black mamba

Generally, when I'm out barn hunting, I prepare to run across some vile critters. I wear some good high quality snake boots. I also strap on some snake proof leggings that extend protection to just below the kneecap. And I ALWAYS have a professional snake pole with me.

In trying to get close for a good shot of this barn, I had to work my up a hill through a heavy growth of weeds and assorted plants with thorns and such. I rarely see an old barn with a silo like this so I was determined to get as good a shot as I could. I got to about 20 -25 feet from the silo and a damn Copperhead snake slithered out of the grass toward the silo. There was some rotten wood piled up around the base of the silo. I couldn't count how many were there because they were all clumped together but there had to be at least 15 to 20 of them in a huge nest. I turned to get out of there, wary of other snakes that might be headed home, stopped about 50 feet from the silo, turned and took this shot, and got to the truck.

A copperhead bite is rarely fatal, but not unheard of. However, it can give a you a real rough experience for at least 4 or 5 days. A rattlesnake bite is a whole different issue. Because they can load you up with venom that is both neurotoxic and nephrotoxic, it's hospital time as quick as you can get there. When I'm in a barn environment, believe me, I stay on red alert.

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MosheR Loc: New York City

Quite a tale. Good on you that you are always prepared for such eventuality, and even better that you high tailed it out of there. Of course, the most dangerous snake of all is the black mamba.

By the way, really great photo.

black mamba

Yeah, the mamba is one bad dude. Most often, if he gets a good bite on you, you may last 30 minutes. Very few folks, even after getting almost immediate attention with an anti-venom serum, will survive the ordeal.

I'll tell you a true quick story about snake handlers and bites. My grandfather on my dad's side owned a civil engineering firm that often did U.S. Coastal and Geodetic Survey work for the Government. My dad, in his later teens, often worked for his father in doing this work along Florida's coastal and river areas. Another young man who worked alongside with my dad for a while was named Ross Allen. Ross went on to become a very famous herpetologist. My dad told me that he witnessed Ross Allen stick his hand in a cage and purposefully let a rattlesnake strike him. He said that Ross was convinced the only way to build up immunity to bites was to go through this process. Keep in mind that this was way before all of the anti-venom serum work that followed....work that Ross had a big role in.

Many years later, Ross Allen operated his institute from the Silver Springs facility near Ocala, Florida. I was there one day and watched him put on his show wherein he milked the venom from a variety of highly poisonous snakes. After the show, I was able to meet him and I asked him if he remembered my dad. He said he sure did and that they had enjoyed some pretty wild times together when they were around civilization. I asked him about dad's story of him letting the snake bite him. He said that he indeed had done that...more than once.

I understand that before he retired, he had been bitten by various kinds of snakes over 50 times. I can personally attest that his hands were very knarled in appearqnce because of his experiences.

UTMike Loc: South Jordan, UT

Beautiful shot, but a better story, Tom!

Manglesphoto Loc: 70 miles south of St.Louis

Great image!!
99.9% of the time it's the snake you don't see that nails you!!!

chrisg-optical Loc: New York, NY

Fortunately it is indigenous to parts of Africa and you have to go out of your way to run into one. They are quite fast too. They do manage to get into people's homes who live there, near where they are. In the US you mainly have to worry about rattlesnakes and copperheads. If I was photographing a black mamba, I would probably rent an 800mm with a 2x TC.

chrisg-optical Loc: New York, NY

Those high weeds are more dangerous than the barn...be careful where you step! Ouch!

black mamba

Thanks, Mike. Enjoy the holiday.

black mamba

Thanks, Frank. You're dead right ( no prophecy intended ) about the hidden dangers. If you can imagine a human with 10 eyes that can swivel in any direction....well, that's me.

Enjoy the day.

black mamba

Thanks for the visit. I appreciate you commenting.

MosheR Loc: New York City

All I can say, Tom, is WOW!! That's some story! I always liked snakes and have a deep respect for them. Your letter got me to search through my files for this photo. It was taken in Vietnam about thirty years ago along the Mekong River. It was some kind of constrictor, but I don't know exactly what kind. As long as you relax when they're on you, they don't tighten ... at least that's what my understanding is. When you tense up, their reflexes go into action and they squeeze away.

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ddgm Loc: Hamilton, Ontario & Fort Myers, FL

We visited Silver Spring's Glass Bottom Boats in the early 70s. After the wonderful tour on the boats we decided to see the Ross Allen exhibit. It was very interesting what with milking for venom and getting a rattler to strike at a ballon, very quick, I might add. Then there came a point in the show, were they had 2 children from the audience handle a 8 or 10 foot non-poisonous snake. we were about 4 or 5 rows back as my wife didn't want to be close. Anyway, when they decided to pass the snake through the audience, I turned to my wife to see if she was OK with that, she was nowhere to be seen.

W9OD Loc: Wisconsin

Nice image and words of caution. We are pretty safe in WI, there are Timber Rattlers.

bobbyjohn Loc: Dallas, TX

black mamba, What is the background story of how you picked your UHH handle of "black mamba?"
And what part of the world are you located in?

JustJill Loc: Iowa

The picture is great.
The back story is absolutely fascinating! I read a book a long time ago about snake handling churches that was very interesting. The reported/author who wrote the book ended uo getting involved in the church.