About 3 years ago, I was working near a creek doing a survey. I was about 40’ from the edge of the creek bank in some tall, but sparse weeds. I went to push a a stake in the ground when I got hit on my right hand, in between my pinky and ring finger. At first I dropped what I was doing and took off running out of instinct because I thought I just got into some underground yellow jackets. I looked at my hand and there was a drop of blood. That’s when I saw that SOB slithering away. I didn’t have anything to kill that f****r and I couldn’t waste the energy beating him with a stick because I needed to walk about 1/2 mile back to the truck to get my coworker. Doesn’t sound like far but my heart was racing and it was hot outside. He was about 2.5-3’ and about as big around as a paper towel roll.

They are masters of camouflage and he never rattled. I never saw him until it was way too late. I spent 2 nights in the hospital and took 14 vials of antivenin. They’re about $10k a vial in case you’re wondering. My hand was swole up like a balloon within an hour and the swelling was to my elbow in 3 hours.