[Hugh R]

Cottonmouth are an interesting breed (don't know species, etc.) they will chase you. When filming Deja Vu' in the Louisiana swamps the guides on the pontoon boats cautioned us to not antagonize them, they'll apparently come over to the low slung boat and actually get in and go after you. Then you have a cottonmouth (water moccasin, I believe is the other term) in the boat and a bunch of them in the water around the boat.

Crotalus oreganus helleri I believe is what I made into the belt above. It was about 3' long and about 5 feet from my back door. 12 gauge was the instrument of choice. My wife really didn't like me skinning it with the kitchen shears on the kitchen counter. Tanned it with a kit from Tandy leather, then stretched it out on a board and liberal rubbing with Lexol hyde food. Then glued it to a cloth belt with leather contact cement (flexible) and took it to a local shoe repair guy to run some stitching up and down the length for good measure. Belt $20, stitching $7. I kill about one every year or two. I promised my brother the next one.

I HATE snakes. But they're good for rodent control. I only kill the ones near the house (I have dogs).