# Snake ID Please



## bigfishcatcher3 (Nov 26, 2010)

Came across this guy in the Gaylord area. Cant say i've seen one before. Pretty distinct black dots behind his head. 









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## Magnet (Mar 2, 2001)

I would guess that it's a Black Rat Snake.


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## sureshot006 (Sep 8, 2010)

Hmmm first thought is water snake but I have never seen a black rat snake.


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## Dish7 (Apr 2, 2017)

sureshot006 said:


> Hmmm first thought is water snake but I have never seen a black rat snake.


As soon as I saw the picture, I thought water snake too. I don't think it's a rat snake. I believe Rat snakes are endangered in MI. Man, I usually know my snakes but those dots don't ring a bell.


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## sureshot006 (Sep 8, 2010)

Dish7 said:


> As soon as I saw the picture, I thought water snake too. I don't think it's a rat snake. I believe Rat snakes are endangered in MI. Man, I usually know my snakes but those dots don't ring a bell.


The dots are throwing me off too. Maybe this particular snake is really dark and/or pic doesn't show the pattern?


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## bigfishcatcher3 (Nov 26, 2010)

Didnt see any pattern. Just grey. 

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## BigW (Dec 29, 2016)

These are referred to as a a $h!t snake. Causes most folks to shat themselves after seeing it. 
Can you provide any dimensions (of the snake)?


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## Nostromo (Feb 14, 2012)

Northern Black Racer? Maybe the spots are scars?


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## Gamekeeper (Oct 9, 2015)

The stout body is the giveaway.


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## bigfishcatcher3 (Nov 26, 2010)

It was somewhere between 24" - 30" 

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## sureshot006 (Sep 8, 2010)

Gamekeeper said:


> The stout body is the giveaway.


Give away to what answer?


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## Thirty pointer (Jan 1, 2015)

Most all snakes in Michigan are decreasing at an alarming rate in many areas .If nothing is done to reduce predation some species will not recover .Don't fall for the old lack of habitat message ...even in large unpopulated area's with prime habitat they are going fast along with many other amphibians .


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## eucman (Jan 24, 2009)

T


sureshot006 said:


> Hmmm first thought is water snake but I have never seen a black rat snake.


I would say norther water snake as well. When you zoom in you can see indistinct spots on back.


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## on a call (Jan 16, 2010)

I would say the same....water snake

I have not seen one lately but used to see them all the time....the populations are decreasing !

Nice looking fella you have there....hope he is happy 

Remember one I found along the Maumee river crayfishing with my children...he had a frog 3/4 swallowed


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## junkman (Jan 14, 2010)

I would say hog nose.Did it play dead or display like a cobra.


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## stickman1978 (Sep 15, 2011)

One thick body on that guy.


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## sureshot006 (Sep 8, 2010)

junkman said:


> I would say hog nose.Did it play dead or display like a cobra.


Coloring doesn't look like a hognose. But could just be a real dark one I suppose


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## MossyHorns (Apr 14, 2011)

Looks like an Eastern Hognose, which can be black.


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## junkman (Jan 14, 2010)

sureshot006 said:


> Coloring doesn't look like a hognose. But could just be a real dark one I suppose





MossyHorns said:


> Looks like an Eastern Hognose, which can be black.


I have seen them in every shade from a very light tan and also kind of a greenish brown all the way to almost black.


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## FishMichv2 (Oct 18, 2004)

That's an eastern hognose. Older ones will often lose their distinct markings and some are just born melanistic. The head and body shape is a dead giveaway.


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## bigfishcatcher3 (Nov 26, 2010)

It was acting like it was playing dead. Crazy. I thought it was just digusting something and couldnt multi task.

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## sureshot006 (Sep 8, 2010)

bigfishcatcher3 said:


> It was acting like it was playing dead. Crazy. I thought it was just digusting something and couldnt multi task.
> 
> Sent from my SM-G930P using Tapatalk


Then definitely hog nose


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## Ranger Ray (Mar 2, 2003)

I have never seen a hognose that thick, or that color. I'm going with a northern water.


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## sureshot006 (Sep 8, 2010)

Ranger Ray said:


> I have never seen a hognose that thick, or that color. I'm going with a northern water.


I've seen them thick like that but not that color


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## FishMichv2 (Oct 18, 2004)

Ranger Ray said:


> I have never seen a hognose that thick, or that color. I'm going with a northern water.


It's a hognose. 100 percent certain.


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## Perferator (Oct 18, 2003)

Hognose, just by the way it is puffed up just behind the head. Did it hiss?


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## seabass810 (Apr 2, 2010)

Didn't want to start a new thread but snake id please









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## motdean (Oct 23, 2011)

Magnet said:


> I would guess that it's a Black Rat Snake.


That was my guess too!

My wife called me on the way home from work one night and was hysterical about a snake coiled up on the outside of the garage. From her voice and explanation, I thought for sure it was 8 feet long and a foot in diameter.

When I got home, I stretched him out and found out that he was 39 inches.

Looked just like this one.

A couple of years later, she was working on a flower bed at the edge of the woods and almost stepped on one barefoot, that was all coiled up. Talk about panic mode.... 

BTW, she doesn't like snakes.


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## sureshot006 (Sep 8, 2010)

seabass810 said:


> Didn't want to start a new thread but snake id please
> View attachment 334224
> 
> 
> Sent from my SM-G955U using Michigan Sportsman mobile app


Looks like a milk snake


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## FishMichv2 (Oct 18, 2004)

seabass810 said:


> Didn't want to start a new thread but snake id please
> View attachment 334224
> 
> 
> Sent from my SM-G955U using Michigan Sportsman mobile app


Eastern Milk Snake. Harmless.


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## seabass810 (Apr 2, 2010)

Thankyou. It was cool looking. Never saw one before


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