Snakes on the course!

[Tigga]

If you get close enough to a cottonmouth there is a good chance he may come after you. they're very aggressive and tend to charge verse flee the scene. Luckily I've only seen a few and never had any real run ins with those snakes.

I'm sorry man but this is a myth that has been debunked countless times over the years. I've seen at least 10 YouTube videos of the snake hunter/outdoors-men variety disproving it. None of them ever got a water moccasin/cotton mouth to do anything that even resembled "chasing" no matter what they did to entice it to do so. Like every other snake, they strike when threatened/cornered/stepped on, coil in defense if they have no escape, flee when they can and go on their merry way.
Trust me, I heard that growing up in Florida countless times and believed it myself when, like you, I hadn't come across any myself. I have though now, and never seen any such behavior.

 

[ohtobediscing]

I've seen dozens of cottonmouths in my lifetime. They've never chased me, but I did have one hiss at me when he felt cornered by the presence of several people in the vicinity.

 

[Nubes]

I'm sorry man but this is a myth that has been debunked countless times over the years. I've seen at least 10 YouTube videos of the snake hunter/outdoors-men variety disproving it. None of them ever got a water moccasin/cotton mouth to do anything that even resembled "chasing" no matter what they did to entice it to do so. Like every other snake, they strike when threatened/cornered/stepped on, coil in defense if they have no escape, flee when they can and go on their merry way.
Trust me, I heard that growing up in Florida countless times and believed it myself when, like you, I hadn't come across any myself. I have though now, and never seen any such behavior.

Ive never encountered one and had heard that of all snakes in the pit viper family they were the most aggressive? You're probably 100% right. Most pit vipers sense the body heat of something larger than them and they stay still trying to blend in and not be seen or eaten. Ive read that is how most bites happen. after a rain fall in the summer or at dusk, when temps are cool enough for them to detect the source of heat easier. They'll sunbathe or sense you coming and then stay still hoping the possible threat moves on but the snake doesn't know that its lying directly in the middle of a hiking trail and then you get too close or step on it. Then off to the emergency room. Here is a true story....Late 90's some buddies of mine were at Lake Cumberland. One of the guys we grew up with was bit a trust fund kid(super nice guy-I mean that in a good way) but Somehow he buys a brand new 28 foot Baja that had a 502 big block in it I think? This thing was suicide on water, especially with Jake driving it. I was supposed to be on this trip but something came up with work or may of even had a bike race that weekend? For whatever reason I couldn't go. They stop to get fuel after it rained for about an hour and Jake ran up to his truck for something and since it cooled down after the rain, a nice fat 3-4 foot Copper head was lying in the middle of the trail, Jake steps on and the snake bites him twice on the foot so he kills the snake and heads off to the hospital. He got really lucky because the snake only hit cartilage and not a directly into a vein. Ruined part of of his weekend but he was fine and then took the snake to a taxidermist and had it turned into a guitar strap. LOL Last time I saw him about 10 years ago he said he still plays the six string a little and still has the guitar strap made from the snake that bit him. I always thought that was kind of cool

 

[Nubes]

I definitely almost stepped on some kind of viper at Cabin Creek once. It was still pretty young I am guessing from the size of it. Might have been 2 ft stretched out but was barely bigger around than my thumb. I didn't even notice it till I reached down to pick up my disc after putting it weeds next to no 6 basket and it was maybe 8 inches from my right foot. It was a lighter brown but there is no mistaking that triangular head, pretty sure it was a young copperhead. It never did move, still pretty early morning so it might have been cold or I just got real lucky.

Good chance that's exactly what it was or a baby Timber Rattle snake? I think just about all viper/pit viper and rattlesnakes give birth to live young and dont lay eggs. I think most snakes lay eggs but the type of poisonous snakes that we have to worry about give birth to live young so who knows? Mama and the rest of the crew could have been lurking right around the bend next to that one??

 

[brutalbrutus]

? Mama and the rest of the crew could have been lurking right around the bend next to that one??

Coulda been. I don't know if you ever played Cabin Creek but even with the paintball that particular spot probly doesn't get too many visitors and we were the first group thru there that morning I think. They could have been another two feet away and I wouldn't have seen them. The ground in that area is just a nest of thorns, nettles, old leaves and poison ivy.


You should check out the Labor day event if you don't have plans. Friendly casual 1 round $5 tourney in the morning then $5 random dubs after lunch. Its a course that might not be around too much longer. I love Bill and Midge but lets face it, they aren't getting any younger.

 

[nate22]

Glad a few caught the drop bears comment :-D

 

[The Valkyrie Kid]

From my review of Texas Army trail Course in Cypress, Texas.

There is a practice basket at the start. There's also a snake warning sign warning you about cottonmouths, coral and copperheads. What, no cobras?

And then the two Texas guys I was playing with attempted to inform me of which of these three snakes are afraid of me and which ones were going to eat me.

 

[Nubes]

Coulda been. I don't know if you ever played Cabin Creek but even with the paintball that particular spot probly doesn't get too many visitors and we were the first group thru there that morning I think. They could have been another two feet away and I wouldn't have seen them. The ground in that area is just a nest of thorns, nettles, old leaves and poison ivy.


You should check out the Labor day event if you don't have plans. Friendly casual 1 round $5 tourney in the morning then $5 random dubs after lunch. Its a course that might not be around too much longer. I love Bill and Midge but lets face it, they aren't getting any younger.

I'm really trying to make my life not so complicated and things are starting to come together. I move into my new place in about a week and Iv'e been playing and practicing as much as I can which usually means some practice putting at night and sneaking in a round on Saturday or Sunday in between calls from work when things slow down which is usually between 11:00am-3:00-4:00pm then I start getting lit with calls from the trucks ive got loading and delivering over the weekend. I work 7 days a week and have been doing this for just about a year now. Some days are slower than others but when my phone rings, I clock in regardless where I am at or what I'm doing. My life should start getting easier soon because I can't hold on like this much longer so I hope to run into you one of these days soon out on the course. I'm going to end up loony bin if things don't change? I'm kidding but I knew what I was getting onto. The stress and anxiety have just finally reached the breaking point but my buddy who I work for just hired a new guy who we're training to be my assistant. I'm a one man show with my job and its killing me but should start to get better here very soon........I hope. One of these days Ill make to a dubs night or look into a league. I just need to be in a better spot and I'm almost there

 

[SD86]

I have been part of three snake encounters (all in Texas) while playing disc golf:
-- I nearly stepped on a moving snake at Audubon Park in Garland. Didn't see it, but my playing partner yelled as I was about to step, and I froze as the snake moved toward the creek/water under the road.
-- I saw a snake apparently sunning itself on No. 10 at Z-Boaz in Forth Worth. I gave it a wide berth.
-- A playing partner almost stepped on a snake on a small peninsula of land on the pond at Lester Lorch. Until then, I didn't know he had those moves.

I've had multiple snake encounters on my DG home course. One was the encounter of the king snake having another snake for dinner; I posted that on these boards somewhere. I also posted a pic of that very large snake that slithered right on by me. The next year I almost stepped on a snake (may actually have stepped on it) and we were both jumping out of the way of each other. A few days later I saw that same snake crawling along on another hole.

These were all king snakes or other non-harmful snakes. I haven't seen any in the last year or so; I hope they weren't killed off by some idiot(s).

 

[Crooow]

One More

I forgot that we also had a 3-4 footer slither through the middle of a players' meeting at Moraine in western PA. Just passing through............

 

[aclay]

How could I have forgotten ...

I have been part of three snake encounters (all in Texas) while playing disc golf:
-- I nearly stepped on a moving snake at Audubon Park in Garland. Didn't see it, but my playing partner yelled as I was about to step, and I froze as the snake moved toward the creek/water under the road.
-- I saw a snake apparently sunning itself on No. 10 at Z-Boaz in Forth Worth. I gave it a wide berth.
-- A playing partner almost stepped on a snake on a small peninsula of land on the pond at Lester Lorch. Until then, I didn't know he had those moves.

I actually have had FIVE encounters (all in Texas). Twice in the same day, I saw snakes at Saddle Hills in White Settlement, Texas. One was in the creek, and one was sprawled across a path between holes. We went around that one.

 

[BogeyNoMore]

I can't help but wonder if snakes gather round and talk about how many people they've come across:

I'm tellin' you, he screamed like a little girl. Never imagined a grown man was capable of hitting a note that high.
Pretty sure he's the same sumb!itch that crushed Slinky's skull a few weeks ago. I'd have bit him for doing 'ol Slinky, except his scream was so damned shrill, I just got the hell away as fast as I could.

 

[trifocal]