How do you find a snake near a lake or in a park or picnic area?

Question

In North America, how do you search for a snake near a lake or river area? Or how to leer them out? Any good suggestion?

Answer 1

With your eyes. (sorry, couldn't resist.)

Snakes have to use their surroundings to regulate their body temperature, if it's hot, look around the water's edge, first thing in the morning sunny spots, also, any cover you can find should be checked. Remember, always flip logs and rocks and plywood -towards- you (i.e. where it is between you and anything underneath it, not with what was underneath it between you and the object.) this gives you a bit of time to react if there's something under there that you don't want to mess with. (I found a nice piece of plywood that was leaning up against a stump once... thought it would be a wonderful place for a snake to be hiding.... it was a wonderful place for a skunk to be hiding though... shield. Luckily he just ambled off into the woods instead of letting loose) If there's a bunch of birds throwing a fit, try to see what they're after. Mockingbirds and jays and cardinals and everything else will all collect to divebomb a snake in a tree, and it's a different alarm call than for a cat or hawk, it's just that IF you can find the snake, you probably won't be able to catch it, cuz it's gonna most likely be way up in the tree.

Main thing, though, is not to stomp around and make a bunch of commotion. Snakes are highly sensitive to vibrations and can feel you coming long before you're anywhere near.

Wild snakes can't be lured out... well... People I know who like to fish but don't seem to know how snakes work say that they've had water moccasins come across ponds at them.... "attacking" is what people like to call it... It's a natural response to topwater action, small alligators do this as well, sometimes, it's curiousity and instinct, but I wouldn't count on attracting snakes with fishing lures or anything else for that matter.

Hmm... I guess it's too late now to ask why you want this info.... Just keep in mind that some states do not allow the collection of wild reptiles. Other states prohibit collection of venomous reptiles, and then others prohibit collection of nonvenomous reptiles (which makes absolutely no sense to me), if you're looking for a pet, go to a breeder, the snakes that are still in the wild need to be able to do what they're supposed to do, and if you've been paying attention to your local snake population, you've probably been noticing the same thing that a lot of people are starting to notice.... they're disappearing. (If you disagree, I want to know where you live so I can move there, I used to see snakes all the time, this year I've only seen three wild snakes so far, all smooshed by cars.)

Answer 2

I've encountered them on many occasions walking up on them not expecting to see one. Gardener snakes are very common and like any cold blooded reptile they will find a warm spot to sun bath in the Spring. The poisonous snakes I have encountered were in swamp and river areas on the east coast and down south. You are likely to see them swimming near the shore of a lake next to a wooded area. Most snakes are very fearful and will crawl away when you come stomping up on them but some may be resting or in wait of prey and have no where to crawl away and will coil up and hiss exposing their fangs as a warning. If you happen on one that just ate something they will try to crawl away as they are at their weakest when they have a large meal protruding inside their gut. Just walking the trails in any State Park you are likely to see a snake but sometimes you just have to sit and wait. When you are not moving around the animals that see you will begin to feel safe and start moving again. We probably sound like a dump truck in a nitroglycerin factory to the animals when walking through the woods.

Answer 3

Look under things carfully or in hole or crvises also in the morning in the woods look where ther are sun rays as they are cold blooded and early in the morning they usually warm up before taking a day long nap.

Answer 4

Hang a dead rat around each knee and go walking around in the water or bushes.

Answer 5

Go barefoot and wear shorts.

Answer 6

wait for it to bite you