I love snakes and sharks

[Trouty]

Like, I literally adore them.

I've seen every video of Viperkeeper on YouTube and watch Shark Week every year.

I'm incredibly drawn to these two animals, but I have very limited experience with them in their actual wild.

Anyone have a cool story of either? Texas has coastal water (lots of bullsharks) and desert. I figure some of you Texas locals, or otherwise, have some cool stories.

 

[Trouty]

Beer Thread'ers will vouch for my weird curiosity with these animals, especially @haleyrules and his gorgeous Fer de Lances

Please, even one story will make my day

 

[Reality]

The scariest snake incident I ever had growing up was when I was playing golf at a local golf course as a teenager. There was a water hazard that was around 6 feet deep, but due to a drought we had that year, it only had about a foot of water in it. Of course I hit my ball in there.

I went into the hazard very carefully as the sides were a steep drop off. As I got closer to the water at the bottom of it started to curve a little bit so I was using my club to brace myself. Slowly, I got close enough to my ball and was able to scoop it up with my club, and everything seemed good.

So, I very carefully started moving backwards up the curve part of the hazard and right as I moved my foot, a 3 foot water moccasin shot out of a hole my foot was standing on and immediately hit the water. I stood there for a moment thinking, "What the **** just happened?" The hazard had steep edges and my friends were going to have to help me out so there was no way to get out really fast.

So, then I was focused on the water wondering if the snake was coming back. I then moved my other foot for the first time to back up. I am really am not making this up .. as soon as I lifted my other foot, there was a hole under it and another 3 foot water moccasin shot out and headed for the water. Needless to say, I had had enough. I dropped the ball, my club, grabbed the edge of the hazard and yelled at my friends to pull me out, who by the way were laughing their butts off.

I lost the ball but was able to get my club because an older golfer walked up and he had what I guess was an extendable ball retriever so we used it to drag my golf club out. That was the last time I ever went after a ball in a water hazard and have always paid close attention while walking in sand traps ever since as well.

Maybe it helped my golf game back then because I imagined every hazard as a snake-infested Raiders of the Lost Ark type of pit just waiting for me to fall in.

 

[Trouty]

The scariest snake incident I ever had growing up was when I was playing golf at a local golf course as a teenager. There was a water hazard that was around 6 feet deep, but due to a drought we had that year, it only had about a foot of water in it. Of course I hit my ball in there.

I went into the hazard very carefully as the sides were a steep drop off. As I got closer to the water at the bottom of it started to curve a little bit so I was using my club to brace myself. Slowly, I got close enough to my ball and was able to scoop it up with my club, and everything seemed good.

So, I very carefully started moving backwards up the curve part of the hazard and right as I moved my foot, a 3 foot water moccasin shot out of a hole my foot was standing on and immediately hit the water. I stood there for a moment thinking, "What the **** just happened?" The hazard had steep edges and my friends were going to have to help me out so there was no way to get out really fast.

So, then I was focused on the water wondering if the snake was coming back. I then moved my other foot for the first time to back up. I am really am not making this up .. as soon as I lifted my other foot, there was a hole under it and another 3 foot water moccasin shot out and headed for the water. Needless to say, I had had enough. I dropped the ball, my club, grabbed the edge of the hazard and yelled at my friends to pull me out, who by the way were laughing their butts off.

I lost the ball but was able to get my club because an older golfer walked up and he had what I guess was an extendable ball retriever so we used it to drag my golf club out. That was the last time I ever went after a ball in a water hazard and have always paid close attention while walking in sand traps ever since as well.

Maybe it helped my golf game back then because I imagined every hazard as a snake-infested Raiders of the Lost Ark type of pit just waiting for me to fall in.

LOL!! You've had quite the experiences with Moccasins, sir! What a gorgeous species. You're very lucky it didn't turn on you, as their tempermant is similar to the Black Mamba.

Thanks, so much, for sharing, Reality.

 

[Trouty]

I love this vid.

Snake enthusiasts will love it. People scared of snakes, don't watch

My son started hitting me in the arm when I made him watch it (as we had recently ran into a Gopher snake at Griffith, and I told him how bad it could've been; sidenote, I tried to catch the Gopher snake and my son freaked out LOL)

 

[SilverStarCowboy]

In my early childhood you would see people with these little green grass snakes, found myself very lucky to see one in the front yard and catch it for my new pet, which promptly bit into my leg, though not considered a poison species it left two fang marks that I occasionally need to scratch off to this day because two small fang marks of dead skin have grows there every since the bite healed, ??

 

[jwooten15]

I absolutely hate snakes - and a childhood experience with, like @Reality, a water moccasin is likely the reason why.

7 years old, fishing on a sandy river bank with my older step brother. We had caught two decent sized catfish in the couple hours we'd been there, and we strung them up on a stringer so that we could take them back home with us. Well, we became thirsty and with a convenience store being 100 yards down the road, we decided go get a Dr. Pepper before coming back to retrieve our fish, and then head home.

We were away from the fish for probably 20 minutes. With my step brother behind me, I casually started pulling in the stringer. I got the fish to the edge of the water and to our shock, a water moccasin had attached itself onto the tail of one of the catfish. I guess he felt threatened that we might be trying to steal his meal, so he aborted the fish tail and darted directly for my step brother and I. I dropped the stringer, and we both started running in the opposite direction - with the snake chasing 2 feet behind us.

Luckily he either lose stamina or interest, because he stopped the chase after about 10 feet (but it seemed like it was a mile). Me being so young, I felt I had cheated death that day And I am still scared of any kind of snake to this very day.

 

[Tabascocat]

I have a lot of shark stories, might spew some later when I have time.

As for snakes, I don't particularly care for them but they don't freak me out like spiders. Back in my teenage years, we used to go waterskiing in a place called barefoot alley. It was a long, narrow channel perfect for skiing. It was known for moccasins and gators but we rarely ever saw them.

Well, one day my buddy was trying to barefoot and after awhile, he got decent at it. He stayed up for a few minutes but lost control right into the bank. He happened to land on a WM and it bit him good.

We got him in the boat and high-tailed it across clear lake to the South Shore Clinic on the other side where my mom was a nurse. He came out okay but the swelling was nasty!

 

[StarBoyz83]

I hate snakes they creep me out more than anything! Lol

 

[Ranching]

Like, I literally adore them.

I've seen every video of Viperkeeper on YouTube and watch Shark Week every year.

I'm incredibly drawn to these two animals, but I have very limited experience with them in their actual wild.

Anyone have a cool story of either? Texas has coastal water (lots of bullsharks) and desert. I figure some of you Texas locals, or otherwise, have some cool stories.

What a weirdo!!!

 

[Ranching]

The scariest snake incident I ever had growing up was when I was playing golf at a local golf course as a teenager. There was a water hazard that was around 6 feet deep, but due to a drought we had that year, it only had about a foot of water in it. Of course I hit my ball in there.

I went into the hazard very carefully as the sides were a steep drop off. As I got closer to the water at the bottom of it started to curve a little bit so I was using my club to brace myself. Slowly, I got close enough to my ball and was able to scoop it up with my club, and everything seemed good.

So, I very carefully started moving backwards up the curve part of the hazard and right as I moved my foot, a 3 foot water moccasin shot out of a hole my foot was standing on and immediately hit the water. I stood there for a moment thinking, "What the **** just happened?" The hazard had steep edges and my friends were going to have to help me out so there was no way to get out really fast.

So, then I was focused on the water wondering if the snake was coming back. I then moved my other foot for the first time to back up. I am really am not making this up .. as soon as I lifted my other foot, there was a hole under it and another 3 foot water moccasin shot out and headed for the water. Needless to say, I had had enough. I dropped the ball, my club, grabbed the edge of the hazard and yelled at my friends to pull me out, who by the way were laughing their butts off.

I lost the ball but was able to get my club because an older golfer walked up and he had what I guess was an extendable ball retriever so we used it to drag my golf club out. That was the last time I ever went after a ball in a water hazard and have always paid close attention while walking in sand traps ever since as well.

Maybe it helped my golf game back then because I imagined every hazard as a snake-infested Raiders of the Lost Ark type of pit just waiting for me to fall in.

Just don't ask Melon for his snake stories, you may have to ban him. LOL

 

[Trouty]

In my early childhood you would see people with these little green grass snakes, found myself very lucky to see one in the front yard and catch it for my new pet, which promptly bit into my leg, though not considered a poison species it left two fang marks that I occasionally need to scratch off to this day because two small fang marks of dead skin have grows there every since the bite healed, ??

What a gorgeous snake. Just gorgoues

 

[Montanalo]

I am an avid scuba diver with more than 1,000 recreational and technical dives and, as part of my master retirement plan, I work part-time as a diving instructor. Needless to say, I have had more than my fair share of shark encounters - most are planned, a few were quite unexpected.

One of the unexpected encounters occurred last October at Chuuk Island, Micronesia (Truk Lagoon). Chuuk or Truk is widely regarded as one of the best wreck diving locations in the world. On one of the deeper, more complex dives, I literally came face-to-face with a nurse shark. While the nurse shark is one of the more docile sharks, it nevertheless was a riveting moment. We were in a fairly narrow passage way and, other than our handheld lights, it was pitch black. I rounded a corner and came within inches of bumping the sharks snout with my mask. Although it was a benign encounter, my wetsuit needed a thorough disinfecting once I returned to the dive boat.

Now, has that dampened my enthusiasm for diving? Absolutely not!

 

[9darter]

In my early childhood you would see people with these little green grass snakes, found myself very lucky to see one in the front yard and catch it for my new pet, which promptly bit into my leg, though not considered a poison species it left two fang marks that I occasionally need to scratch off to this day because two small fang marks of dead skin have grows there every since the bite healed, ??

Wow, I love its color!

 

[Trouty]

I am an avid scuba diver with more than 1,000 recreational and technical dives and, as part of my master retirement plan, I work part-time as a diving instructor. Needless to say, I have had more than my fair share of shark encounters - most are planned, a few were quite unexpected.

One of the unexpected encounters occurred last October at Chuuk Island, Micronesia (Truk Lagoon). Chuuk or Truk is widely regarded as one of the best wreck diving locations in the world. On one of the deeper, more complex dives, I literally came face-to-face with a nurse shark. While the nurse shark is one of the more docile sharks, it nevertheless was a riveting moment. We were in a fairly narrow passage way and, other than our handheld lights, it was pitch black. I rounded a corner and came within inches of bumping the sharks snout with my mask. Although it was a benign encounter, my wetsuit needed a thorough disinfecting once I returned to the dive boat.

Now, has that dampened my enthusiasm for diving? Absolutely not!

This is amazing!! Yes, Nurses usually only attack when stepped on in shallow waters, but they do pack a bite.

Ever see a White, Colo?

 

[Montanalo]

This is amazing!! Yes, Nurses usually only attack when stepped on in shallow waters, but they do pack a bite.

Ever see a White, Colo?

In all my dives, I have never seen a great white... And I have no intention of looking for one

 

[Trouty]

In all my dives, I have never seen a great white... And I have no intention of looking for one

What a gorgeous, majestic creature.

I would free-dive with one in a second. But I'm not all there, Colo, brother

See any Tigers, Great Hammers?

It's my understanding that the hardest "man-eater" to spot in the wild is the Oceanic White Tip, due to them being open sea fish. They congregate at deep waters.

 

[Corso]

Had many snake encounters. If you farm, it's an inevitability. Had 3 foot snakes coil around my foot when I was 3,4 and 5- picking berries and veggies. No worry.
Never worried. Never bitten.

So... Sorry bud, wish I could add more to this thread.

 

[Trouty]

Had many snake encounters. If you farm, it's an inevitability. Had 3 foot snakes coil around my foot when I was 3,4 and 5- picking berries and veggies. No worry.
Never worried. Never bitten.

So... Sorry bud, wish I could add more to this thread.

Do you know the species, Corso?

 

[Corso]

Do you know the species, Corso?

From when I was a mere child almost 4 decades ago? No.
I do remember my mom laughing and telling me: You pay them no mind, they pay you none either.