# Speaking of Snakes



## rockinmichigan

Man, reading this made me realize that I haven't seen a hognose in forever. I'm sure they're around but I just haven't seen them since I was a kid. Used to see a quite a few of them back in the day. 
While I'm thinking about it, when out fishing at some spots I've been seeing a lot of snakes this year. It almost seems like more then usual. I honestly am not sure exactly what kind of snake they are, whether they're fox snakes or what. I'd say on average they're about a foot long with a couple being a bit longer, and on average I'd couple or so inches around, with a dark diamond pattern. That's probably the best I can describe and I have no pics, but I'm hoping somebody has seen them. They pretty much just stick to the water. Any guesses?


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## BVW

rockinmichigan said:


> Man, reading this made me realize that I haven't seen a hognose in forever. I'm sure they're around but I just haven't seen them since I was a kid. Used to see a quite a few of them back in the day.
> While I'm thinking about it, when out fishing at some spots I've been seeing a lot of snakes this year. It almost seems like more then usual. I honestly am not sure exactly what kind of snake they are, whether they're fox snakes or what. I'd say on average they're about a foot long with a couple being a bit longer, and on average I'd couple or so inches around, with a dark diamond pattern. That's probably the best I can describe and I have no pics, but I'm hoping somebody has seen them. They pretty much just stick to the water. Any guesses?


Keep in mind snakes of the same species can come in different color shades.

Young Fox Snake :









Water Snake:


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## gamalot

BVW said:


> Keep in mind snakes of the same species can come in different color shades.
> 
> Young Fox Snake :
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> Water Snake:


One of the cool things about snakes is they can orient their color patterns to match their surroundings. The Milk snakes in my yard are probably all from the same family but the ones that live in my back yard look completely different from the ones out in my front yard. Sometimes I have to look real hard just to see them because they blend right in with the bark chips in the front flower bed. If you can see them immediately after they shed their old skin that is when they have the most vivid patterns.

Nice pictures of the Fox and typical Water Snake! I saw one down by the river just yesterday with a 6 inch dead perch half in and half out.


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## rockinmichigan

Of those two pictures I gotta say the snakes I usually see look more like the fox snake, though the ones I see have a more distinguished diamond pattern in. Like black diamonds with what looks like red in between the diamonds.


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## lummy63

The only "documented" poisonous snake in MI is the Eastern Massassauga Rattlesnake. Checkout http://michigan.gov/dnr/0,1607,7-153-10370_12145_12201-32995--,00.html for some good photos & info. Also shows comparison photos of the Milk & Hognosed snake!


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## 2 Kids And I Trap

When I first saw the pic it gave me chills. I grew up in the south and thiat little guy reminds me os a baby cotton. Wow what a twin, the biggest cotton i seen in the swamp was about 3" dia, and 4'. And was not happy about us being there. Cool little snake! 

Jon


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## Rysalka

Unfortunatly for snakes the majority response world wide is: See Snake Kill Snake.
Sad ending for a very interesting and useful life form.


I lived for a time in the South and the Cotton Mouth basically retired me from fresh watwr fishing down there, we should be very happy they don't make Michigan thier home. Very agressive and prolific.

Had a hog nose snake as a pet when I was a kid....neat snake, I use pet loosely as he did not snuggle or interact with people well.


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