A venomous snake will have a bulbous head with a skinny neck because of the position of the snake’s venom sacks underneath its jaw. This may sound odd because most snake heads look similar, but the difference in shape is seen near the snake’s jaw. Venomous snakes typically have broad, triangular heads. Either way, it’s not worth getting a closer look to see if the snake is dangerous or not. The western rat snake (also called the black rat snake) is one of these. Often, harmless snakes will make a rattling sound by dragging their tail through dry leaves. Rattling is an immediate sign that you may be in danger of crossing paths with a rattlesnake.

If you hear a snake rattling its tail, get yourself away. A venomous snake will have elliptical, slit-like eyes, resembling a cat, rather than having round pupils. The following infographic from shows what features to watch out for: Don’t let a happy day on the trail turn into a tragic emergency by encountering one of four venomous snakes and not understanding their danger.īeing able to identify venomous snakes is a great skill to develop. It’s important to understand how to distinguish venomous snakes from harmless ones-a simple skill that could save your life or the life of a loved one. So could you separate the harmless snakes from the dangerous ones? There are four snakes in the U.S. North America is home to thousands of snakes that hide under bushes near your campsite, sit at the edge of hiking trails, and may even saunter through your own backyard. This includes expanding your knowledge of the wild. A crucial part of preparing for any emergency is developing your prepper skills.

Color snake indicator