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Accidental Herping!
Not a big deal, but thought I'd share!
Last weekend, I went to visit my parents in Columbus, MS (they just moved there from here in Memphis). Their new house is backed up to a pond with awesome bass fishing. I'm not much of a country person (other than camping every now and then), but I love to fish. Within five minutes of me walking down the bank of the pond, I hear a rustling by my feet. I look to my right and there's a dark-greenish/black snake less than 12'' from my foot!
He's immediately heading for this thich brush that's on the water-line. I freak out (in a good way) and start trying to move the branches to see where he's going, but I lost him. Less than an hour later, I walk by the same bush and there he is again! He was coiled up basking in the sun. This time I just sit there and watch him, trying to figure out what he is. I'd never seen this type before and wasn't sure if he was poisonous or not. I didn't want to risk catching him and ending up in the hospital, so I left him alone. Throughout the weekend, I probably saw this same guy/gal at least 15 times in the same spot. My dad is scared to death of snakes (thinks I'm nuts), and I was afraid he'd kill it if he saw it. When I got home, a quick google-search informed me that it was a Mississippi Green water snake! I'd never seen one before, but they look noble with their coloring! I called my dad and informed him that the most harm that will come from this snake is the occupancy of a bush over 75 yards from his house! He promised not to kill it. I've thought about catching it and keeping it, but I don't think the snake would like my home any better than his, so I've decided to leave him in his happy little bush. Coming across snakes in the wild is a great feeling....makes the hair on the back of my neck stand up!
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