“They are not particularly aggressive, but you can run into them in the darndest places.”
Have you ever encountered one? Ive been attacked in my canoe more than once. I assure you I was doing nothing to provoke them other than passing through the area. They are quite aggressive and easy to trigger.
Agree. They do not run away like most snakes they stand their ground. Just like a snapping turtle. But, they are not usually deadly. Unusual. They are everywhere in the South. Espically around water. I killed 5 this year 20 feet from my front door. So not tell Moureen Dowd as she would call me a red-neck woman.
I doubt they were out actively hunting down canoes!~
I have twice seen cottonmouths attack completely unprovoked. The first time, my brother was just about to step out of a boat when one came within a split second of getting him. Our cousin saw the snake and hit him with an oar just as he was striking. I can still see that white mouth wide open as he was about to hit.
The second time was this year. I saw one in my yard, went back in and got a pistol and to my surprise when I got within about 10 feet of him he turned and came for me. I had rat shot in the pistol and hit him. I had to shoot him again with a solid to finish him off.
They are aggressive as all get out.
A cottonmouth is one of the few things I will actually RUN away from as fast as I can.......
I was fishing with my brother in law and he poked one with a fishing rod. It chased him for 10 minutes until I finally shot it. It's the only time I've ever seen a snake chase someone.
I’ve encountered them a few times, but only on land and found them to be rather timid there. Was within about 18 inches of one this past summer before I realized what was going on. It stayed perfectly still as I backed up and slithered off quite fast as soon as I turned my eyes from it.