Free Republic

Another Jack Bell story. This one is about the fishing around Reno, Nevada in 1922. Illustrated with old postcards.

Here's a story from one of the angler's on his experience shooting water moccasins with the .410 load. While out fishing with his brother-in-law, snakes were everywhere swimming right up to within a few feet of us to check us out, heads above the water the entire time and not even remotely afraid. Given that I live about 100 yards from the pond, and I'm not a fan of water moccasins (which I'm pretty sure is what these were, because most harmless water snakes swim with their heads down and shy away from disturbances), I ran back to the house...

WIMAUMA, Fla., A Florida man is recovering from a cottonmouth snake bite to his lip after he allegedly tried to smooch the serpent on the mouth. Hillsborough County sheriff's deputies said Austin Hatfield, 18, captured the 4-foot cottonmouth, also known as a water moccasin, while swimming last week and kept it in a pillowcase at his girlfriend's house, where he was bitten on the lip. Friends told investigators Hatfield was trying to kiss the snake when it struck him. Hatfield was initially hospitalized in critical condition, but his status was upgraded to good condition and officials said he is expected...

Who would have thought that it would be illegal to defend children from a poisonous snake?  This is where the insanity of extreme gun restrictions have brought us.   In Florida, a mother was at a school event during a football practice session.  A water moccasin was discovered on the practice field, but attempts to kill it with sticks were not successful.  From newsherald.com: April Dawn DeMarco, 30, was arrested for discharging a .380-caliber handgun on the practice football field of Bay High School, 300 E. 15th St., during practice last week for the local Pop Warner football team. Demarco...