Kentucky Snakes

[colonelmeyer]

When I was 10 or 11 I was swarmed by ground hornets for the second time. Got me at least ten times the first time and 22 times the second, including twice in each eye and one solid nut shot. That day I swore a life long intifada against ground hornets. Oddly enough I like honey bees. As for snakes, if I see them first everything is fine but, if I am surprised, it could get ugly for one of us... On one Spring trip to the Gorge I must have seen at least ten rattlers on that steep hillside along 9B, BIG South Fork gave me a pretty interesting time once to. Not as worried about Cottonmouths, even though they are probably more aggressive in defending themselves, as Rattlers, they say they have one of the fastest and most painful bites.

[Olgrey]

Personally snakes do not bother me much. I have caught a lot of the nonpoisonous ones that we have in KY. Years ago, my brother and I had been mowing the yard and had lost a bolt out of the lawnmower and had started to my car to go to the country store and buy another. Well, there was this chicken snake (country name) laying there on the ground that must have been 6 ft long. I decided that I would catch it and take it to the barn to catch rats and mice and put my foot on it to hold it in place while I caught it behing the head. Needless to say I left too much of his neck sticking out and when I reached to catch him behind the head, he got me by the finger. I straightened up, shook the blood off my finger (it was like a briar scratch), inspected my finger, caught the snake and took it to the barn. I had no hard feelings toward the snake because it was my fault. Spiders now that is a whole different story. I guess it is because they are so small and easy to overlook. I have heard carpenters and brick masons talk about finding scorpions in brick brought in from Alabama for new houses. My dad told me once about finding a small one on our farm under a rock out in the field. I guess you never know what you might find.

[redneckshadrap]

"but I can't see how any hairy-chested American man can publically admit to being afraid of snakes. "

Well, I can..because I AM!....Man Card surrendered....LOL!

[zofishkentucky]

Snakes don't bother one bit. I like to catch them, take a good look, and release them. I leave the poisonous ones alone period. But I do get nervous around animals larger than myself such as cattle and horses. I wouldn't say I'm scared, but definately nervous when in a field with them.

[bassin_bug]

Snakes don't bother one bit. I like to catch them, take a good look, and release them. I leave the poisonous ones alone period. But I do get nervous around animals larger than myself such as cattle and horses. I wouldn't say I'm scared, but definately nervous when in a field with them.

Now I understand the "Superman" look in your avatar. Don't you know it's dangerous to go into a field wearing a red cape? Bulls don't like red and will run you down. My mother-in-law wore a red raincoat when crossing the pasture during a shower. Their giant bull made her jump into the lake to get away from him. lol
Goood Bull!

Excuse me, I forgot we were talking about snakes.

[nonamesleft47]

Sorry RoadToad but there are scorpions in KY. Go down to Estill or Powell county and flip over some rocks or old railroad ties. We used to catch them and fight them against black widows and other spiders when I was a kid. They are just little guys, maybe an inch or so. The sting hurts but maybe just a little more than a wasp sting. The worst sting I ever got was from a cow killer. It looks like a big red and black ant. It's actually a kind of wasp that the female doesn't have wings. I caught one in a tobacco field one time until it stung me when I was about 8. I would have sworn I was dieing. When I see them now all the hair stands up on my neck.

For snakes I'm not scared of them but poisonous ones get my blood pumping. I've been struck twice, once by a moccasin in a swamp in NC and once down in Georgia by a baby rattler. The moccasin got my pants leg where it was bunched at the ankle and pumped about a gallon of venom before I could break him loose with a machette. I had on heavy carhart pants for the briars and the fangs never reached my skin. The baby rattler struck the heel of my jump boot and got stuck. I was dragging him along and the guy walking behind me thought I was dragging a little stick. I probably stepped on him and he struck out of defense as he died and got stuck.

[billyp]

Sorry RoadToad but there are scorpions in KY. Go down to Estill or Powell county and flip over some rocks or old railroad ties. We used to catch them and fight them against black widows and other spiders when I was a kid. They are just little guys, maybe an inch or so. The sting hurts but maybe just a little more than a wasp sting. The worst sting I ever got was from a cow killer. It looks like a big red and black ant. It's actually a kind of wasp that the female doesn't have wings. I caught one in a tobacco field one time until it stung me when I was about 8. I would have sworn I was dieing. When I see them now all the hair stands up on my neck.

For snakes I'm not scared of them but poisonous ones get my blood pumping. I've been struck twice, once by a moccasin in a swamp in NC and once down in Georgia by a baby rattler. The moccasin got my pants leg where it was bunched at the ankle and pumped about a gallon of venom before I could break him loose with a machette. I had on heavy carhart pants for the briars and the fangs never reached my skin. The baby rattler struck the heel of my jump boot and got stuck. I was dragging him along and the guy walking behind me thought I was dragging a little stick. I probably stepped on him and he struck out of defense as he died and got stuck.

Nonamesleft47 your right. I live next to Powell Co. Also there has been scorpions down around Clays Ferry and Boonesborough for many years.

[Rudypoo4444]

Nonamesleft47 your right. I live next to Powell Co. Also there has been scorpions down around Clays Ferry and Boonesborough for many years.

That is another Ky creature I want to see before I die or move out of state.

[nitro90]

A few yrs ago my nephew and I were gathering creekstone for my koi pond, and I told him to move the rock with his foot before he sticks his hand under there. He asked if there were snakes around there and I told him sure there are. He asked if I was scared of snakes and I told him no, he says pappaw always kills the ones he sees, I told him thats because he's scared of them. So a few rocks later, I move this stone and a huge ass spider is sitting there , he doesn't run, he sits up on his back legs like he's about to attack. I start stomping him to no end, I turn and look at my nephew and he says I see your scared of spiders. I laughed and said I am of this one.

[Deaddrift84]

I'm not a huge fan of snakes, I've been struck at afew times as well, but I really want to find some of these scorpions. I didn't know we had them here.

[Col Forbin]

I'm not a huge fan of snakes, I've been struck at afew times as well, but I really want to find some of these scorpions. I didn't know we had them here.

I didn't know we had them either until a couple of years ago. A bunch of friends and I had a cabin on Lake Cumberland. I had an air matress on the floor, and woke up to something crawling on my arm. I look at it, and it was a scorpion (only about 2 inches long at the most). But regardless, once again I screamed like a girl (I must do that alot). I don't kill snakes, but the scorpion was a different story.

[waterdog101]

I'm not afraid of all snakes, most don't mean us any harm, unless we crowd them. but their is one species of snake, we all had better watch, and thats hard to do. because they all don't look alike. and they are in every state, and every town both large and small. but the most poisonous ones are in washington DC, the name of this species of snake is { Politicians }