Don’t get excited and

I think we have 15 different biters out here in Arizona. Some like my patio/garage when they're supposed to be hibernating this past year. Now I have PTSD from walking within striking distance and he was too cold to do anything but buzz. I've seen hundreds in my outdoor pursuits (no big deal cuz I'm looking for them) but at MY house in the city, at 50°, pouring rain sideways and he's outside my back door, one by the garage entry door. I wish Len would let me say really bad words right now. Demonic slithering %$*&*@#.
 
Correct. Here's the one lying at the far end out of that frame, also.
Basically 4 in one spot.
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We see cotton mouths almost every time we go river fishing. I've never had one try to get in the kayak, but they definitely don't give ground when you get near them. Last weekend we encountered a small one sunning at the base of a tree on the river bank. My buddy is a big guy but squeals like a little girl any time he sees one.
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This is why I like living up North. Dam things even attack from above!!!

It's fun when you're jigging/grabbing frogs, they seem to be attracted to the light and will follow you to the boat. Or, if you're going under low hanging limbs to approach a frog on the bank, only to have a snake or two drop into the boat with you. Never a dull moment when frogging! 😁 memtb
 
When I was a kid, the Parish (county to the rest of America) dug a big drainage canal behind our home. They used some of the excavated dirt to backfill a small natural drainage.

They did it in February (as best I remember) disturbing a bunch of snakes and turtles. I found a very large, huge to a kid in the 4th or 5th grade, Cottonmouth. I shot it a couple of times with my .177 cal. Benjamin Pump. I got a shovel from home, and carried the snake back home to show my Dad that was busy tilling for our garden. It was all I could do to lift that snake.

When I got to my Dad, he pretty much freaked out, grabbed the shovel from me…..and cut off the snakes head, along with at least 6 or 8 additional inches of snake. At my insistence, my Dad measured the remaining snake…..4 ' 6", plus the part we didn't measure makes a pretty darn big Cottonmouth!

We never got a picture of the snake, which is second only to my disappointment of not getting a photo of my first deer just after turning 11 yo. memtb
 
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