Venomous Snake ID in the Southeast – Part 1

As an avid animal-lover with a particular affinity for the reptilian beasties, I am always a little disheartened when someone I know informs me that they have recently killed a snake on their property. In many cases, the tale is accompanied by a photo, either via Facebook, email, or cellphone, with the intent that I (the unofficial “snake guy” that they know) can identify the species. Regrettably (especially for the snake), most of the time, it turns out to be a completely harmless species, such as a garter snake, rat snake, or the common Dekay’s brown snake, rather than a venomous, potentially...