# Eastern Coachwhip



## Lukikus2 (Sep 15, 2013)

Started pursueing this reclusive critter years ago and finally connected.


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## Lukikus2 (Sep 15, 2013)

I'm stoked!


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## Lukikus2 (Sep 15, 2013)

Last pic. 

I've spent alot of hours pursueing this reptile. Got pic's to proove it now.


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## ghost8026 (Sep 15, 2013)

that's cool.I've only ever seen one up close


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## Lukikus2 (Sep 15, 2013)

This is like scoring a B&C to me. Lucky me. A very wary serpent. What was crazy was the back half was almost blonde. I put my camera on video and forgot to activate it. This girl was over six feet long easy.


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## ghost8026 (Sep 16, 2013)

that's cool though.might have put out a trail camera for her


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## Vernon Holt (Sep 16, 2013)

Lukikus2 said:


> This is like scoring a B&C to me. Lucky me. *A very wary serpent*. What was crazy was the back half was almost blonde. I put my camera on video and forgot to activate it. This girl was over six feet long easy.



As opposed to calling the Indigo Snake "a very wary" serpent, I would prefer to call it a _very rare_ serpent and worthy of protection. 

In the course of a forty year career as a Forester in SE GA and N FL, with much of this time spent in Sand Hill country, I only encountered an Indigo Snake on two separate occasions.  I considered it a special opportunity to observe this rare and beautiful large snake and was careful not to molest them in any way.

In both instances the snakes appeared to be unaffected by my presence.  They remained in place and made no effort to move away or seek cover.  Knowing that they are rare and fully protected by law, I retreated and quietly moved away without disturbing them.


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## ghost8026 (Sep 16, 2013)

I've been huntin 25 years and only seen one when I was about 13 he was bout 7 foot long and he scared the you know outta me.I turned around and left


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## Lukikus2 (Sep 16, 2013)

ghost8026 said:


> that's cool though.might have put out a trail camera for her



Exactly what I was thinking last night. I had a excellent video of it going under the house, so I thought. 



Vernon Holt said:


> As opposed to calling the Indigo Snake "a very wary" serpent, I would prefer to call it a _very rare_ serpent and worthy of protection.
> 
> In the course of a forty year career as a Forester in SE GA and N FL, with much of this time spent in Sand Hill country, I only encountered an Indigo Snake on two separate occasions.  I considered it a special opportunity to observe this rare and beautiful large snake and was careful not to molest them in any way.
> 
> In both instances the snakes appeared to be unaffected by my presence.  They remained in place and made no effort to move away or seek cover.  Knowing that they are rare and fully protected by law, I retreated and quietly moved away without disturbing them.



You are correct about rare. The experts say these snakes have a home range of 4,000 acres. Since moving to Florida inthe early 90's I've been on the hunt to find one and get picks. I had a few quick sightings but the ones I've seen have been quick to get out of dodge. This girl had about twoo feet exposed coming out from under my deck when we saw each other and she quickly retreated. I grabbed my phone and was in the process of sending Nic a PM on the sighting when she came around another way. My heart sank when I saw I didn't get the video. This girl is looong!

And you are correct that they are protected. All non-venomous snakes are on my place and I have a passel of them.


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## 2bbshot (Sep 16, 2013)

Awesome!!! That's a really cool thing for people who like and appreciate snakes. The only one I've seen was a 6-7 footer and really fat she was so black she looked shiny! I generally give all snakes a pass. I killed the first snake I've killed in 10 years or more Saturday morning. I shot a dove that fell out of the field in a nasty thicket while looking for it I stepped on a 3ish foot long timber rattler I felt him move under my boot and drew my foot back and he hit me on the boot but fortunately didn't get through. Really out of reaction I shot him with my shotgun. Was a beautiful snake too had that pink/purple tint.


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## Ridge Walker (Sep 16, 2013)

I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but I think that's an Eastern Coachwhip. The thin build and two tone color give it away. Here's a pic of a Coachwhip I saw a few years back.





And here's a pic of an Indigo I saw.




Coachwhips are still really cool snakes though!

RW


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## 2bbshot (Sep 16, 2013)

As I said earlier the one I saw and have seen picture of are heavy snakes that are definitely not two tone but shiny black. That being said im far from an expert on indigos and I didn't see the snake in question in person.


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## Lukikus2 (Sep 16, 2013)

Ridge Walker said:


> I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but I think that's an Eastern Coachwhip. The thin build and two tone color give it away. Here's a pic of a Coachwhip I saw a few years back.
> 
> 
> 
> ...





I guess I need to change the title.


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## Ridge Walker (Sep 16, 2013)

Coachwhips are still awesome snakes. Big and fast!


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## watermedic (Sep 16, 2013)

Definitely a coachwhip. Probably harder to get close to than an Indigo though. He can definitely outrun you.

All of the Indigos that I have seen were Solid color. Indigo Blue.

Awesome snake.


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## Lukikus2 (Sep 16, 2013)

2bbshot said:


> Awesome!!! That's a really cool thing for people who like and appreciate snakes. The only one I've seen was a 6-7 footer and really fat she was so black she looked shiny! I generally give all snakes a pass. I killed the first snake I've killed in 10 years or more Saturday morning. I shot a dove that fell out of the field in a nasty thicket while looking for it I stepped on a 3ish foot long timber rattler I felt him move under my boot and drew my foot back and he hit me on the boot but fortunately didn't get through. Really out of reaction I shot him with my shotgun. Was a beautiful snake too had that pink/purple tint.



They have a purpose in nature and I enjoy watching and hunting them for picture purposes. Rattles snakes I eat though. Glad you didn't get bit, that could have turned out badly. I've been in that situation three times also and got the better hand of the deal.

Here is a pic of a juvy I got Saturday. Anyone know what he is?


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## dawg2 (Sep 16, 2013)

Lukikus2 said:


> This is like scoring a B&C to me. Lucky me. A very wary serpent. What was crazy was the back half was almost blonde. I put my camera on video and forgot to activate it. This girl was over six feet long easy.



I am pretty sure that is a coachwhip.  Very cool snakes.  I saw one a couple years ago cross the road in front of me and it was trailing a blonde backside.  It was longer than one of the lanes and looked like a cobra zipping across the road.  Very cool snakes.


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## Lukikus2 (Sep 16, 2013)

Ridge Walker said:


> Coachwhips are still awesome snakes. Big and fast!



No doubt. 

Thanks for the heads up. 



watermedic said:


> Definitely a coachwhip. Probably harder to get close to than an Indigo though. He can definitely outrun you.
> 
> All of the Indigos that I have seen were Solid color. Indigo Blue.
> 
> Awesome snake.



Thanks. It is quick for sure.


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## Nicodemus (Sep 16, 2013)

Neat shots Luk. The only Indigo that I ever saw that I got a positive ID on was back in the `70s in Putnam County Florida. There was no doubt, and it was about as big as they grow.


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## Ridge Walker (Sep 16, 2013)

Lukikus2 said:


> They have a purpose in nature and I enjoy watching and hunting them for picture purposes. Rattles snakes I eat though. Glad you didn't get bit, that could have turned out badly. I've been in that situation three times also and got the better hand of the deal.
> 
> Here is a pic of a juvy I got Saturday. Anyone know what he is?





That is a young Corn Snake. Looks like you're in a nice snakey area!


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## NCHillbilly (Sep 16, 2013)

x2 on the juvie corn snake. I've never seen either a wild indigo or coachwhip. Both are really cool snakes.


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## Killdee (Sep 16, 2013)

I havent seen a coachwhip in 50 years, and never a wild Indigo. Cool pic's!!!!


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## Flaustin1 (Sep 16, 2013)

I think I watched an indigo eat a bull frog a few weeks ago.  Pics in a few.


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## Flaustin1 (Sep 16, 2013)

*I think this is an indigo.*

What do yall think?


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## shakey gizzard (Sep 16, 2013)

Flaustin1 said:


> What do yall think?



kinda looks like a racer to me!


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## Paymaster (Sep 16, 2013)

Only coachwhip I ever saw was at Ft Stewart in the late 70's crossing a tank trail. It almost stretched across the trail. It was very long indeed.


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## Ridge Walker (Sep 16, 2013)

Flaustin1, it's kind of hard to tell if it's a racer or indigo from the photo. Both snakes will eat frogs. If it was by Hartwell that is outside of indigo range, so it would have to be a racer.


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## James Vincent (Sep 16, 2013)

The color means the snake is not far from shedding


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## animalguy (Sep 16, 2013)

My mom ran over a Coachwhip outside of Valdosta when I was about 13. I knew what it was from a distance, but she couldn't avoid it. I cried. 

I saw an Indigo in Echols County when I was about 15. We were running dogs and he crossed the hard road. I went to him and he was across a firebreak in the edge of the pines. It was across the width of the firebreak and over both mounds on either side. I was awestruck.


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## Lukikus2 (Sep 16, 2013)

Flaustin1 said:


> What do yall think?



Sweet pics 

Racers have a white throat. Indigos have an orange or brown throat. I never imagined a coachwhip. 

Here's a pick of a racer chasing the wife.


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## Lukikus2 (Sep 16, 2013)

And it leaving.


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## coloradowalt (Sep 16, 2013)

I haven't seen a coach whip in the wild since boy scout camp in the early seventies.  Very cool sighting.


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## one hogman (Sep 16, 2013)

*coachwhip*

I was a young teenager back in the  60s , around Stone Mountain,my cousin shot a coachwhip in the woods below his house not knowing if it was a poisonous snake or not, we drug it to the house and it measured 8 feet long, that is the only one I ever remember seeing growing up. I will never forget how long that snake was, we couldn't believe it.


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## seriadlata (Sep 17, 2013)

Fort Stewart is about the snakiest place I have ever been. Last week I saw a Hognose for the first time in a while. Then I saw a scarlet king. Plenty of Racers and the ever present cotton mouths. Love hunting there...you never know what snake you will find. All snakes get a pass from me. I even enjoy seeing the cotton mouths (But I wear snakeboots all the time...lol).


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## Flaustin1 (Sep 17, 2013)

Ridge Walker said:


> Flaustin1, it's kind of hard to tell if it's a racer or indigo from the photo. Both snakes will eat frogs. If it was by Hartwell that is outside of indigo range, so it would have to be a racer.



I thought it was a black racer at first but the color threw me off.  It wasn't black.  You cant tell in the pic I took with my phone but it definitely had the purple blueish sheen to it.  I didn't notice a throat patch.  Dang thing was not happy for me to be that close.  It was striking even with the frog in its mouth.


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## Ridge Walker (Sep 17, 2013)

It could also have a blueish color to it if it was almost time for it to shed. That's actually referred to as a snake "being in the blue".


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## 660griz (Sep 17, 2013)

Very nice. I killed a coach whip when I was young because I thought it was a rattlesnake. I just saw part of it and it was vibrating its tail in dry leaves...sounded just like a rattle. I was really sad I made that mistake.


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## tim scott (Sep 21, 2013)

very interesting thread.... only seen one indigo snake some forty years ago. it was about 8 feet long and rather thin. very shiny blue black like the finish on an old colt..... beautiful snake but kinda scary as it was the most aggressive snake I've ever seen. it was stretched out sunning on a dirt road on the farm. as I got close it coiled up and started striking at me every time I moved and all the while shaking it's tail. never realized they were so rare.
tim


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## Lukikus2 (Mar 24, 2018)

Ran into another today


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## Lukikus2 (Mar 24, 2018)

Pretty long


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## swamp hunter (Mar 25, 2018)

I've seen several Indigos down far South here.
You folks that are talkin about them striking out at you didn't see an Indigo, one of the calmest snakes out there.
I walked upon a 7 footer one day and sat down beside him and picked him up, put him in my lap. Their real thick bodied snakes and shine like a Crows wings black..
We bonded and he just moseyed off.
Hunting Pard ran up on one about 2 years ago in Taylor County Fl.
It was eating another snake and he just took pictures.
Seen one Coachwhip also in Taylor county Fl. Didn't know what it was but I looked down at my pocket to get my phone and he was Gone!! Greased Lighting for sure.


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## John Cooper (Mar 25, 2018)

When I lived in Florida in the early 80's working for a land surveying company I saw 2 indigo snakes on what is now know as Grand Cypress golf course and community. Where our house was in Apopka we had a froze out 1000 acre orange grove for a front yard, we always were riding or walking up on coach whips.


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## godogs57 (Mar 28, 2018)

Here is 7, 7 1/2 feet of Government Issue coachwhip. I ran into this ol gal here in Lee County, just north of Leesburg. One of the most ornery snakes I've ever encountered. She came at me repeatedly and seemed to enjoy racing around the woods. Fast, I'll say that. For reference, she is about as big around as midway up my forearm. Healthy ol gal.







As far as Indigo's I've ran into two down here. One on Senah Plantation which runs along the Flint and one in downtown Leesburg. Got a call at my office (USDA) about a "shiny black snake out by my pool". Shiny? Hmm....might be an Indigo? I better go before someone takes after it with a hoe. It turned out to be a young three foot Indigo. Picked it up, carried it off to a local plantation and turned her loose.


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## Hooty Hoot (Mar 28, 2018)

I ran up on a coachwhip about 15 years ago. The snake was in the 8 foot range and definitely not friendly. It lunged at my four wheeler when I came upon it. When I exited my scooter, it came after me for a few yards. I left it alone. I thought the coachwhips were a South Georgia snake but I was in Randolph County Alabama.

I have never seen an indigo snake and only one coral snake.


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## swamp hunter (Mar 28, 2018)

Good picture godogs. Thanks for posting.


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## Killdee (Mar 28, 2018)

Great picture


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## godogs57 (Mar 31, 2018)

swamp hunter said:


> Good picture godogs. Thanks for posting.



She was coming at me as I snapped the pic. Never gave up...just kept chasing. Thought it was funny. Not afraid of em at all but she was a hoot. Would raise her head up off the ground like a cobra and take off like I owed her money or something.


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