Snake identification

[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

[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?

[Jbyrd]

Yea about snakess. The venomous ones have a triangular head and the pupil is is up and down like a cat. AS FOR KILLING one even the good LORD said for them to slither on their bellies and for man to smit (chop ) on their heads........ lol

[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.