Snake identification

[sweetwater]

Most likely a watersnake. They're harmless but they will bite you if you try to catch one.

[olgreenboat]

The way to tell Poisonous Snakes from none poisonous in the water is the poisonous ones bodies will float on top of the water and the none will swim under only sticking there head out. Poisonous snakes heads are all ways a lot wider then there neck. Had a dam timber rattler swim by me last year at rough river , I was in my boat but it was 3 feet from the side I figure I would leave well enough alone he didn't want me and i was happy to see him swim on by but it was a little un nerving.

[kydonky]

The way to tell Poisonous Snakes from none poisonous in the water is the poisonous ones bodies will float on top of the water and the none will swim under only sticking there head out. Poisonous snakes heads are all ways a lot wider then there neck. Had a dam timber rattler swim by me last year at rough river , I was in my boat but it was 3 feet from the side I figure I would leave well enough alone he didn't want me and i was happy to see him swim on by but it was a little un nerving.

I have seen many coperheads dive under the water when you get close to them. So not so sure about the old float/sink test. In any case I pretty much just leave snakes alone. Even wading chest deep in Elkhorn creek you will have a water snake swim under your nose. Best thing to do is just let him swim by, you do your business and let him do his.

When I lived in southern MO. we had to always watchout for cottonmouths. I guess some of you in western KY. may have these to. I did carry a 22 loaded with bird shot in every other round, around the ponds and lakes. Those cottonmouths are the most agressive snakes I have every ran accross. You could be 40 feet from them and they would come right after you.

[kyfanatic]

No reason to kill harmless snakes and no reason to kill any snake unless it presents some type of danger.I'll never understand people who kill every snake they see out of their own feminist fear.
The little snake you saw sounds like a kirklands watersnake to me.

http://img3.imageshack.us/img3/4279/barnpets.jpg

I have two of these little fellers in my barn,they catch mice and don't hurt a thing,my hunting buddy likes to play with them.

[RoadToad]

I hate it when people kill snakes for no reason. I've seen a bunch of snakes around my neighborhood that people killed, and swore up and down they were copperheads, but none of them really were.

[MetalFish513]

I'm not about killing anything unless I plan on eating it and fortunately for the snakes they're not on the menu (although I've heard it's not bad). I'll leave any snake I see alone as long as it does the same for me. Honestly i enjoy seeing them most of the time. Just another amazing piece of nature. But if I'm face to face with an aggressive one and don't have a quick way out it's either me... or the snake...

[RoadToad]

I'm not about killing anything unless I plan on eating it and fortunately for the snakes they're not on the menu (although I've heard it's not bad). I'll leave any snake I see alone as long as it does the same for me. Honestly i enjoy seeing them most of the time. Just another amazing piece of nature. But if I'm face to face with an aggressive one and don't have a quick way out it's either me... or the snake...

Right on! That's how I feel about it, too. And "me or the snake" almost never happens to anybody. And yeah I'd like to try eating it sometime, I hear it's good. And if a person's in a place where there's plenty of them around, I'd have no problem with going out and taking a few for eating. It's all about sustainability.

So, did you ever figure out what kind of snake you saw?

[MetalFish513]

Right on! That's how I feel about it, too. And "me or the snake" almost never happens to anybody. And yeah I'd like to try eating it sometime, I hear it's good. And if a person's in a place where there's plenty of them around, I'd have no problem with going out and taking a few for eating. It's all about sustainability.

So, did you ever figure out what kind of snake you saw?

I don't know it's tricky because from the photo I saw it looked like the Worm Snake or the Smooth Earth Snake but according to the website they don't live in the northern ky area. Who's to say they haven't moved into the area though? Anythings possible.

[striperjoe]

The suggestion about the KY book of Snakes is good . You can download it and keep it on your desktop. I think there are snakes that ride down stream from other states so I would always be careful of snakes.

[TimE]

I have seen many coperheads dive under the water when you get close to them. So not so sure about the old float/sink test. In any case I pretty much just leave snakes alone. Even wading chest deep in Elkhorn creek you will have a water snake swim under your nose. Best thing to do is just let him swim by, you do your business and let him do his.

When I lived in southern MO. we had to always watchout for cottonmouths. I guess some of you in western KY. may have these to. I did carry a 22 loaded with bird shot in every other round, around the ponds and lakes. Those cottonmouths are the most agressive snakes I have every ran accross. You could be 40 feet from them and they would come right after you.

We use to go to Santee every spring and the only thing i don't miss about that place is the cottonmouths. Really had to keep your eyes peeled around the trees, and you're right they are not one bit shy!

[raincheck]

To tell if they are Poisonous or not look at their eyes,if they are a full moon they arn't.If they are a 1/4 then it is.Thats what i read.But i won't get that close too tell.
River Basser
Terry Adolph