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Hey Disco: What are the effects now, long after the bite? Any ugly scars?

Yeah, effects...well, I used to be 6' tall, now I'm 5'5'', can't get Defy the Laws of Tradition clean, and my girlfriend says I occasionally try and bite her ankle when I'm sleeping. Wierd. But no scars. Those fangs were tiny.

The local Menifee County boys are a great bunch. They seemed to pick up the pace a bit once they heard I was from Kentucky, not Ohio. They didn't seem to think much of Ohio folk...they said 80% of the rescues were buckeyes being stupid, and they rarely get a thank you. I apparently interrupted a pizza and beer session, so I felt pretty bad about that.

Just to let everyone know. There are a large den of copperheads near the approach trail of Indy Wall at Muir valley. 3 large ones were spotted, and there are probably more. The trail was rerouted this weekend before they were found. After you cross first log stay left and walk straight to wall. The snakes are living in large stump and brush pile just right of second tree laying in the old trail.

Are there any herpetologists out there who can give advice on relocating copperheads? I've heard it can be detrimental to this species to move them away from their dens, even in the summer.

We have a few more in Muir Valley than we need right now. And, although they arguably claim "squatters' rights", we would like to relocate the ones that hang around the more popular climbing areas in the Valley.

Rick Weber

Rick,

Have you talked to the guy at the snake pit in Slade?

copperhead step-on by dog. no bite. slithered away posthaste. Pinch 'Em Tight sunny trail.

Muhbee the Mayor knows some preachers that might'n be int'rsted in relocatin' em fer Sunday revival?

Don't go to the snake pit, go to Jim Harrison at the Serpetarium.

Yeah, that's what I meant. The serpenthingyarium.

geezer, how far away are you wanting to move them?

I dont think it would really help your particular situation to move them far away, because in all reality, the one that is moved will probably just be replaced by another.

I am really glad, though, that you arent killing them as most people would. If you really do want to move them out, I'd say that it would be safe to move them a quarter to half a mile or so. But not any further, just to be safe.

Visited the folks at the serpetarium at Slade, and Byrum gave us a great two hour education about snakes in the red. He dispelled a lot of hooey we all hear about these creatures. Well worth the time for persons spending a lot of time out hiking out here in the Rhodo jungles.

Found out that female copperheads will range about a mile from their dens. Males up to three miles lookin' fer females. So, relocating isn't too effective unless you take them a long way away. I learned that picking them up just behind the head, as I have done, can injury the snake and even cause death. Seems they have a fragile skeletal structure there. The least harmful way (to the snake) to pick them up is with a snake hook. Drop them in a bag and move them.

After talking with the snake folks, we've decided it's best to co-exist. That means watching your step and keeping backpacks closed up at the base of climbs.

We ask that visitors to Muir Valley not kill the snakes there... or any of the wildlife, for that matter.

We were told that the best thing to use for a poisonous snake bite is a set of car keys. The suction things don't remove much venom and just concentrate it in one area, increasing the severity of tissue necrosis. Cutting with a knife significantly increases the chances of infection and does no good. So, it's best, we are told, to calmly travel to a medical facility. For copperhead bites, there are a couple clinics in Campton and a small hospital in Jackson. For rattlesnake bites, we were advised to take a victim to Winchester, where, if needed, he could be transported to another hospital better equipped to provide antivenom treatment.

In Muir, we don't see many snakes, but they are there. Most prevelent are black racers, midland rat snakes, garter snakes, king snakes, eastern milk snakes, and northern copperheads. So far, no rattle snakes. We understand they are pretty scarce in the Red.

Last weekend, we went over to Coomer Ridge Campground near Pine Ridge to watch a local bluegrass group play at the ampitheater. As they were tuning up, one band member discovered a little copperhead curled up beside the outdoor stage. He asked the park ranger in the audience if he would kindly remove it. The ranger picked it up with a stick and took it out in the woods a ways. Problem solved until a local buba, armed with a big stick chased it down and beat it to a pulp. Then, with a big toothless grin, he held its busted body up for the ampitheater audience to see and applaud his feat of heroism. Sometimes its hard to understand our species.

Rick Weber