on the size of their prey. It is important to control their supply of venom. Whereas, juveniles have not developed this technique yet and deliver a full load of venom.

quote:

Originally posted by Eponym:
Yup. Definitely a snake.

I concur,

may be the bitey type,,,


take a look thru this site

http://www.whatsnakeisthat.com/

So I guess the next question is how are you going to smite this foul serpent? 12 or 20 gauge? Or are you going to get medieval on it with a nice slightly rusty garden hoe ?

Kill it.

And don’t monkey around with its head, you can still be bitten for hours after smiteing it with glorious vengeance!

Flat point shovel will do it if the snake is snoozing

Kill. Chop off head and bury that. Let woods critters feast on the carcass.

quote:

Originally posted by TXJIM:
Looks like a broad banded water snake to me. A juvenile cottonmouth typically has a green or yellow tail that is distinct from the rest of its pattern. Also, a cottonmouth has a very distinct neck, the body tapering sharply just behind the head and I don't see that with this snake.

Spot on, TXJIM. I have an experienced eye for water snakes, as I worked on a minnow farm in south Miss. Cotton mouth moccasins have a VERY distinctive look around the neck and head. Their body really tapers at the neck and tail, and the head of pit vipers is a distinct triangle. A 3' cotton mouth will be as big around as your arm. An ordinary water snake has to be twice as long to be that thick. When threatened, ordinary water snakes will puff out their jaws to mimic the bad boys; I've seen 'em do it.

quote:

Originally posted by arfmel:
Flat point shovel will do it if the snake is snoozing

How do you tell if it's snoozing?
Do they snore?

Get a close-up of the pit in his mouth, only way to be sure.

Link to original video: https://youtu.be/dL3ZIc5IL2w

quote:

Originally posted by hunter62:
Wow, lots of different options. Looking up pictures of a cottonmouth, this looks pretty close. We have been seeing this one daily, might kill it next go around just in case the dog gets away from us. We have currently been herding it back to the sand. Figured it would help with any mice in the area. Wish I took more pictures of the head to help with ID.

It was a smaller snake, maybe 20-22”.

Looks like this one... cottonmouth

I think this is the key...

“...note its olive, dark tan, dark brown or an almost black body, thick and python-like in its girth, especially in the middle before it tapers to a long, thin tip.”

Cottonmouths I’ve seen, probably killed and skinned 10 or so as a kid, in north Texas and Oklahoma resemble that description. Yours doesn’t look like a cottonmouth to me but I’m not positive if it’s a youngin. Why is it not near water?

I’d relocate if possible, but if not then don’t take a chance.

I generally prefer to contract out the dispatching of snakes, unless I am in an area where I can use my 12 gauge.