[at-l] Re: Topic: Snakes and specifically Cottonmouth

[Bror8588 at aol.com (Bror8588@xxxxxxx)]

Do Cottonmouth or Water Moccasin ever show themselves on the Appalachian 
Trail where water crossing is necessary?

Article from Field and Stream copied below.

Jack


Trouble in the Water 
by Tom Fegely Two snakes-only one to worry about.
Spend enough time chasing turkeys and deer throughout the South and you?ll 
notice that some locals won?t take a step into the woods without their snake 
boots. The diamondback rattlesnake is one good reason for this, but it?s the 
aggressive and highly venomous cottonmouth that provides the real incentive to 
lace up. ?I won?t even say cottonmouth when hunters, especially Yankees, come 
into camp,? a Mississippi outfitter told me on a gobbler hunt a few years ago. 
?I tell them to keep an eye out for snakes, but I never, ever say the c-word, 
because if they think they?ll step on one in the dark, they may refuse to go 
out until the sun comes up.?Five subspecies of the cottonmouth, also known as 
the water moccasin, are found in a variety of aquatic habitats, from Virginia?s 
Dismal Swamp through Florida and westward into parts of Kansas, Oklahoma, and 
Texas. The cottonmouth is so feared and reviled that people often kill 
nonvenomous water snakes that resemble it. Even in regions well beyond the range of 
the cottonmouth, harmless water snakes are shot, pummeled, or stoned to death 
because of their similarities in scale pattern and coloration, particularly by 
people who believe in the philosophy that ?the only good snake is a dead 
snake.? Telling the Difference

It isn?t difficult to tell a venomous cottonmouth from a harmless water 
snake. For one thing, the cottonmouth (like many other poisonous snakes) is a pit 
viper, named for a distinct, heat-sensing orifice located between each eye and 
nostril. It also has elliptical pupils, similar to ?cat eyes,? and a head 
much broader than its neck. Common water snakes have round eyes and slim heads. 
Another difference is that water snakes swim with their heads nearly submerged. 
Venomous moccasins swim with their heads held high.Although cottonmouths are 
usually content to slip away when annoyed, at times they become ill-tempered 
and aggressive, not only standing their ground but often tattooing a 
rattlesnake-like warning by vibrating the tail against leaves, wood, or the ground. Get 
too close, and one will probably strike.My most memorable encounter with a 
testy moccasin occurred in the backwaters of the Alabama River, where our bass 
boat became mired in muck in a shallow, debris-filled creek. Nice guy that I am, 
I stripped to my shorts and sneakers and eased over the side to push. Seconds 
later my high-and-dry partner shouted ?Snake!? and pointed at a log a mere 
spit away where a coiled cottonmouth was flashing its white mouth in warning. I 
managed a rather impressive launch up and over the transom, considering that 
my feet had been bogged down to the ankles, and tumbled onto the deck. When I 
looked back, the snake was gone. Prevention and Caution 
Despite their aggressiveness and abundance, cottonmouths are responsible for 
only about 10 percent of all reported poisonous snakebites. Death from a water 
moccasin bite is rare, but the venom can cause severe tissue, muscle, and 
nerve damage. Hunters frequenting cottonmouth country should consider investing 
in thick-walled snake boots, chaps, or gaiters. Also, wearing pants on the 
outside of your boots can help interfere with the penetration of the fangs.Anglers 
in cottonmouth country should be alert while wading, getting into or out of 
boats along vegetated shorelines, or moving through submerged timber. More than 
one crappie fisherman has hastily abandoned his boat when a cottonmouth 
basking on a cypress limb decided to drop in for a visit
    
The End 
    

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