I got a wild hair to go for walk this evening out at our local city park. This park has a reservoir and the north end is a thick swamp. Where else would one want to go in the evening?

When you see signs like this, it's a good thing.




And they are there for a reason.

Big mama number one. This one was about as big around as my wrist. And I have a big wrist.








And young lady number two. This one was a little smaller, but still pretty big. She's emerging from a muskrat dam.

Yeah, no thanks! I had a water moccasin here on the edge of the Everglades swim across a canal and up an embankment towards my friend and I, they can be quite aggressive at times.

Where I grew up there was about a x2 acre pond we fished. We'd always see moccasins down there.

Some were big as my forearm. I saw one trying to eat a brim almost the size of my hand. Brim was flipping around and the snake was just holding on. Only time I had ever seen that.

Great shots! Thanks

I'd be purchasing some snake gaiters, toot sweet

I've been to that park. Great photos.

Nice photos.

cottonmouths used to steal fish off my stringers fishing from the bank when I was a kid. i used to pop them with 38 revolver shotshells. i also unknowingly stepped on one while deer hunting. they used to chase me from a canoe while bass fishing. one came at me in a swamp while walking down a trail hunting deer in a swamp. these days i wouldn't be caught dead near a cottonmouth. those mfs are mean and aggressive, and I shoot on sight. but they are beautiful creatures for sure.

Beautiful photographs. Ive always loved snakes, even if the venomous ones can stay tf away from me or die. They’re gorgeous creatures.

You know, the snake lovers all say that they are not aggressive. I think that is B/S. I've had several come after me when I was way too far away to threaten them. One, when we were sitting on a 12 foot bank on a lake and he turned around and began to swim towards us. Lots of lead discouraged him.

Hate Cottonmouths!

RMD

+1 rduckwor. They are very territorial and will not slither away sometimes and will stay hidden until you get close enough and strike. I've also had them leave the bank and swim towards my boat when I was fishing and try to get in. A .22 does a great job of discouraging that.

They can be aggressive. The warmer they are, the more aggressive they are. They definitely will defend themselves. If agitated, they may hold their ground and strike aggressively. One thing they are is very inquisitive. They will swim towards your if you are in a boat of kayak.
I'm not sure they are being as aggressive as they are being curious.

I will say temperature plays a role. I've been able to capture and pick up small cottonmouths on cool October mornings. I would never do that on a day in the 80s. I cam across a copperhead today on my afternoon walk which was sunning on some warm gravel. That lil' bastard never stopped striking at me. Going to post some pics of that next.

I didn't know copperheads could be aggresive.

Terrific pics!

I don’t like to get too close to the poisonous ones but do think they are beautiful creatures - the Gaboon viper being at the top of my list in that regard.

Michael

Very nice. One of my favorite North American snakes. The ones in southern IL are at the northern limit of their range and their tempers vary by individual it seems. I have a binder full of old slides of their chin patterns and have identified several individuals this way, some I've seen several times over a 8-10 year period.

Thank goodness not to many snakes up here in the snow LOL