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Snakes are out - FYI

Found this one doing yard work at house.

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Nice to see so many real outdoorsmen that realize snakes are best left alone rather than killed. And also nice that it was mentioned that killing harmless species is illegal. A few good tips:
- step on logs not over them
- there are no cotton mouths/ water moccasins in Atlanta or north (basically). None at Lanier, Allatoona, etc. the northernmost population is south Fayette County. There are coastal populations and some population near Alabama line.
- copperheads and cottonmouths are the most misidentified species. In my experience 90% of the inquiries I get that are thought to be one of those two are harmless snakes. Usually water snakes and brown snakes.
- copperheads and cottonmouths have suffer yellow or bright green tails as babies
- if you are ever unsure of an ID, there are a number of naturalists and herpetologists such as myself you can email or text a photo to.
- eastern diamondbacks are disappearing in ga. Please spare them. Even most of the roundup snakes are being brought in from Alabama.
- the majority of envenomations occur when people are trying to capture or kill the snake.
- snakes wont chase you. It may appear that way if you are between it and where it wants to go. For instance between a cottonmouth and water it seem like it is charging you.
- coral snakes do NOT have to bite a finger or toe. They can bite an arm or even torso. But are generally very docile.
- hog nose snakes will hood like a cobra. But are harmless.
- harmless water snakes will flatten their head which makes them look more like a cotton.
- we do have legless and glass lizards in ga that look like snakes.
- all of pur pit vipers give live birth. No such thing as rattlesnake eggs.
- cottonmouths don't "nest"

That is all off the top of my head. It is good to be aware of snakes, but it is best to let them be.
 
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Here is a little Midland water snake I caught a couple weeks ago north if Atlanta. Him and another one were fighting over a fish. You can see the little blue Gill in his mouth.
 

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As I understand it GA law makes the killing of non-poisonous snakes a crime. However, my JUDGE is loaded w/ #4's and always by my side.
 
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