Great post, good info warrior. Always keep an eye out when trapping. Even when we have freezing weather, a couple days in the 60s, you may see some moving. A November to February trapping season avoids most snake activity, and works around busier farm times. I don't warm weather beaver trap unless it's a serious problem.

You ain't just whistling Dixie.
Rickey

Easiest way to avoid them, don’t look for them. Cottonmouths are probably our most common venomous snake where I hunt/trap/fish. Only been struck once and it hit the boot. Wasn’t the snakes fault really, I stepped on him in some high grass. Really wasn’t the place I expected a cottonmouth either. I see most on land vs water. If anyone says they chase you or come after you, then they encountered one of our water snakes and NOT a cottonmouth. Unless you step on them or try to grab one, they pretty much will just show you their namesake and let you back on off.

There’s been several times walking to the deer stand I’ll look down and see that “cotton” mouth opened up. If you’re close enough you hear their tail vibrating as well. I’ve heard that and started looking to find the snake. Even at night while thermal hunting, that white open mouth stands out.

Not sure what’s happened to all our Diamondbacks, but I’ve yet to see one on the property I hunt/trap/fish/work. Only seen a couple Timber Rattlers in 6-7yrs. Only see a few Copperheads as well. About the only benefit to having hogs roam through is the snakes they eat. I can’t speak for the rest of the State or country, but if you encounter snakes in a swamp you’re hog hunting, there ain’t any hogs.

I think Gators are more curious than anything else…except during nesting season. Mommas get real mad real quick. I’ve waded swamps to get to gobbling birds and had gators follow, but never get aggressive. Now encountering one on land is a little different, guess they feel vulnerable and will quickly let you know they mean business and you don’t want to find out, lol.

I wear snake boots almost year round, so I really don’t pay anything much attention. The only time I might get a little nervous about water is when my upper body is level with the creek bank. I’d think getting bit in the face or upper body would be worse than the lower extremities, but I’m not a medic, so who knows.

I'm not scared of banjo music. Reptiles are whole different story.

As with anything else ....the more you put yourself in a potentially dangerous situation the odds start increasing against you.

Beaver trapping December thru February in the deep South = you'll likely not even see/encounter one.

Beaver trapping March thru November in the deep South = you'll likely see several....up close.

I checked the list of people killed by cottonmouth snakes
Only possible one in 2015 and actual cause of death was undetermined because the Guy was full of opioids.
Getting killed by a gator is much more likely than by a cottonmouth snake,but still pretty low compared to a lot of other things like driving.

Death from the bite is not my primary worry. It's the medical bills that will follow. Yes..I have health insurance, but that deductible and co-pay would probably be $10,000 or more...out of my pocket...

Said the paranoid, girly boy trapper

who is: " Afraid to Wade" !!!

w

I just sat down with a drink after checking traps all day and I read the above statement. I spit my drink all over the screen,

Seriously? Maybe because I live in a swamp and a commercial alligator hunter I really don’t worry about a congo (Cajun French for cottonmouth). It’s just a snake. Just like I don’t really worry about alligators. Heck today I probably saw over 30 cocodrille ranging from three up to 10 feet. There were all sorts of snakes sunning today. I trap in and around bears. I have wild hogs to deal with. It’s part of trapping down here. If anyone down here is scared of getting in the water they ain’t going to get much done. When the mink, otters, beavers and nutria are out in force I might run up to 200 traps a day and most of them I have to either wade or work out of pirogue. Right now I’m gearing up for crawfish and anyone who has ever set crawfish traps with tell you, you ain’t seen snakes till you run crawfish traps. But again, if you are afraid of a congo you ain’t making no money on crawfish.

I have not been bitten by a congo but when I was about 13 I got bit by a cane break rattlesnake while setting traps. My fault as I didn’t look before I reached in on a nutria trail to set a B&L 1 ½ long spring. It was not pleasant.

Even my wife laughed at this. She said, "How would we get anything done around here?"

If you are trapping for fur, you should be trapping Nov to end of Feb. For the most part they are dormant then although on warm days they like to come out to sun themselves. Just watch where you step and put your hands. Don't get in a hurry, Today the alligators were out in the back.

great read guys, myself I don't like any snake, but it would never stop me from anything,

That is not entirely correct. I absolutely know the difference between water snakes and cottonmouths. Yes, I most certainly have had a few cottonmouths come after me striking the air.

Rickey

Yep. That happened about 10 miles upriver from me on The James River. A place called Deleware Town. Guy was wading in the river and got tagged in both legs. Hobbled up out of the river and had his girl friend drive him home, where, he laid down to rest and then woke up the next morning dead. Didn't make it through the night.
They say he had such a toxic mix of alcohol, hydrocodone and opioids in him they couldn't pinpoint what species of snake bit him. But they suspect it was a cottonmouth.
The story was that he didn't go to the emergency room because he didn't have insurance but the local chatter was that he knew he would be drug tested and of course he was on parole.
I've fished that river for over 50 years and not had any serious problems. Just use common sense. On hot summer nights mouths sometimes like to craw up in willows hanging out over the river. Had one get in the boat with me one night when I was running limb lines. It ended good though.
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Depends how far south you go really. Cottonmouths are around most of the south but down towards Warrior’s way you have to be wary of them swamp lizards. Snakes are one thing but a hungry 13ft gator is a whole different ballgame.

I'm north by a few miles of gator country and actually on the very edge of moccasin. Beaver work north of me is moccasin free, to the west or south I gotta keep my eyes peeled.
The occasional gator pops up here wandering up but I really got to get down to Macon to start seeing them.

Jerry has never seen an aligator in MS in all the time hes trapped in Mississippi and he's trapped Louisiana also.
I think the guy in Louisiana told.him aligators don't move until.the water temp reaches 70.

He saw one.snake this year..it was a regular water snake.

Ya.gotta trap as soon you can after deer and duck season go out to avoid them.
.

Really interesting guys and thanks for answering my questions. I hear venomous snake and assume your dead in 30 mins or less!!

Hats off to you, not being used to it the whole thing gives me the creeps..........