When Moccasins aren't shoes

Very young water moccasin. 

As the dog and I walked out into the cool evening I wondered what we would see today.  As is usually the case when I think there is nothing left to see during our walks something literally jumps out at me.  Today we walked down to the east end of the paved road to have a look at what might be there in the culvert.   We saw several things there and I photographed a couple of them as possible subjects.  As we walked back I noticed something familiar on the road. I had mistaken it for a stick several times before but this time I knew what it was.  I grabbed the dog by the collar because I knew what his reaction would be.  It was the ever present water moccasin crossing the road.  This one was a juvenile and was approximately 1 foot long.  It was copper and bronze colored now but it will change to a dull black as it grows when the patterns will nearly disappear.  The snake was very angry that we had come near to it and jumped at me and the dog.  The dog would have loved to have had it out with it as he has a burning hatred for snakes.  I am not sure why that is because he was bitten about three years back and had to go to the emergency vet on a Saturday night due to swelling.  As I have said in a another post the dog has been bitten several times by snakes but only once was the bite bad enough to go to the vet.   The little snake we were looking at as I said was very angry and moved into the grass on the side of the road.  There it took up the classic head up and mouth open pose which gives this snake the nick name cotton mouth moccasin.  I wanted to get a photo of the "Cotton Mouth" but it moved into the brush too quickly for me so I only have a photo of it rearing up.     When they are larger they will coil and spring and you really have to steer clear of them.  Many people here don't avoid them though and instead just shoot them or hack them with a shovel.  No telling how many big rats and mice we are trying to get out of our houses that those dead moccasins might have taken care of.   Well, thanks for coming by.  I hope I didn't give you the creeps.  Bye.