Mark Millican: Critters, bad and good

Published 2:00 pm Monday, July 17, 2023

Menacing.

Aggressive within the span of a heartbeat.

Terrifying.

And that’s just by looking at the eye and the S-folded neck of a snake about to strike its target.

The layout editor of Georgia Outdoor News likely had dozens of photos to choose from for the glossy cover shot revealing its lead story of a recent issue about copperheads. Whomever it was, they chose the perfect angle to catch the primeval eye that relates “My intent is to kill you if possible.” The article is about an 8-year-old Villa Rica girl who was struck in the leg by one of the venomous serpents near her home back in May. To summarize, her 9-year-old brother picked up his little sister and cradled her in his arms to run approximately 100 yards to their house.

The girl was in a lot of pain and swelling from the bite, but spent time in the hospital and was expected to make a full recovery.

“Although it may be painful, copperhead bites are only mildly dangerous to most people. The venom of a copperhead is actually less dangerous than most pit vipers, and of the 2,920 people bitten annually by copperheads, just .01% result in fatalities,” according to the AZ Animals website.

However, WRCB-TV in Chattanooga reported in 2011 that a 26-year-old man died from a copperhead bite after a friend brought one over to his house to show off. Being that the story was published on their website in January, it could be that the vile reptile didn’t like being awake during its traditional hibernation period.

A couple of years ago when I was interviewing a social services agency rep in Rome by phone for a story, she told me her father had stepped outside his basement door and was struck by a rattlesnake — and subsequently died.

It may be that a lot of people don’t succumb to venomous snake bites in the South, but obviously it does happen.

No venomous — never say or write “poisonous” in front of a wildlife official, or you’ll be immediately corrected — snakes have been seen by this scribe this summer. Awhile back I stopped my truck to allow a 5-foot black snake to cross the road; it really seemed to be in a hurry because the pavement was hot, and it silently disappeared into the grass of a lawn.

Then a couple of weeks ago, I spotted a garter snake sliding around on some riprap rock I was getting ready to descend while inspecting a property. The 1-footer froze when I stepped close to it, and it could have easily been caught. However, on this day Teresa was with me to look for blackberries, and up-close cellphone photos were shunned. A picture of it next to my boot was enough.

In warm weather critters are numerous if one lives or works in the woods. Around early-thirty one morning I pulled out of our driveway to head for the fitness center and a creature waddled in front of my truck. Is that …? Sure enough, it was an armadillo, the first live one I’ve seen in these parts.

Interestingly, there’s a reason we’re seeing more dead ones in the road. Here’s an online response to the question, “Do armadillos jump in front of cars?”

“This is a defensive response that helps them to evade a predator but often proves fatal when a vehicle approaches, causing the armadillo to jump under or in front of the car instead of remaining low in avoidance,” according to the response.

Around a month ago there was another interesting encounter with a critter at a commercial property I was walking in Fannin County. As I negotiated a downhill bank with knee-high grass that had grown over a fallen tree, I heard a noise. Looking up, I saw a juvenile bobcat spring from in-between a dual line of silt fences and disappear into the woods.

For a moment, I thought maybe it was a large house cat or feral cat, but then noticed its bobtail. Pulling out my phone and putting it on video mode, I crossed the fences and stomped around trying to spook it but the cat was either lying low or had already gotten some yonder.

We’re blessed with abundant wildlife in the Southern mountains, especially during these warmer months, but we also need to be aware. When we exit our homes in the morning or whenever, we need to remember we’re now in their world.

Always look down first, and watch your step. From what I’ve heard, most people are bitten when the “sneaky snakes,” as my wife calls them, are right around the house.

Late P.S. Monday morning a bear cub hesitated, then crossed the road, in front of my van as I was headed home after a swim. Evidently he was loathe to have his photo snapped. However, it goes to show there are good wild critters in our mountains, too!