The back of my property is bordered by a narrow cove. Very good fishing...but very snakey.
One of my dogs fell in during cottonmouth mating season a few years back. Bye-bye puppy. She did make it to the bank before collapsing.
Freeeedoom..I hear ya about looking like a bobblehead. When I go down to mow the bank and surrounding area my head looks like it is on some kind of crazy swivel. Plus, it has to be “push mowed” there so I am really “pickin’ ‘em up and puttin’ ‘em down”, lol. Neighbors come from miles around to watch me. For some reason if I’m just fishing from the bank..I’m not really intimidated. Go figure.
Everybody down here that has spent any time in the country has a Water Moccasin story. They are aggressive, nasty, bastards. And they have a poison that is much worse than a rattler. Friend of mine got bit in the arm by one. They pretty much cut open every vein in his arm and mopped out the poison. They said he would likely suffer some permanent reduction in function of his arm if they didn't get it out.
The only good thing I can say is that several dozen have departed this earth through my ‘encouragement.’ A good old 12 gage makes a very nice encourager.
I you ever mowed over a snake when you were mowing your yard? I did once, he came out in several pieces. I had not even seen him in the grass. It was a copperhead so it saved me from hunting him down.