Don’t Sit on a Copperhead

Copperhead are without a doubt the masters of camouflage.

While all wildlife has a measure of disappearing ability it seems as if the southern copperhead blends in better than the others and is a contributing factor to numerous bites, especially in the eastern third of the state. TFG Editor-In-Chief takes a close look at a  young copperhead found in Newton County and reminds hunters to be careful where they sit.

“Copperheads bite more people than any other snake in Texas and it has nothing to do with their aggression. Most copperheads will only strike as a very last resort. It is the fact they are numerous in areas with lots of people and they blend in so well people pick them up when gardening or moving debris or sit on them in the woods. Their camouflage is the reason for their success but it also causes them some problems with people,” Moore said.

 

Copperheads have a hemotoxic venom that destroys tissue and most bites require minimal hospital care although there have been exceptions.

“You don’t want to get bitten by any venomous snake so you just need to use good common sense in the woods. Watch your walk, sit and set up camp and you should be alright. Also know that copperheads and most snakes are more active at night so when moving from one location to another after hours pay special attention. You might just step on a snake,” Moore said.

Texas is home to the southern copperhead which inhabits the eastern 1/3 of the state. It also has the broad-banded copperhead that is most common in the arid regions of the Hill Country and up toward the north Texas thickets. The Trans-Pecos copperhead is the least often seen but is prized by “herpers”, those who pursue reptiles for its beauty and elusiveness.