safety/snakes in fla

[Grumpy]

Grumpy... I was out turkey hunting a while back, as I was sitting, leaning against a large tree I look down and a 3 ft long rattle snake slowly slithered past, he seemed oblivious to me....is that normal if florida?

Florida in the drier areas has plenty of rattle snakes,
Ive run into them dozens of times,
I try to keep a 7-9ft distance and ignore them,
they usually but not always try to do the same,

generally they know your there but won,t be aggressive,
if you don,t move or look like a rat, you generally get ignored,
we have plenty of large rattlers,in the palmetto thickets , we hunt,
and yeah you learn quickly to watch where your putting your hands and feet...or choose too sit...
obviously putting some 6-9 feet of distance between you and the snake is a good idea,
but don,t move quickly if you can,t easily move away,
your too large for lunch and will usually be ignored,
if your not seen as a threat.
btw its not unheard of to find one in a permanent tree stand either.
wet areas hold cotton mouth snakes they tend to be bad tempered if disturbed,

most cotton mouth moccasins act like an ex wife ,
that got nothing in a divorce, and have a bad hangover,
they will strike given the option more often then not in my experience
but generally hiss and move ,giving you a second or so to find someplace else you rather be.

so watch your surroundings at all times
http://venomoussnakesfl.com/cottonmouth.htm

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2016/12/161221154151.htm

http://www.247wildlife.com/venomousnakes.htm

 

[Maniacmechanic1]

Shoot Grumpy.

 

[Grumpy]

I generally just ignore and try too avoid them,
I don,t go around shooting snakes,
as long as they don,t get aggressive.
most rattlers give you warning and move away,given the option.
I generally will duplicate that option,
and just give them space to go find mice and rats,

move toward me,in a threatening manor,,,
and yeah, your life expectancy as a snake drops rapidly

 

[Maniacmechanic1]

They are in Illinois also.
I have heard them hiking local on a hot summer day.
No mistaking the Rattle snake sound.
Rare, some summers are around here.

 

[rlphvac]

I don't like snakes at all I haven't run into many around home but we have copperheads and they are like the cotton mouths they don't like anything depending on where I am and where the snake is decides weather I shoot it or not but there are rattlers in the mountains where I fish and I do carry snake shot in my gun