New Eastern Cottonmouth

[Georgia]

Heres a few pics of the 4.5 ft female Cottonmouth i just caught.

http://i1085.photobucket.com/albums/j424/georgiagrower/Mobile%20Uploads/CAM00104-1.jpg (http://s1085.photobucket.com/user/georgiagrower/media/Mobile%20Uploads/CAM00104-1.jpg.html)

[Georgia]

http://i1085.photobucket.com/albums/j424/georgiagrower/Mobile%20Uploads/CAM00107-1.jpg (http://s1085.photobucket.com/user/georgiagrower/media/Mobile%20Uploads/CAM00107-1.jpg.html)

[Georgia]

As far as Cottons go...shes a BIT@H!

http://i1085.photobucket.com/albums/j424/georgiagrower/Mobile%20Uploads/CAM00105-1.jpg (http://s1085.photobucket.com/user/georgiagrower/media/Mobile%20Uploads/CAM00105-1.jpg.html)

[franks]

Looks like this girl has been eating pretty well. So... tell us the tale of where you found her.

[aaron_cg]

Nice, looks pretty fat. I'll be adding a cotton mouth to my collection hopefully soon, although mine will be a western :)

[sharthun]

Awesome catch! :cool:

[FWK]

Four and a half feet, that's big girl! I'd like a western in my collection one day as well. I'd rather start with a neonate though. Keep us updated on how she adjusts.

[Georgia]

She is a very very aggressive snake. Strikes so hard she comes off the ground.

[Georgia]

Story....

Well yesterday i left home at 3:00 A.M to drive 3 hrs south to go herping. The wife was mad so i said im outta here! Got to where i needed after day break and started herping...hit a few of my normal spots hunting timbers/eastern diamondbacks, but no luck. By now it was 1 PM... Im sitting in the Dodge Durango getting a little discouraged when i said hell with it, i can go get some cottons. Btw, where im at there is NO CELL PHONE SERVICE 30 minutes in ANY direction...remember that. I decide to hit some creeks that have alot of log jams, slow moving waters, and cypress trees. Im driving 80 mph down the backroads and fly upon a little bridge that says Nail Creek. I pull off the road and walk to the side and look down at the water to see if i can access the bank and navigate it. It looked good so i slid down into the side ofvthe creek and began looking. First snake i came upon was a medium watersnake on the bank with a baby catfish in its mouth. I guess it thought i was gonna steal his meal bc he hurried back into the water and swam to the other side.

After 30 or so minutes of jumping from island to island and walking through cypress knees i come upon a log jam. Its around 3 pm now. I walk across a small log and jump upon the fallen tree thats across the creek. I gaze down right in front of me to see a 5 ft Cottonmouth. I calm down a sec and stoop down nd pick it up only to have it come unglued on me! I jump down on the 3 ft x 6 ft island the snake was laying on, and cpntinue to try to keep it from getting to the water. At this point im about 1/2 a mile from my. Durango. I fail at keeping control of the snake and it get to the water. I see its tail and stick my hand in the water and grab it and yank it back to land. It comes out of the water with its mouth open in mid air!

[Georgia]

Pt 2...

It hit the ground and immediaty coiled up and gapped its mouth daring me to come closer. I took that dare and pinned its head.

Now heres the problem lol...i got this snake pinned. Only to remember i didnt grab my snake bag or box ehen i left home!!!!! Now im 1/2 mile up a swampy creek, 2 hrs from a decent Emergency Room, no phone service, and a 5 ft monster cottonmouth pinned in front of me...dilemma?

[Georgia]

Part 3...

I decide to chance it and hook it. As fate would have it i have to get it over the massive fallen oak tree. I have its tail and its body on the hook. I try to get over the tree and fall. Hit my stomach on the tree, and the snake goes straight into the water on the other side.

Now im cussing and throwing logs and kicking dirt! Damn gnats and mosquitos in a cloud over my head making me even more mad as its 90 degrees out and sweat is running down my face and back.
I calm down and head back to the Durango...

Im flying down the road in south GA after just losing that massive snake looking for a house, any house. I hit the breaks screeching to a stop and whipping into a driveway. The garage doors open so someone has to be home...
I pound on the door and wait... A man in his 30s opens the door and stares at me.

Im standing there with sweat and mud all over me. Thinking of what to say...so i start my conversation off with..."this may sound strange, but ill give you $50.00 for a 5 gallon bucket to put cottonmouths in".

[Georgia]

He looked at me and said for me to follow him. I followed him out back to his shed. He gave me a 5 gal flip top cat litter box with a handle. Better than a plain bucket! I pulled out the money and he declined payment.

Now im getting desperate...its almost 8 Pm...no snakes. I start heading back to the nearest town and pass through and head North. I have a plastic tool box that you put in a truck bed that i put my snakes i catch in. I needed the bucket to take with me to transport them back to my SUV. Well i see another creek,up ahead and park on the bridge. It seems good as a last stop.

I head down there and begin looking around. Its hard to describe this place. It had little vegetation, but there was a.canopy making it really dark around the creek. Lots of ground, but very muddy. Tons of big trees growing in pairs of 2 on the side of the creek with lots of limbs on the ground rotting away. Well i was down under the canopy for maybe 5 minutes when i saw her...coiled up between 2 trees in a pile of rotting sticks. I knew i wasnt gonna let her get away. She exploded into the water. But i was to quick. I kinda tossed her back onto the bank and pinned her head doen and put her in the bucket.

Got back into the car and headed back home...happy i could prove my wife wrong! I can catch a snake :-P

[FWK]

Excellent story! Nice of that fellow to give you the bucket. Sounds like you take a few more risks than I would but to each his own. Congrats on getting your critter in the end, stay safe man.

[franks]

Hahahaha that's awesome. Well if you ever just go Awol on this forum I will probably just assume the worst.

[Georgia]

Thanks Franks lol. Yeah that was a crazy herping trip for sure... Its an occupational hazard...we all know the risks of Hot snakes when we get them lol

[franks]

Lol yes... you guys do... but most of you guys just go to a reptile show- not a swamp. I respect that. You earned that girl.

[Georgia]

Hahaha yeah the authenticity is there when you pull 1 out of an area like that.

[EL Ziggy]

Great story Georgia. Way to hang in there. You displayed a lot of perseverance, dedication and courage. You definitely earned that beautiful critter. Stay safe and happy herping :)

[Georgia]

Yea thanks ziggy. She dont like me much lol

[Georgia]

Heys a damn good snake