Pennsylvania is for (snake) lovers...........


Strut10

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I am all for conservation of snakes of all kinds, with the exception of protecting your family/pets. It sickens me to see people killing any and all snakes for the sake of killing them because they have a irrational fear of snakes. What sense does it make to target one species and kill it for the sake of killing it? IMO it is ignorant to be so irresponsible. We as sportsman/women should not be so ignorant to overlook the fact that, we humans occupy the same ecosystems as other species. Snakes of all kinds are vital to the health and well being of any and all healthy ecosystems. I welcome all opinions of anyone who wants to say that i am nuts or whatever, I just hope that true sportsmen/women would not kill anything for the sake of killing it, or killing it because of ignorant fears. Additionally, the timber rattlesnakes that are here in West Virginia are very shy, and timid. Copperheads are the same way, they do not chase people trying to bite them, spewing poision as they chase. I have handled many many poisionous and nonpoisionous snakes over the years...the most aggressive snake i have ever handled has been a common brown watersnake, that is nonpoisionous. Snakes need protection from people, i believe this to the fullest extent.

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I personally don't care much for snakes but I do understand they serve a useful purpose in an ecosystem.

I usually don't bother them when I encounter them. Some years ago I read and article that said about 80% of snake bite victims were the result of the person trying to kill the snake. That's good enough reason for me to leave them alone instead of putting myself at risk of being a statistic.

BTW...the most agressive snake I've encountered is the cottonmouth. You bother them and they will pursue you.

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I am all for conservation of snakes of all kinds, with the exception of protecting your family/pets. It sickens me to see people killing any and all snakes for the sake of killing them because they have a irrational fear of snakes. What sense does it make to target one species and kill it for the sake of killing it? IMO it is ignorant to be so irresponsible. We as sportsman/women should not be so ignorant to overlook the fact that, we humans occupy the same ecosystems as other species. Snakes of all kinds are vital to the health and well being of any and all healthy ecosystems. I welcome all opinions of anyone who wants to say that i am nuts or whatever, I just hope that true sportsmen/women would not kill anything for the sake of killing it, or killing it because of ignorant fears. Additionally, the timber rattlesnakes that are here in West Virginia are very shy, and timid. Copperheads are the same way, they do not chase people trying to bite them, spewing poision as they chase. I have handled many many poisionous and nonpoisionous snakes over the years...the most aggressive snake i have ever handled has been a common brown watersnake, that is nonpoisionous. Snakes need protection from people, i believe this to the fullest extent.

No need to get too worked up. These people that kill snakes and talk about it often will soon be complaining about crazy rat and mice problems in their homes and yards. I personally am not affraid of snakes and tend to pick up and play with most of the ones I find. The only ones that I have killed have been ones that I have found inside my dog's house and one that dropped in the fishing boat about 4 in the morning. Killing snakes because you are afraid of them is one of the most dumb excuses I have heard, but to each his own. I dont care what you do at your house with your time.

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There are no shortage of bad snakes around here, yet Tennessee has similar "vomit" Don. Our game warden was asked the question about snakes in a hunter safety course, basically he said use common sense.

I think Alan is dead on on the cottonmouth too. I have had them come after me. Copperheads are almost as aggressive but not quite as bad. Certain times of the year they are worse.

There are plenty enough rat snakes and black racers and other harmless snakes around to work on the pest problems, we don't need the venomous snakes in our yard.

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I am not worked up, i just like to inform folks about irrational fears of snakes, and their importance to ecosystems. Ignorance is the enemy when it comes to things such as snake killings. Cotton mouths do swim towards crafts and such in open water...seeking a stable platform on which to bask in the sun, or search for prey.

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Cotton mouths do swim towards crafts and such in open water...seeking a stable platform on which to bask in the sun, or search for prey.

Yep...and I can tell you 1st hand they will pursue you on land if they feel threatened. Had that happen more than once too and I wasn't trying to kill it.

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It sickens me to see people killing any and all snakes for the sake of killing them because they have a irrational fear of snakes. What sense does it make to target one species and kill it for the sake of killing it?

Nothing irrational in killing something that can and will kill you (or your dog or your kids) back. Makea perfect sense to me in targeting the species capeable of such.

IMO it is ignorant to be so irresponsible. We as sportsman/women should not be so ignorant to overlook the fact that, we humans occupy the same ecosystems as other species.

I occupy the same ecosystem as ticks, mosquitos, yellow jackets, rats and mice, too. I hold venomous snakes in the same regard.

Additionally, the timber rattlesnakes that are here in West Virginia are very shy, and timid. Copperheads are the same way, they do not chase people trying to bite them, spewing poision as they chase.

Most snakes are "shy and timid". I guess, after the fact, it matters not to the bite victim how it took place......just that it took place. Anything I can do to eliminate the bad variables from a snakebite equation is effort well undertaken.

Snakes need protection from people, i believe this to the fullest extent.

I respectfully and wholeheartedly disagree.

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No need to get too worked up. These people that kill snakes and talk about it often will soon be complaining about crazy rat and mice problems in their homes and yards.

A: I don't want a snake controlling the mice and rats in my house. That's what De-Con is for.

B: A snake is a hooribly inefficient and ineffective contol of rodent overpopulation. Mice and rats reproduce exponentially faster than snakes can eat them. One female rat can produce from 50 to over 100 offspring each year (not counting the offspring of those offspring). A big, mature black racer will eat about one rat every 2-3 weeks. Not a good argument for the rodent controlling properties of the snake......unless you want 100 black snakes in your barn.

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