The American Beagler Forum

While listening to my dogs run early this morning I noticed black berries hanging everywhere by an old fence row. I went over to pick me a handful and just as I was leaning over the fence I felt something smack my left shin and then heard the unmistakable sound of rattles at my feet . Seeing as how I didn't know which way to jump I just broke out in a cold sweat and froze. After re-swallowing my heart to its original position and building up a little courage I looked down and coiled up in some honeysuckle vines at my feet was a black snake about 5 foot long twitching his tail against some old dry leaves making the rattling sound. Seeing this, I took a few moments to explain to the snake what I really thought of him and his ancestors in general , I then noticed both his eyes were a milky blue. After going home to find a dry shirt I got to wandering? Isn't it a little early to be what the oldtimers call Dog Days when snakes go blind and strike everything that moves?

I guess with all the weird weather we've been having, everything is getting screwed up. I believe I would have been looking for a clean pair of britches instead of a clean shirt.

I was thinking the same thing about the pants... The other thing I might have done was to rid that snake of his position in life...

Bunny Jumper, I don't think dog days have anything to do with the snake's eyes and striking at everything that moves. The snake is getting ready to shed it's skin and that can happen anytime during the summer. I'm not sure but I believe it can happen more than once a year depending on how much the snake grows. When their eyes get that blueish white cast over them that means the skin is loosening and getting ready to shed. Dan

I was trying to be polite and keep it quite about the britches . Needless, to say I didn't try any of the blackberries either. Matter of fact the day was pretty much ruint for me after that, when the dogs holed the rabbit they was running I loaded them up and went to the house a little early. I'm usually more watchful than that. That stupid blacksnake hitting me and rattling like that just more or less woke me up

His eyes were milky blue b/c he is going to shed his skin soon.

I was bowhunting 3 years ago in middle of September. As I was coming back out of woods for lunch around 12pm, I noticed what appeared to be a black snake laying in the middle of the road. Well I started around it, when al of the sudden it coiled up and started shaking its tail. To my suprise the tail had rattlers and several of them. I jumped back and sit in amazement as I pulled my bow back. Well it uncoiled and ran up the hill. I was hunting on a older guys land and my truck was parked beside his house. When I got back I told the guy what happened. He told me that some either the male or female, (I forget which) rattlesnakes would turn black for some reason for a period or time. I forget the reason to. It could of been cause of shedding the skin, I forget. Has anyone got the reason why this happens, maybe I wont forget the 2nd time around. I know I will never forget that snake.

The one that popped me was definitely an ol'blacksnake. When I looked down at him he was all coiled up with his toothless mouth wide open twitching his tail in the dry leaves making the rattling noise. I think he was just trying to make me think he was badder than what he was.....It worked to, by the way . It sure got the ol'heartrate up and strengthened my resolve to let the beagles bust the thick stuff while I stay on the path where I can see what I'm stepping on. Has anyone ever seen one of those things we call a spreadhead? It looks like a black snake but with a heavier made body. When it gets agitated it will flatten its head out and rear up like a cobra and snort/blow like a madbull. I think they are non-poisonous but the first one I ever ran upon when I was boy out squirrel hunting caused me to nearly give up hunting.

bunny jumper glad it was a blk/snake for sure, but rule of thumb and that is i keep my snake leggens in my dog box at all times from spring to winter, they attach to my belt and come to my waste, and i don't go into the field without them period.................
But like you said i do believe we are in the early stages of dog days and it's gonna be a bad one so be careful out there cause i want to meet ya in october ol buddy.

ttyl

EVEN IF IT WAS A BLACK SNAKE I'D STILL BE OUT THERE DRAPED OVER THAT FENCE.
MIKE

are u talkin about a hog nose or that is what we call them they flaten their head out and come up like a cobra to scare u and their nose looks like a hogs but if that don't work they will play dead alot of the time

Thats what i was thinkin a Hog nose or we used to call em Blow snakes also Coil up and raise up like a cobra Sittin thre hissin at ya And STINK oh MAN they STINK if ya get close enough to smell em anyways!!!!!
I have had the blacksnakes do the same to me since i have ben here coil up like a rattler. Good thing i remember em when i was a kid in MO and know they are the better of the Snakes
Had a Blacksnake drop off the header over the barn door on me last week
About 5 footer seemed like a 10 foot bowa when it happened I usually just move the Blacksnakes out into the pasture when they get around but this one Didnt make it!!!!!!!!!

Spread'en Adder is what we call what you are describing.

Killed 5 Rattlers so far this year in front yard coming out of shrubbery and going to woods across Centipede lawn. Wonder how many we didn't see. Wish we had some black racer snakes and kings to eat these rattlers.

Have to watch grandchildren close.

I killed a rattlesnake in Kansas on Thursday. Gave me a warm fuzzy feeling all over.