Trout fishing yesterday 18-19 -16 went full Kirk Gowdy.

[3Hotdogs]

6. Tales of the N.J. copperheads. -- first of all, we ain't got many of 'em in N.J. (Also 1 rattler).

First tale took place on Pyramid Mountain, Morris County. It was hawk migration season and Pyramid is one of the locations to see Broad Wings. So, 9 a.m., we are climbing to the top of the ridge. Already there, is a guy with his binoculars, back pack, and an easel to mark his tally for the day and report it to Audubon.

As we are approaching the ridge, he calls out to stay away from the rock, over there. "That's where the Copperhead is.
I get here at 6:00 and set up on my rock. He get's here around 8:00 and sets up at his rock. We both go home around 7 P.M. and come back the next morning."


There were two Copperhead bites in our area, last spring. The first was at Bald Pate Mountain in Hunterdon County.. The second was about a week later at Ringing Rock State Park, Pennsylvania. Snake bites are so rare that both of these made the paper.


Rattlesnake bites are also rare. One made the paper. It was around 1990. A guy was hiking up Mt. Tammany. Tammany is the large rock formation off of Rt. 80 as you enter N.J. -- part of U.S. recreational area.

Anyways, this guy is hiking Tammany with his camera and kid. On the way up, he spots a Rattlesnake, sunning itself on a rock. Great photo op, except the snake's head is not facing the Sun. So he did what every good photographer would do...

"I reached down to adjust the snake and he bit me."

Our hero spent 2 weeks in hospital for his effort.