Snakes

Went on a brief hike this aft while the sun was still out.  Saw a bunch of snakes and 2 five-lined skinks.  Pic of a large fox snake I found coiled up in the weeds.  Close-up pic with my cell phone down into the vegetation, trying not to disturb it.

7 snakes observed in 30 minutes today.  1st pic is a sizable male fox snake that had 2 good sized lumps in its stomach (some type of rodents).  2nd pic is of another real good looking fox snake. 

The camera pic does not represent the real color of the first snake at all.  It had a very vibrant reddish/copper tone on its head and body that was quite nice looking.  The 2nd one was a more typical looking fox snake.

41 snakes and 8 five-lined skinks observed in just under 90 minutes.  Some beautiful fox snakes today.  1st pic a 51" female fox snake, 2nd pic - male, last pic is a five-lined skink observed in the vegetation (a difficult lizard to spot).

The latter. 

One of these BMR....or the version that sits on pontoon boats, jigs for crappies, and does tree knocks in the Northwoods?  Lol

I am having lunch with a snake right now. 

homewrecker,
Very nice milk snake pics (like NPG said).  I wish I had a few of those in my yard.

Actually looks like you've got yourself an Eastern milk snake there. Cooler than a water snake in my book!

Northern water snake. Yes I put gloves on because there tiny teeth hurt!

My youngest daughter got out fishing and also looking for snakes today with her hubby.  She caught/saw about 15, multiple species, including some large fox snakes.  She kept texting me pics.  Pic below of her holding 2 of the water snakes she captured and released after saying hello.

I saw 2 of these today.  I believe the one in the pic just came up from hibernation as it is crusty and all full of dirt around the head and eyes.  It was a sizable female, about 40" long.  It definitely needs a skin shed.  Also caught a five-lined skink.

Moon River,
That doesn't sound strange to me at all.  That is exactly how my Brother-in Law, nephews and one of my Son-in-Laws are.  They don't like snakes at all, but thankfully they don't kill them and just leave them alone.

The BIL I mentioned above even spent time in the Big Cypress National Preserve and Everglades with me a few years ago looking for invasive Burmese pythons.  He was a good sport about it, and we only caught several native species.  He didn't want to hold anything I caught, but hung in there and took photos.  He learned a lot, that's for sure.

I got an early dose as a young kid when my dad and his cousin would take me out into the Sonoran desert and they would catch Western Diamondback Rattlesnakes and Mohave Rattlesnakes to "milk" their venom to produce antivenin.  

Better YOU than ME! I would have filled my Depends with any of them. Never grew up with snake friendly ​friends to show me the ropes. Don't want to kill them, but just stay away from them! Sorry if this seems strange!

I went on a 25 min walk this afternoon and saw 8 snakes and 1 five-lined skink.  A couple of the snakes were sizable Fox Snakes.  The 1st pic is a 4 ft chunky female that I never saw at first.  It saw me and began the tail buzzing in the dry grass.  I only saw it after it went into defensive posture (because I was about to step on it) and it came out from under the heavy, dry thatch.  2nd pic is another fox snake that was spotted crawling through the deep cattails.  Last pic of a water snake coiled in the thatch, still drab from hibernation.  The arrow points to its head and right eye.

Sounds like a fun time regardless SM! I finally got my lifer EDB and some other cool stuff a couple weeks ago around Orlando. Excited to see what this year brings around here.