Until you drive up on a job site and find this guy... This was a friend of mine on a construction site in South Texas. And no, not "a friend" but truly a friend.

What was the job site? Can't imagine why he would t just let it go on its way.

Looks like a really nice, old coral.

You people keep killing Garter snakes

Is this a job site where kids will be playing?

It is a job site where men will be working... good enough reason for me. No need to make them pay attention to something other than the safety of their job.

Don't take this personal, but part of their safety should include the education that snakes are around and are a legitimate safety concern, especially this time of year.

We have safety topics on weekly meetings and I always stress reptile awareness this time of year. Be careful what you lift off the ground, look before reaching into tight spaces, and always be mindful of where you're walking.

They're out there and more often than most people realize.

Just FYI...

New World coral snakes possess one of the most potent venoms of any North American snake. However, relatively few bites are recorded due to their reclusive nature and the fact they generally inhabit sparsely populated areas. According to the American National Institutes of Health, there are an average of 15-25 coral snake bites in the United States each year.[12]

When confronted by humans, coral snakes will almost always attempt to flee, and bite only as a last resort.

In addition, coral snakes have short fangs (proteroglyph dentition) that cannot penetrate thick leather clothing.

Any skin penetration however, is a medical emergency that requires immediate attention. Coral snakes have a powerful neurotoxin

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It is a job site where men will be working... good enough reason for me. No need to make them pay attention to something other than the safety of their job.

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Lol. It's a coral snake that would've been high tailing it out of there as soon as it got busy. It's not a godddamn tiger.

I saw that exact garter snake last friday. He must have left his district!!

It's not my company. Any I don't take it personally.

But if it were me, and my guys, even knowing that venomous snakes were "more active" this time of year... I'd have no problem killing that snake. There are so many other things on a job site to be aware of that they don't need to be concerned with a potential killer snake.

As soon as it got busy? You mean after it struck a worker?

This board has an obsessive fascination with snakes and coolers.

You could always hire my lawn guy, he's damned good at finding and killing snakes..,,

Seeing field crews hack away at snakes before, I'd bet that more accidents and time-loss events occur due to that kind of behavior rather than snake bites...

The best part of the OB (other than the guns) is watching the #allsnakesmatter crowd bleed on every snake ID thread. As a neutral observer, it's just the best.

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As soon as it got busy? You mean after it struck a worker?

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L O ****ing L

Calm down man.

it's dead. Nothing's gonna change that. That stated, read up on coral snake behavior and phtsiology/morphology and then consider how "in danger" your men were. Unless you work with Maverick, Goose, and Iceman and the job site was the volleyball pit where the boys were half naked and using the coral as the ball, pretty sure y'all would have been fine.

Btw, where abouts in South Texas if you don't mind my asking?

I would think most time loss injuries associated with snakes are the direct result of panic or the tomfoolery associated with trying to decapitate the culprit.

Wow .. That's a really cool looking snake. It's too bad they had to kill him. I think we all understand why, but still sucks.

Funny how appropriate the threat title is with all the folks crying over a dead snake. Good job, OP!! You called it.

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The best part of the OB (other than the guns) is watching the #allsnakesmatter crowd bleed on every snake ID thread. As a neutral observer, it's just the best.

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I don't think it's bleeding, it's just frustration that many on here have for the senseless killing of animals (in most cases on this board, snakes) due to a lack of knowledge or just the fear of snakes. I love hunting, but I am a conservationist. If I am killing something, it's for food, wildlife management, it's an invasive species, or it is a direct threat to my family or property (livestock - I don't own any but hypothetically).

I don't kill things just because they don't have legs or they have 8 legs. They serve a purpose in nature and as long as it's not interfering with the things listed above, I have no desire to kill it.

I know that's hard for some to comprehend on here but it's just the opposing view that others on have. So while you won't see me picketing for #SLM anytime soon, you can expect for me to happily remind The OB when someone has executed your friendly garter snake because they thought it was a water moccasin, on learning snake species. As will others.

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The best part of the OB (other than the guns) is watching the #allsnakesmatter crowd bleed on every snake ID thread. As a neutral observer, it's just the best.

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Nah. Easily the best part is watching all the outdoor badasses react like 1950's housewives seeing a mouse/roach whenever a snake is on the same acre as they are.
These guys will tell you why you were wrong to shoot that deer this year instead of next, why you're a horrible outdoorsman/conservationist if your shot placement doesn't drop the animal within 20 seconds of being shot, why its not sporting if you're hunting inside a high fence and with anything other than a boomerang, etc, etc., but when it comes to animals that make them feel uncomfortable because they're not cute enough to properly manage, shoot, and hang on the wall then there's no point in learning about them or even really giving a second thought to whether or not they should continue to convert oxygen into carbon dioxide.
To them, George Orwell was being quite literal when he wrote that some animals were more equal than others (except big, old lions lured out of their nature preserve...because **** them)

I mean both are outdoors... Shoot, nowadays the length of your snake or the type of cooler you have are almost equal in bragging rights.

Should have put in a Yeti, he would froze to death in minutes.

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Just FYI...

New World coral snakes possess one of the most potent venoms of any North American snake. However, relatively few bites are recorded due to their reclusive nature and the fact they generally inhabit sparsely populated areas. According to the American National Institutes of Health, there are an average of 15-25 coral snake bites in the United States each year.[12]

When confronted by humans, coral snakes will almost always attempt to flee, and bite only as a last resort.

In addition, coral snakes have short fangs (proteroglyph dentition) that cannot penetrate thick leather clothing.

Any skin penetration however, is a medical emergency that requires immediate attention. Coral snakes
have a powerful neurotoxin

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And:

Coral snakes' small, fixed fangs and small mouth mean that it is difficult for them to puncture human skin let alone leather boots. Humans are mostly bitten when trying to pick up a coral snake. Because of their small size, these snakes don't carry much venom in their fangs, so they may try to hold onto their victim for some time.

According to Viernum, "One of the most distinctive behavioral characteristics of coral snakes is how they deliver their venom. Since their fangs are short and fixed, they deliver their venom through chewing motions." She described this process as "similar to the way Gila monsters deliver their venom to prey."

Coral Snakes: Colors, Bites, Farts & Facts

If I have guys working for me on a job site, I want them concentrating on doing their jobs, not worrying about a snake. If they're distracted, that's liability for me. Bye bye snake.

There are a few videos on the YTube of how quickly coral snakes can strike and how easily they can puncture typical leather gloves.

I completely agree there is a lower likelihood of a bite with them but dang it if I'm gonna pick one up! Shoooing them away is the preferred method. But if I had to make a choice between my dog and the snake, the snake loses everytime.

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If I have guys working for me on a job site, I want them concentrating on doing their jobs, not worrying about a snake. If they're distracted, that's liability for me. Bye bye snake.

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This. Reducing liability, especially moving around heavy equipment. Protecting my workers. I want the concentrating on theirnjob, not havibg to have a head on a swivel looking for snakes.

If it were a non-venomous snake, I'd let it slither away.

Not sure where in South Texas this was... somewhere between SA and CC.

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Seeing field crews hack away at snakes before, I'd bet that more accidents and time-loss events occur due to that kind of behavior rather than snake bites...

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My BIL was teaching my niece one day about snakes and had her petting a big old eastern water snake when a coral snake slithered up and bit her on the left, inner thigh. She died two hours later.

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There are so many other things on a job site to be aware of that they don't need to be concerned with a potential killer snake.

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Yep, coral snakes have a history of attacking and killing people. Worse than a mamba. Oh wait, on second thought they are very reclusive, never bite unless messed with, and without like viper fangs would have trouble biting through a light pair of jeans. When they do bite a human they rarely inject much venom. Furthermore, compared to most neurotoxic snakes, on the LD50 scale, their venom is not particularly toxic.

Relocate it by a rock or something similar and it would slither away.

Our company, and others I know, that truly live safety recommend not messing with a snake. Whether it's a coral snake, rattlesnake, copperhead, or water snake. Back away and leave them alone. You don't mess with them or try to kill them, even if work is unsafe because of them being there. Stop work and let the snake leave.

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If I have guys working for me on a job site, I want them concentrating on doing their jobs, not worrying about a snake. If they're distracted, that's liability for me. Bye bye snake.

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I'm about ready to move on from this conversation but I'll tell you this....if you have any kind of safety training worth a damn, part of doing their jobs is constantly monitoring and evaluating any potential risks. It's not being "distracted" it's being "situationally aware". It's not as if once you've killed or moved along the one snake you know about you can then put blinders on and behave as if you've remediated the threat of any other snake making his way into the work space for the rest of the day.

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My BIL was teaching my niece one day about snakes and had her petting a big old eastern water snake when a coral snake slithered up and bit her on the left, inner thigh. She died two hours later.

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Sorry for your loss HS. Where did this happen and when?

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There are so many other things on a job site to be aware of that they don't need to be concerned with a potential killer snake.

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Yep, coral snakes have a history of attacking and killing people. Worse than a mamba. Oh wait, on second thought they are very reclusive, never bite unless messed with, and without like viper fangs would have trouble biting through a light pair of jeans. When they do bite a human they rarely inject much venom. Furthermore, compared to most neurotoxic snakes, on the LD50 scale, their venom is not particularly toxic.

Relocate it by a rock or something similar and it would slither away.

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Just so I understand...you're saying that somebody who is not familiar with snakes should know that they only bite when messed with, and then you give the advice to mess with the snake?