# Copperhead bite!!!!!!



## busta cap

Buddy of mine got bit on his finger messin with a 1 1/2 ft Copperhead on his carport in Cherokee Co. 4 bags anti-venom two days in hospital later....here ya go. Pics were taken 10 days after bite.


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## threeleggedpigmy

Ouch


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## Cadcom

I bet he stops messin' for awhile.


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## Nitro

Ouch.... for sure .When they have to cut to relieve the edema, you know you messed up. 

Lucky he hasn't lost the finger. (I hope he doesn't)......


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## Joker

man that looks like it HURTS!


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## busta cap

Nitro said:


> Ouch.... for sure .When they have to cut to relieve the edema, you know you messed up.
> 
> Lucky he hasn't lost the finger. (I hope he doesn't)......



I think hes out of the woods and will keep his finger, but it was up in the air for a while.


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## killNgrill

I've heard before that around 75 percent of poisonous sbake bites are men between 18 and 35 ..... and 70 percent of that involves alcohol.
Hope your buddy heals up quick


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## busta cap

killNgrill said:


> I've heard before that around 75 percent of poisonous sbake bites are men between 18 and 35 ..... and 70 percent of that involves alcohol.
> Hope your buddy heals up quick



59 yrs young sober as a JUDGE.


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## turkey foot

*Snake Bite*

Sober as a judge, dumb as a rock.


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## germag

That's exactly how probably at least 75% of venomous snakebite happen.....if you just leave them alone and let them go their own way, you'll probably never have a problem.


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## BornToHuntAndFish

Ouch, that looks like a rough experience.  Hope your buddy recovers quickly despite the agony he's already been thru.  Shocking what a smaller poisonous snake can do & the results it can cause.  

Recently, I posted photos of the same size copperhead I discovered in my driveway.  

http://forum.gon.com/showthread.php?t=545898 

According to my tape measure, it was 18 inches long after trying to straighten the copperhead out but it's muscles kept resisting & constricting.  Your graphic photos have me rethinking how accidents can happen when I regularly casually work & stroll around in the yard & driveway with unprotected bare legs then being reminded about the damage & pain even a small venomous snake can inflict.  Thanks for starting your forum thread & for the good warnings.


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## CAL

turkey foot said:


> Sober as a judge, dumb as a rock.



Now,you have to agree with that statement!Always heard if you play with fire,expect to get burnt.......sooner or later!


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## busta cap

CAL said:


> Now,you have to agree with that statement!Always heard if you play with fire,expect to get burnt.......sooner or later!



Yep...he grew up out west...New Mexico I think.. handled one too many.


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## Highintheshoulder

Im glad he is ok, but yeah dumb as a rock.


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## mattl5860

Have you ever noticed out of all the folks on TV that go around catching & handling snakes. You never see 'em fooling with a Copperhead. Diamond back no problem, Cobra piece of cake, Cotton mouth a little tricky but workable. Reason the pro's don't mess with 'em:  A copperHead will tear you up!


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## Derek Edge

Yep, I some what agree with the above post.  I deal with a lot of snakes here in and around the swamp at the house.  Copperheads and cottonmouths are by-far the most aggressive snakes that I have come in contact with.  I lost my Alaskan Husky to a copperhead bite on the jaw, he was dead in 20 minutes.  I have also been struck once by a copperhead and once by a cottonmouth but luckily I had my snake boots on.  Also, did anyone know that a copperhead, when alarmed, will tap his tail on the ground and sounds just like a dang rattlesnake?  I found this out the hard way while running rabbit dogs in the summer a few years ago.  It liked to had scared the mess out of me...lol.


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## win3006

man that has to hurt


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## busta cap

Highintheshoulder said:


> Im glad he is ok, but yeah dumb as a rock.



Dumb?...not at all...pretty smart cat... just got a little cocky and paid the price, as he was the first one to admit. Hope this shows what even a small snake can do. That was the motive to this post....some of you boys need to tighten your saddles


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## dtala

I had a buddy bit on the foot by a smallish copperhead as he stepped out his backdoor at night, barefooted. He as maybe 55 years old, in excellent shape. He was in the hospital for several weeks, never recovered his health, had a heart attack a year later and died. Always believed that snakebite was the start of the end for him....

hope yer buddy get ok.

  troy


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## dawg2

Hate that happened, glad he is doing well.


How to deal with venomous snakes:

1) Shoot their head off with a shotgun from a safe distance
2) Leave them alone.

anything else will get you a spot on a thread with pics of a blown up finger, foot, leg, etc.


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## King Fisher

Dangit Thats gona leave a mark


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## SneekEE

So what happened to the snake?


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## Toxic

good luck on getting that finger back to useable, have a buddy who was bit in the same way and his finger has never been the same.


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## Gabby

First moved to Florida and found a "baby" rattle snake in the back yard by the pond. It was less than a foot long.  Messed with it for a good 1/2 hour before takeing a stick and flipping it in the pond. 
Showed a picture of it to a Florida native ...Yeah ... it was a pygmy rattle snake.  Dumb & lucky beats smart & unlucky!
Gabby


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## busta cap

SneekEE said:


> So what happened to the snake?



I think he was going to catch it take it away and let it go, but after it bit him he killed it. He has handled them before. He still has a long way to go with that finger, as someone said earlier it will never be back to normal just lucky to still be there at all.


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## Marlin_444

Ew Dang...  

Cooter don't mess with no snakes!!!  

Unloaded a SBH on a 2.5 foot rattler from my 20' stand once...  

My knees were knockin...  

Clean missed him, luckily it scared the bejeezus outta him too and it high tailed it outta there...  

Man that looks painful... 

Hope he recovers is of the finger... 

Ew Dang...

See you in the woods...

Ron


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## davel

A lot of people don't realize that a young venomous snake is much more dangerous than a full grown one.  When they are young and threatened, they haven't learned how to control the amount of venom they release when they bite so they give you a full dose.  Adult or mature snakes know they can't eat you so they usually "dry" bite just to defend themselves which is why they are rarely fatal.  The amount of venom injected is minimal but still painful.  That's why they tell you not to use snake bite kits and just get to the doctor so they can determine how much venom was injected.

Sorry about your buddy and I hope he recovers soon.


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## hilljack13

Hope the snake is OK and didn't catch a case of the dummies.


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## Mario7979

Awhile back don't know how many years a couple was coming down treat mountain in Polk county and seen a timber rattler in the road and put  it in the back of their pick up alive went o0n down the road stop and the lady got out and was messing with the timber rattler and it bit her and she died sometime later....DRUNK....DRUNK....


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## killitgrillit

Another candidate for the Darwin award, gonna be a close race this year.


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## Bowyer29

killitgrillit said:


> Another candidate for the Darwin award, gonna be a close race this year.



You got it bro! I am glad I am not the only dope to make mistakes around here!!!


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## insanehunter

i got my boat out this year and uncoverd it and vacumed it out got in the boat to turn the radio on and i had a copperhead 2ft from me in the boat i got out fast and got a shovel and took car of him! he had to be in there the whole time i was cleaning it up


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## RipperIII

Derek Edge said:


> ....Also, did anyone know that a copperhead, when alarmed, will tap his tail on the ground and sounds just like a dang rattlesnake?  I found this out the hard way while running rabbit dogs in the summer a few years ago.  It liked to had scared the mess out of me...lol.



Yep, discovered this fact back during turkey season while sneaking along a log road calling out to toms, I heard that distinct rattle down by my feet, I froze expecting to see a rattler, instead I saw a 2' copperhead stretched out in the grass and dead leaves along the side of the road.
Beautiful snake! It was a cold morning so he didn't move much at all.


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## Throwback

my son almost stepped on one (copperhead)  about two weeks ago right beside our shop. 


T


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## CraigS1001

My wife was bitten by a copperhead two years ago in our back yard.  Got her right on the index finger knuckle.  She was moving some river rock from around our flower beds with leather gloves on.  Never thinking about the snakes, she was protecting those "nails".....!  Anyhow, got the naughty boy in a freezer bag and took her to the hospital.  After a couple of tests it was determined he was shooting blanks this time.  One or two shots and about 4 hours later we were back home and "I" was the one moving the little river rocks!

(the nurse saw the snake move in that bag and let out a yell, she thought I had brought a live CH to the ER !)


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## capt stan

I hope it heals and he has use of his finger again.

I was taught at a young age..... leave um alone or kill um...no in between.....


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## bfriendly

BornToHuntAndFish said:


> Ouch, that looks like a rough experience.  Hope your buddy recovers quickly despite the agony he's already been thru.  Shocking what a smaller poisonous snake can do & the results it can cause.
> 
> Recently, I posted photos of the same size copperhead I discovered in my driveway.
> 
> http://forum.gon.com/showthread.php?t=545898
> 
> According to my tape measure, it was 18 inches long after trying to straighten the copperhead out but it's muscles kept resisting & constricting.  Your graphic photos have me rethinking how accidents can happen when I regularly casually work & stroll around in the yard & driveway with unprotected bare legs then being reminded about the damage & pain even a small venomous snake can inflict.  Thanks for starting your forum thread & for the good warnings.




EXCELLENT PHOTOS!  Thanks for posting, I missed your thread earlier!  I too like the condition of the snake-it was definitely a healthy one!
Anyone want to know what a GA Copperhead looks like, check out these photos!


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## T.P.

Did ur buddy learn anything?


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## THREEJAYS

yowser , I'll be hurtin all day


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## pnome

Yikes!


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## 7Mag Hunter

turkey foot said:


> Sober as a judge, dumb as a rock.



10-4 on the rock !!!!!

I ain't playin' with no snake !!!


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## Barry Duggan

Never seen an aggressive copperhead...cottonmouth is a different story.


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## MissionMagnet

The compartment syndrome is what does the most damage due to the hemotoxin. Hes lucky to have that finger judging by how bad the swelling was. Good luck to your pal, and bet he wont do that again!


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## busta cap

MissionMagnet said:


> The compartment syndrome is what does the most damage due to the hemotoxin. Hes lucky to have that finger judging by how bad the swelling was. Good luck to your pal, and bet he wont do that again!



Talked to him yesterday he knows how lucky he was , Doc said his finger looks great, now he has to start bending it to keep range of motion due to the scare tissue that is starting to form. He said it still looks alot like the pics and it will be a long healing process ahead. Yeah he said that will be the last venomous snake he handles. Hospital bill was $136,000 and each bag of anti venom was $10,000 a pop think twice my friends.


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## MissionMagnet

Dang 'Busta, I really do feel for your friend. Growing up, my stepdad was a herpatologist specializing in Indigenous venomous snakes to the Southeast and did a lot of venom research through Universities, so we did alot of milking and catching and thank our lucky stars noone ever got tagged, bc we had some giants. He has a long painful road ahead and I pray god expedites the process for him, Good luck


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## busta cap

We dont react to a snake bite unless the person dies from the bite...so we think oh they didnt die... it must not be so bad to be bitten....WRONG!!!!!


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## MissionMagnet

Shoot, not dieing is probably worste than dieing in terms of agony and suffering, and subsequent hospital bills...


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## germag

mattl5860 said:


> Have you ever noticed out of all the folks on TV that go around catching & handling snakes. You never see 'em fooling with a Copperhead. Diamond back no problem, Cobra piece of cake, Cotton mouth a little tricky but workable. Reason the pro's don't mess with 'em:  A copperHead will tear you up!



A copperhead is no harder to hande than any other snake if you have the proper equipment and training.


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## vol man

germag said:


> That's exactly how probably at least 75% of venomous snakebite happen.....if you just leave them alone and let them go their own way, you'll probably never have a problem.



Yep!

That is what he gets for messing with that snake.

Bet he don't do that again.


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## JoeyWommack

I am glad so many on here never do anything dumb.  I mean geeze cut the guy some slack.


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## Cleburne

OUCH! I hate snakes, all snakes must die.


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## mattech

Barry Duggan said:


> Never seen an aggressive copperhead...cottonmouth is a different story.



shoot, every copperhead i have delt with is very aggresive. I have had cottonmouth's lay a couple feet from me while fishin and just sit thare staring at me.


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## plottman25

First off let me say man i bet that hurt bad and im glad you kept your finger,
but now get your rear to walmart and get you shot gun you dont have to get so close.


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## Fishlipps Revisited

Derek Edge said:


> .  Also, did anyone know that a copperhead, when alarmed, will tap his tail on the ground and sounds just like a dang rattlesnake?  I found this out the hard way while running rabbit dogs in the summer a few years ago.  It liked to had scared the mess out of me...lol.



lots of snakes will do that.....and, you're right about needing a change of tidy whities...


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## plottman25

ive seen snakes shake their tail but they dont make any sound.


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## turky93

plottman25 said:


> ive seen snakes shake their tail but they dont make any sound.



It only works when they've got leaves around them. That's what makes the "rattle" sound.


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## Terry May

That just looks plain painful!


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## Hoyt

Don't pay to mess with snakes..this is what a rattle snake can cause...if it don't kill you.












Bout the closest I came to really gettin messed up was back in the 60's in Ft. Stewart. I was blood trailing a doe I shot with bow and down on my hands and knees with my face about 12" off the ground looking for a spec of blood. All of a sudden a big snake shy-ed back wards about a foot from my face. It was a 5' or so timber rattler that was coiled up in some wire grass. Just a good thing it was a real cold morning I guess or it would have popped me right in the face.  I killed it with an old Ben Pearson Deadhead broadhead.


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## Bowyer29

Hoyt said:


> Don't pay to mess with snakes..this is what a rattle snake can cause...if it don't kill you.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Bout the closest I came to really gettin messed up was back in the 60's in Ft. Stewart. I was blood trailing a doe I shot with bow and down on my hands and knees with my face about 12" off the ground looking for a spec of blood. All of a sudden a big snake shy-ed back wards about a foot from my face. It was a 5' or so timber rattler that was coiled up in some wire grass. Just a good thing it was a real cold morning I guess or it would have popped me right in the face.  I killed it with an old Ben Pearson Deadhead broadhead.



That picture is going to give me nightmares!


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## busta cap

Dang o mighty!!!!!!! Thats looks like a horror movie...


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## one hogman

*Snake bite*

I have read in Ga. the copperhead bites more people than any other snake,


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## FX Jenkins

germag said:


> A copperhead is no harder to hande than any other snake if you have the proper equipment and training.



Exactly...


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