Cotton Mouths : How many in this pic?

[hogslayer78]

Thats a water snake. Cotton mouths only birth 8-12 live young. Broadbanded water snakes have around 22 babies at a time and sometimes more.

[muzzlebrake]

Not a rattlemouthcottonmossicin.
Just a plain ol Common Watersnake. Most all watersnakes are live bearers AFAIK

Baby cottonmouths look like this and have a yellow tip on the tail.

[okrattler]

None.

[Firecuss]

Need to see its head but I too do not think its a water moccasin.

[Ultrakarl]

I believe the correct answer is none. But....
This snake was holding her ground like a cotton mouth and not retreating to water like a diamond back water snake. Also, She had a nervous tail and and I don't believe water snakes shake their tail. The head was completely blown away so there is no identifying the eyes after death.

Some cotton mouths have been known to have large litters of up to 20 but not common. I don't know if the infants' tails are green or yellow when still in the sack but the young cottonmouths usually do have a greenish tail.

[SaltwaterSlick]

Not a rattlemouthcottonmossicin.
Just a plain ol Common Watersnake. Most all watersnakes are live bearers AFAIK

Baby cottonmouths look like this and have a yellow tip on the tail.

And as deadly as they are, they are among the prettiest snakes we have here until they reach maturity and lose those vivid markings!

Need to see its head but I too do not think its a water moccasin.

No need to look at the head. Just look at the belly... CM's don't have a white belly. Their markings go all the way around their bodies... black stripes alternating along the belly...


Still a good kill as far as I'm concerned... Suckers are very aggressive and hell on bait fish and juvenile game fish... They don't grow that big without eating a lot and they eat fish.

[tbgascorer]

Look at the scales on the underbelly to the **** plate. Single row says venomous. Double row is non venomous. My guess is water snake. Either way is fine with me , good shooting!

[sunsethunter]

I believe the correct answer is none. But....
This snake was holding her ground like a cotton mouth and not retreating to water like a diamond back water snake. Also, She had a nervous tail and and I don't believe water snakes shake their tail. The head was completely blown away so there is no identifying the eyes after death.

Some cotton mouths have been known to have large litters of up to 20 but not common. I don't know if the infants' tails are green or yellow when still in the sack but the young cottonmouths usually do have a greenish tail.

No need to see eyes to identify. The body markings tell all. DBWS

[Acameron52]

My worst nightmare.

[Javelin]

I believe the correct answer is none. But....
This snake was holding her ground like a cotton mouth and not retreating to water like a diamond back water snake. Also, She had a nervous tail and and I don't believe water snakes shake their tail. The head was completely blown away so there is no identifying the eyes after death.

Some cotton mouths have been known to have large litters of up to 20 but not common. I don't know if the infants' tails are green or yellow when still in the sack but the young cottonmouths usually do have a greenish tail.

100% chance it was zero. There is no shadow of a doubt that is a dbws. The whole myth of cottonmouths standing their ground, chasing people and ready to strike at any chance is totally false also. Yes like all animals some have different tempers than others but for the most part cotton mouths do not want to strike a person and will do their best not to. Snakes have what they call a home or safe place and if you are between them and it they will come towards you but only to get past you to get to their safe place.

[Tryton]

No cotton mouths in that picture. A pretty torn up diamond back water snake with a bunch of babies though.

[GA Bowhunter]

Not a rattlemouthcottonmossicin.
Just a plain ol Common Watersnake. Most all watersnakes are live bearers AFAIK

Baby cottonmouths look like this and have a yellow tip on the tail.

That looks like a copperhead(not saying it is). They have a yellow tip as well when they are young.

[HoustonR6ryda]

not one cotton mouth killed here... not a one

[coonazz]

It's funny how many outdoorsmen can't tell the difference between a water snake and a moccasin.

[bboswell]

That looks like a copperhead(not saying it is). They have a yellow tip as well when they are young.

Copperhead has smooth lines in its pattern not a pixilated pattern like the CM