Identifying the 7 Deadly Snakes You Might Find in Your Louisiana Yard

It's that time of year! Old "no-shoulders" is out on the prowl in Louisiana and most of us don't want any part of him.

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"No Shoulders" or "Dope Rope", whatever you might call snakes, there's certainly no shortage in the Bayou State.  A quick Google search shows that Louisiana is home to approximately 48 native snake species, including a pretty diverse assortment of water snakes, racers, and kingsnakes.

And while most snakes found in Louisiana are non-venomous and don't have the ability to bring us injury or death, they can certainly make even the biggest, meanest redneck run like he's on fire and suffering a cardiac arrest.

READ MORE: Shreveport Braces For Another Possible Frost Before Spring

I'm the perfect example of that. Turkey Season here in Louisiana is set to begin on April 3, and even though I'd like to include a few morning hunts into my spring calendar, I just can't bring myself to it. Same reason I don't squirrel hunt in the fall any longer. That's when snakes are out!  And once you've seen one copperhead, every stick in the woods becomes a copperhead, and you're no longer hunting turkeys, you're hunting copperheads.

Course, you don't have to disappear into the deep woods to encounter snakes here in Louisiana. They're everywhere and during the warm months, with people enjoying all sorts of outdoor activities, the likelihood of a snake encounter increases exponentially.

It's this time of year when we see Facebook inundated with pictures of snakes and most everyone wants to know "What kind of snake is this?" and "Is it poisonous?"

Louisianansportsman.com published an article a couple years ago that tells us:

Forty-eight species of snakes can be found in Louisiana, but only seven of them are venomous.

The motto of Louisianasnakeid.com, says it best, "We fear what we don't understand. Education is our goal."

In Louisiana, it's not a question of "if you'll encounter a snake" but more of "when you encounter a snake", Real World Survival Gear published a great video to help you identify the 7 venomous species in Louisiana.

But for quick reference, take a look at the pictures in this guide.