I heard there was something like nine people bitten by copperheads last week here in Taney County, Missouri. All of them survived, but they were still pretty hurt and shook up.

Two of them I know personally. One I saw last Saturday. He dates my "step-neice-in-law" and they came to see us down at the lake. His foot and ankle was all wrapped up and he was using crutches. He said his foot was swollen and blackened and pretty ugly. I took his work for it.

He stepped outside onto his back porch and was bitten immediately. Probably stepped on the snake.

The young woman that I know had parked her car and apparently run over one. It stayed under her car and bit her when she was getting back into it.

Both of those bites happened just after it nightfall.

I have never even seen a copperhead here, which is really odd since I'm outside so much. Maybe I repel them somehow I'm knocking on wood just in case I don't though

I have seen quite a few water moccasins already though, one was over five feet long.

And as a side note, I woke up to my dogs attacking a raccoon this morning. I think they decided to leave it alone though. I went out there and took a look at it, told them to be careful, and didn't hear anymore ruckus after that.

Anyway, it appears to be a pretty snakey year here, so be careful where you step if you visit the Ozarks.

Bill