The video begins with him walking the trails looking for snakes. “So far, all I’ve found is a garter snake that fled before I could get the camera on,” he says. He has been hiking in this area for many years, but is about to get one heck of a surprise. “Ahhh,” he says. The camera shifts as he looks down to see a copperhead snake. “Oh, no no no. Not good, not good.” He looks at his ankle and back to the snake. Fortunately for him, the man is well-versed in snakes and immediately recognizes that it is a copperhead. “Excuse me,” he calls over to another hiker. “Can you go get a ranger? I just got bit by a copperhead.” His hands shake as the adrenaline of the moment ramps up. “I don’t know what to say or think right now,” he says to the camera. Emergency personnel respond while the rangers contain the snake. They drive him off the trail and to a local hospital for treatment. Fortunately for him, it was a dry bite and he was released soon without any lasting effects other than an unbelievable story. Copperhead snakes are venomous animals. When they bite, they release venom from their fangs that breaks down the red blood cells of their prey. Even though people are much bigger than copperheads, it doesn’t take much of their venom to have a significant impact. They are one of few snake species whose bite can be fatal to humans.
Staying Safe in the Great Outdoors
Amazingly, this man stayed calm throughout the entire encounter. He rested his leg and even expressed concern for the copperhead. “So, you guys aren’t going to kill it or anything, right?” When he finds out that they are able to catch and release the snake, he is relieved. “This snake was in a spot that they are not supposed to be at all,” he says later. “So, you never know. Just because things are supposed to or aren’t supposed to be in specific areas, always just be aware.” He also takes the chance to give some helpful pointers about giving wildlife space and distance whenever possible. “Snakes aren’t just going to jump up and bite you in the ankle because they want to,” he says. “Most snakes are defensive. If you step on a snake, like I did today on accident, it’s going to bite. That’s how it’s going to defend itself.”
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