For the past week I've been wearing a Holter heart monitor as I have had possible A-Fib symptoms a few times since March. It records my heart rhythm 24-7 for a month.
This morning I was checking a couple damage control beaver sets up north of me in Chippewa county. Every few years the landowner calls me when beaver plug the two small culverts that drain the natural lake.He had already removed the debris so I put in two submerged 1216's in the approach channel and a Bridger no.5 at a artificial castor mound. No luck today.
On my way back to the truck I stopped to talk to a couple fisherman at the landing which is very lightly used as the lake is not a good fishing lake. While standing in the shallow water next to their boat, l suddenly noticed something moving on the surface a few feet away headed in my direction. A snake! Now I not ashamed to say I hate snakes!
They are at the top of my list of disliked critters, even ahead of wood ticks and possum. The snake , although only a two foot water snake, might just as well have been an anaconda in my mind. One of the fisherman grabbed his phone to take a picture of the snake or so he said. I think he wanted to get a picture of me bolting for high ground!
I'm sure the printout of my heart monitor will be interesting for those few seconds (lol).
One thing I'm sure of, I would never be a warm weather trapper down south!

Well, at least your heart didn't stop and you're still with us!

Show us the heart printout later

I heard a rumor of someone here scared of snakes, but it turned out they were from up north, Lol.

Walt-

I wore a Holter monitor too. I think it would be really interesting if they could tell you the results of the attack of the giant Anaconda on your heartbeat, etc.

One time I was fishing a Mississippi backwater at night, casting from shore. Got snagged up in some thick brush along shore. Walked over and got bent down real low to the ground trying to get my lure out. At that point I switched on my flashlight to find a really big watersnake of some kind coiled up right below my face. Lure be danged, I launched myself out of the brush backwards and decided it might be time to end my night fishing trip.

Glad you survived!

Moosetrot

If y'all northern folk ever visit the south, y'all should give frog giggin' a try.

I will take my below zero trapping any day over you southern guys weather.
Yeah Moosetrot, the Mississippi backwaters is snake central in Wisconsin. I've always kept a sharp eye out when fishing or trapping there. The only timber rattler I've ever seen in Wisconsin was just south of Alma along the Mississippi but lots of water snakes.