Snakes are one of the most feared hazards for many people. While it is often hard to convince people with snake phobia, there is little reason to be afraid of snakes, even while out in the woods hunting a geocache. With the proper education about snakes and their habitats, and a little preparation, you might actually learn to enjoy an encounter with a snake should it happen. Certainly this won't be true for many people, no matter how much education or preparation they have. But hopefully the information you find here, and the links below, will help you to better enjoy your geocaching experience without as much fear as you may have had.
Tennessee has around 32 species of snakes. Only four of these are venomous, and in the southeastern part of the state where we are there are only two venomous snakes that we need to be on the lookout for. The two that we have are the northern and southern copperhead, and the timber rattlesnake.
People often assume that when they see a snake around water it is a cottonmouth (a.k.a. water moccasin). The western cottonmouth snake does live in western Tennessee, and further south in Alabama and Georgia, but there have been no confirmed sightings in the southeastern region of Tennessee.
There are a couple snakes that people confuse with the cottonmouth. The most frequent is the queen snake, which looks very similar. Copperheads also enjoy the water, and their color patterns aren't always as brilliant as they can be, so people have confused copperheads to be water moccasins. There are several other water snakes that people might see and think are cottonmouths as well.
There are two things that you might consider adding to your pack so that you are prepared for the unlikely event of being snake bitten. One is a snake bite kit, which should provide some sort of suction device to help remove as much of the venom as possible. Don't try or have someone else try to suck out the venom with your mouth! Don't cut the wound either.
Another item you might consider is activated charcoal. This comes in tablets or powder, and can be obtained from most any health food store. It is one of the best ways to reduce or eliminate the poisons from a variety of ailments. The tablets can be ingested, and the powder can be mixed with water and drunk. You can also mix the powder with a small amount of water to make a poultice to apply on the affected area. If you use charcoal, you should still seek medical help from a doctor as soon as possible.
Links
How To Avoid and Survive Snake Bite
Staying Safe From Snakes in Tennessee
Pictures of all the snakes of Tennessee
Information about Activated Charcoal