"THE ATTACK OF THE SNAKE-CLUB BOYS!"

I never thought that anyone would consider me an expert on snakes based on this little story, so I was very surprised to see by my statistics that a lot of people were coming to the Marshbunny Notes by searching for "Cottonmouth Snake".

Then, over the weekend, I received emails from 7 members of some snake-lovers club...and, oh-my-gosh were they hot! With the exception of 2 of their members they launched a flame attack on me that would make a Cottonmouth seem tame! They informed me that not a single thing in my story is true, snakes don't behave like that, I'm giving snakes a bad reputation, I'm exploiting snakes, and I'm a "danger to natures ecology". Whatever that means.

Not only that, but I am a "sad case of chronic bull#%*!", a "hillbilly", "full of %$#@*", "full of %#**%!($", a "goob"...well, you get the drift.

Mind you, I'm not denying that I'm any of those things, but please - is that the way to communicate with someone you don't agree with? I replied to them with an offer of equal time for snakes:

"Dear Snake-Club Boys,

Lighten up! I can see that snakes are your passion and I respect that. However my whole web site is "anecdotal" in nature (look it up if you need to: http://www.yourdictionary.com/), and anyone who would consider it as a scientific record of fact is nuts (NOT that I'm implying YOU took it too seriously!).

On that basis, I stand by my stories on this subject. I witnessed one attack (whatever the snakes motivation may have been), and I repeat stories that people tell on the river. Some of them may be yarns, tall tales, exaggerations or outright lies - they are still a part of the lore of the river and the characters on it.

But, in the interests of world peace, I will make you an offer.....

While all of you expressed great concern that snakes were getting a bad *rap* from me, a couple of you were actually able to express yourselves in ways that opened the door to communication and knowledge.

Here's my offer - produce information and links to counter my story, and I will make it into a web page and link it in so that your data can have as much exposure as my anecdote. Since you are the snake experts, I eagerly anticipate the chance to read and share factual information on cottonmouth snakes and their habits."

Believe it or not, the only two members who had something productive to submit were the same two who had originally expressed themselves with courtesy and respect. Imagine that. Here is their submission:

For factual information regarding Cottonmouth snakes please visit: http://www.jbfishing.com/snakes/

Disclaimer: No harm was ever intended to any reptiles living or dead, with legs or without, including but not exclusive to the snake family in general or Agkistrodon Piscivorus in particular nor any singular individual. These stories are for entertainment purposes only, not to be construed as the definitive source on anything at all. Any relationship to fact is purely coincidental. Do not attempt these stunts at home. Rinse and repeat. Chill.