# XL Bull snake



## LenHarris (Dec 18, 2007)

photo.

It rushed me and chased me around my vehicle 2 times.

I was certain it was a Bull Snake.

After is burnt off its aggression towards me...it headed up the bank and I snapped this photo.


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## itchn2fish (Dec 15, 2005)

Shoulda strapped a rigging on him and seen if you could cover the 8 seconds.......


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## stinger63 (Nov 25, 2003)

> It rushed me and chased me around my vehicle 2 times


That is not the behaviour of a bull snake they are normaly very dosel in nature.More like the behaviour of a rat snake which I believe that snake is.I caught one before just like it and it was very aggresive .It chased me and struck and hissed at me.I wasnt afraid of snakes at the time so its behaviour didnt deter me from catching it anyways.


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## M1Garand (Apr 12, 2006)

That's a Northern Water Snake, _Nerodia sipedon_.


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## stinger63 (Nov 25, 2003)

It is a bull snake
http://www.freesnake.com/bul1.html
Just one with very unusual behaviour maybe the snake felt threatened


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## rockbass (Dec 8, 2007)

It doesn't matter what you call it, it is a freakin sweet snake. #1 chipmunk killa!!!


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## M1Garand (Apr 12, 2006)

stinger63 said:


> It is a bull snake
> http://www.freesnake.com/bul1.html
> Just one with very unusual behaviour maybe the snake felt threatened


Man, that sure does look like it...what baffles me is they are not known to be in the wild in MI (at least last I knew) which is why I didn't believe it to be a Bull. Or maybe I'm assuming too much that he was in MI. Plus the aggression sounds like a Water. Check out this lower right pic of a color variation of the N. Water Snake:

http://www.chicagoherp.org/herps/snake/Nsipedon.htm


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## stinger63 (Nov 25, 2003)

M1Garand said:


> Man, that sure does look like it...what baffles me is they are not known to be in the wild in MI (at least last I knew) which is why I didn't believe it to be a Bull. Or maybe I'm assuming too much that he was in MI. Plus the aggression sounds like a Water. Check out this lower right pic of a color variation of the N. Water Snake:
> 
> http://www.chicagoherp.org/herps/snake/Nsipedon.htm


The snake in the uppr left corner on this page from this link I caught one of those before.Very meen and nasty love to bite fortunately not venimous or im amune because i got bit twice.
Now if you happen to see a copper colored or rust colered snake with greenish yellow tail dont try and pick it up:yikes::yikes:


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## Firefighter (Feb 14, 2007)

I third the Water snake guess.

man thos things are sweet.

BTW, has anyone noticed an unusually high number of snakes this year? I see a few every time i set foot in the woods. good to see their numbers on the rise again.

On a side note, i also came across the protected blandings turtle this year too. Awesome to see. I just took a pic and let em on their merry way


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## FishMichv2 (Oct 18, 2004)

Bull Snake(Pituophis catenifer sayi) its a beautiful snake, thanks for sharing the pic. this pic couldnt have been taken in michigan though. the closest species we have here is the black rat snake and fox snake which are both quite rare and have a few different characteristics.


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## Westlakedrive (Feb 25, 2005)

they are very aggressive for sure. 
Went for a hike today but did not see any snakes. Thankfully. :lol:


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## FishMichv2 (Oct 18, 2004)

Firefighter said:


> I third the Water snake guess.
> 
> man thos things are sweet.
> 
> ...


water snakes tend to be shorter and fatter and also tend to be a bit more drab than the snake in this post. id guess the length of that snake to be at least 5 feet whereas a 3 foot nerodia would be quite large. body shape, head shape, color, and size are all a bit off to be a water snake. a young northern water snake will have similar markings but will lack the yellow color and these marking will fade with age to an almost solid brown snake unless its wet.

this is the time of year to be seeing snakes. they are out looking for food and mates right out of hibernation. not to mention the cover is still at a minimum so they are easier to spot.


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## FishMichv2 (Oct 18, 2004)

Westlakedrive said:


> they are very aggressive for sure.
> Went for a hike today but did not see any snakes. Thankfully. :lol:


so terribly aggressive....









defensive maybe but certainly not aggressive.


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## Happy Jack (Jan 21, 2003)

My mom in Arizona just sent me a pic of a 5 ft bull snake hanging from her wroght iron security door.

I've been seeing a lot of garter snakes this spring.

Had an up close encounter with a Massasauga on Tue.


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## M1Garand (Apr 12, 2006)

FishMichv2 said:


> Bull Snake(Pituophis catenifer sayi) its a beautiful snake, thanks for sharing the pic. this pic couldnt have been taken in michigan though. the closest species we have here is the black rat snake and fox snake which are both quite rare and have a few different characteristics.


Yep...I assumed the pic was taken in MI myself, which at first glance my thought was it was a NWS. 

Len, where were you when you took the pic?


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## LenHarris (Dec 18, 2007)

southwestern wisconsin.

I like sharing photos.


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## FishMichv2 (Oct 18, 2004)

Happy Jack said:


> My mom in Arizona just sent me a pic of a 5 ft bull snake hanging from her wroght iron security door.
> 
> I've been seeing a lot of garter snakes this spring.
> 
> Had an up close encounter with a Massasauga on Tue.


any pics or story involved with the sauga?


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## fasthunter (Sep 15, 2006)

That's a sweet looking snake. If it's a water snake I can relate because I used to see water snakes that looked very similar by where my old man used to keep his boat. They are cool looking that's for sure.


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## cireofmi (Feb 13, 2001)

LenHarris said:


> photo.
> 
> It rushed me and chased me around my vehicle 2 times.
> 
> ...


Are the rocks not a good sign that it was not in Michigan?


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## Happy Jack (Jan 21, 2003)

FishMichv2 said:


> any pics or story involved with the sauga?


I posted in the mushroom forum. Looking for shrooms and almost stepped on it. Light and dark brown just like the dead bark on the ground. Unfortunately I had taken my camera out of my pack over the weekend.


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