first cottonmouth of the year

[Paul Foreman]

he was sunning right beside a piece of driftwood i was about to go after down on the riprap. when he saw me/felt my footsteps, he slid off into the river. i went back up the hill for my 12-gauge and a fistful of no. 6 loads. i figured he'd be back out sunning somewhere nearby when i got back. sure enough, i sneaked up him about 40 yards up stream. one shot sent him off his rock and into the river to a rock just below. i yanked him out with a stick so i could drag him up to my place for photos. the fishcamp owner despises all snakes, but has a special hatred for venomous ones. he will be pleased with my endeavor.
i normally do not kill or even hassle snakes, especially non-venomous ones. but a cottonmouth this size could put the hurt on a fisherman, child or dog ...

DSCF7436bcusa.jpg

[madmax]

I've got no problem bangin' them.

[Code Red]

Is it just me, or is it real early in the year for this kind of thing?

I was hiking in the snow yesterday in Georgia, and you're shooting cottonmouths next door in Alabama.

Wierd world.

[Amish]

That skin sure would look pretty on a hat band, sheath, etc.

[trappersim]

Yea boy, those suckers give me the creeps. Glad he didn't get ya.

[B.Mauser]

Is it just me, or is it real early in the year for this kind of thing?

I was hiking in the snow yesterday in Georgia, and you're shooting cottonmouths next door in Alabama.

Wierd world.

I got a sunburn on my face yesterday afternoon, it was 61 degrees here in Colorado. Currently its 29 degrees and snowing.


Nice snake! I understand why you would shoot them at a fish camp.

[Paul Foreman]

yeah, i think its a bit early, too. but i saw a ringneck snake two weeks ago, on a 48-degree day. and that's a nocturnal worm-eating snake.

i thought about skinning that rascal, but he has multiple holes head to tail. he was loosely coiled when i shot him, from 10 yards or so.

[GKiT]

You may not mean to kill the non venomous ones but I think you just did....

Looks like a water snake to me...got any photos of the belly?

Is there a pit between the eye and nostril?

Body shape is all wrong....

[Paul Foreman]

gkit, it is possible i am wrong. head is definitely wedge-shaped, though. kinda lean for a cottonmouth, i'll grant you, but i figured that for just coming out of hibernation. markings do continue under the belly, as they should. but the eye doesn't look quite right. then again, my close-up glasses go only so far.

those are some hoss cottonmouths on either side of the banded water moccasin in your photo.

[Reeper]

Uh huh I say kill em all and let god sort um out!