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hopefl: Re: [at-l] snake phobia/tarps

Hello all. Bill was good enough to allow me to post this to the whole
list. He had sent a private post which I've included.   Hopeful

Bill wrote:
>Hi - when you say "least likely to encounter" ... do you mean if 
>you're
>hiking?  How about if you stop for a dip in a pond, lake, or river?  
>Pardon
>my ignorance, but do water moccasins actually live -in- water, or in 
>wet
>areas (like swamps)?
>
>Thanks!
>-Bill


All of the above. Water moccasins are excellent swimmers. They can catch
fish! I've seen water moccasins in creeks, rivers, and ponds. I've been
fishing and had them swim close, like they were checking out my line. But
when I moved or made noise, they submerged and swam away. I don't ever
recall see any in the up lands, just in the low places. Never thought
about that til now. I'll have to do some checking to see if they like
mountainous places.

Least likely to encounter doesn't mean never encounter one. However, most
that I've seen are usually moving to put space between me and them. I've
had snakes that were large (maybe three feet) make "bluff charges" at me
but when I don't run, they choose prudence over valor and move off. I
think the most common response I've seen is for the snake to become very
still. I always wonder if they were thinking, "If I ignore him maybe he
will go away." 

BTW, I'm only replying to you because you sent a private post. I don't
think your not knowing about water moccasins is un common. I sorta wish
you had sent the post to everyone, then I would have felt free to also
post to the whole list. I'm not a tree hugger or animal rights activist
nor any such. But I do hate to see God's creatures kill because folks are
uninformed. Snakes can hurt people but it isn't a common occurrence.
Colin Fletcher sites some statistics that folks are many more times
likely to be injured in the bath tub than get snake bit. More folk die of
bee stings than from any other kind of "wild animal" encounter. This is
according to a park ranger and naturalist at GSMNP.

I hope this info is useful to you, thanks,  Hopeful
--------- End forwarded message ----------

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