2022 caught 20 , 2023 #22 - #27 just caught about 18inches

[addy1]

Do the snakes stop eating at a certain point in the winter and just go into hibernation mode?

Northern water snakes mate after coming out of hibernation in late March to April. Females give birth between late August and early October to live young, having anywhere between 12 and 36 at a time. Their lifespan is nine years in captivity.


From what the net says they brumate, once the temps drop low enough they can't find food or temperature regulate. So here maybe Nov if we have a cold winter.

 

[j.w]

Northern water snakes mate after coming out of hibernation in late March to April. Females give birth between late August and early October to live young, having anywhere between 12 and 36 at a time. Their lifespan is nine years in captivity.


From what the net says they brumate, once the temps drop low enough they can't find food or temperature regulate. So here maybe Nov if we have a cold winter.

So at least you get a reprieve for awhile and don't have to be snake hunting all winter.
Gun's blazing tho when Spring hits!

 

[GBBUDD]

We have had no sightings in the last week. We have had a taste of fall one day 88 the next day 48 in the am 66 day.

It may be getting cool enough for them to not be as active. if so the fight will continue next year.

Pond temp went from 75 to 67.

They are cuddling up for a long winters nap in a mating ball it's like a 6 month orgy and they make as we all know at least 20 babies a year ..

 

[addy1]

We have watched the cams, done play back, zero sightings, so far. Pond water is down to 64, morning temps below 50 days temps sitting right around 70.

I pulled the traps, been just trapping tad poles, fish, snails and that one frog. Will put back in if we get even one sighting. I think pulling the forest of hornwort made it harder for them to lay in wait for a fish to swim by. It will come back, always does.

I did put in huge clumps of anacharis for the fish to snack on over the winter.

 

[addy1]

Well snake break is over #21 trapped and removed...................... a small new born....................

 

[j.w]

Well snake break is over #21 trapped and removed...................... a small new born....................

Let the games begin

 

[Tula]

Oh dear.....let us hope it has no siblings!

 

[j.w]

I think we know there will be more where that one came from!

 

[addy1]

Oh dear.....let us hope it has no siblings!

I am sure it is not the only one. I saw a huge one, and a tiny one at the end of the year.

 

[Lisak1]

I was literally terrified to open this! My goodness... this is a never ending nightmare! Maybe you need to become a hawk handler and get one trained to hunt for snakes on the pond!

 

[GBBUDD]

Daisey makes a BB gun called the hawk that will do the job. get a little scope with it and your good to go . 20 SNAKES 50% females they can mate 5 times a year at 30 babies each thats 1500 snakes in one year at what point does trying to be humane become overkill. Theres a reason fish lay 1000 eggs , why snakes have 30 babies why frogs have 100's of tad poles.
While we all highly value wild life and give them a home. part of our stewardship is to keep out the un wanted , giving the weak a safe haven.

 

[j.w]

Daisey makes a BB gun called the hawk that will do the job. get a little scope with it and your good to go . 20 SNAKES 50% females they can mate 5 times a year at 30 babies each thats 1500 snakes in one year at what point does trying to be humane become overkill. Theres a reason fish lay 1000 eggs , why snakes have 30 babies why frogs have 100's of tad poles.
While we all highly value wild life and give them a home. part of our stewardship is to keep out the un wanted , giving the weak a safe haven.

I could not kill them. They deserve to live too IMO

 

[addy1]

No bb gun, I only see them in the water. Refuse to take even a tiny chance of pocking a hole in the liner. I can't kill anything, but they are pushing my buttons.

We still live trap and release, found a stream about 5 miles from here, no houses around, dumping them there.

My neighbor will watch the traps while we are on the boat. I worry about trapping a frog. Or tads or fish.

 

[addy1]

I was literally terrified to open this! My goodness... this is a never ending nightmare! Maybe you need to become a hawk handler and get one trained to hunt for snakes on the pond!

That would be neat but then the Heron would enjoy doing a wipe out. No net so the hawk could attack.

 

[BKHpondcritters]

Daisey makes a BB gun called the hawk that will do the job. get a little scope with it and your good to go . 20 SNAKES 50% females they can mate 5 times a year at 30 babies each thats 1500 snakes in one year at what point does trying to be humane become overkill. Theres a reason fish lay 1000 eggs , why snakes have 30 babies why frogs have 100's of tad poles.
While we all highly value wild life and give them a home. part of our stewardship is to keep out the un wanted , giving the weak a safe haven.

Actually, northern water snakes mate *once* a year, in the Spring when they come out of hibernation, and give live birth in late summer/early fall to their babies, numbering 12 - 36! So yeah, quite a few, but NOT 1500, or even 150. (Although at this point I'm sure addy1 doesn't want even another half dozen hanging around! lol)

Not trying to be critical, but when it comes to snakes there is a lot of fear & misinformation floating around and I wanted to make sure anyone lurking around on this forum, reading this thread in the future, has the correct facts about these snakes. People don't need any additional reasons to wage war on & start randomly killing them.