I usally see cottonmouths at every location. Dams, lodges, high spots, culverts. This summer I think I have had 6. Basically no water snakes.
I live and work in cottonmouth country but this year is different.
Anyone else seeing a reduction where you work?

They don't like this heat anymore than we do.

75° is their optimum.

Yup, they'll go nocturnal and work the night shift. Us guys that would run hounds all night long all summer long learned to smell those things.

Yessir!

Also...folks just love to hear the hundreds of frogs croaking and singing in the summer wetlands. To me that monotonous sound means ONE THING!......COTTONMOUTHS ARE IN THAT SAME AREA!

I'll walk most anywhere barefoot except nightime in the summer just for that reason.

…. Was frog giggin one night when ol clay stepped on one and it somehow come up and got him above the knee

… he had to ride into the city for that one

Its been just as hot in the past and there were plenty. Hot just made them meaner.
I have been in several places at night shooting beaver, still no snakes.
So are you seeing just as many or are you seeing less?

Ton of gators around my place. Might see ten gators, but rarely a snake

You have an increase in wild hog activity?

We have hogs in certain areas following the river. I have not seen ay sign of hogs this year. We have had droughts before, been a while since we had a cold winter like last year but I don't think that a cold winter or a drought was a reason. There was not any effect to the turtle populations. For as long as I can remember I have seen cottonmouths just about everytime I enter the swamp. Most of the time there 3 or 4. Kind of strange

I cannot give a fair assessment of 2026 cottonmouths....I haven't had a beaver call since last February. Due to extended drought there is no water flow in the small drainages down here and even though we have had thunderstorms almost daily it hasn't been enough to fill up the creeks and wetlands.

When the water ain't high enough to start backing up.....everyone forgets about beavers. I'm glad...I needed a summer off....lol.