Cottonmouth

[Deadeye]

I cleaned some fish on Saturday and dumped the remains in a little drainage ditch down from the house. I have a German Shorthair that will point anything, grasshoppers, mice, any bird, etc... I noticed she was pointed in front of the tractor but this time she was barking... never has barked while on point. I walked over there and she is standing 2 feet from a gaint cottonmouth. When I saw this thing and the shear size, I was amazed then scared... Now snakes don't bother me one bit as long as I can see and identify them... but this monster made the juice flow in my veins. It had gotten into that pile of fish guts and was eating away. Once I got the dog away from it and gun in hand, I shot it in the head... picked it up with a hoe handle and couldn't believe how big it was. 4' long and big around as a 20oz coke bottle. His head was atleast 3'' wide and he was chomping down on a white perch skin.

I guess if you clean fish and disgard the remains near your house, beware. This joker could have done some serious damage.
I hope I scared my dog enough for her to know to stay away from a snake.

Dead

Pic really doesn't do this monster justice... that concrete slab is 6' wide. Wish I had put a coke can next to him for reference.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/123598589@N04

[southernmallard]

Yikes. Glad the dog was ok.

Any pictures?

[Blake Williamson]

Killed one a few year ago that was 3'11" long..... Biggest I had ever seen!

[Northbigmuddy]

I've seen one or two on the thickness scale you described. Gives me the shivers every time.

Catch one in the road. They have that speed bump action when they get big and fat.

[Wildfowler]

This is the biggest one that I have ever killed:

[Greenhead329]

Glad you and the dog are ok. I hate a damn snake...

[4dawgma]

pics or it didn't happen