So I was out and about yesterday with a friend taking some pictures at an old rock quarry that had filled up with water, when we happened upon this snake. It doesn’t look like any of the other snakes in this area (South West Virginia) and it didn’t look terribly friendly either.
When I first walked by it I was just over a foot away from it, until I noticed it and jumped about 50 feet in the air. Then I snuck back a little closer so I could take my picture because I just have to know what kind of snake this is.
So anybody got any ideas? You guys seem to know everything so I figured this was the best place to ask.
I don’t think that’s it. This one didn’t have a rattler and it was more redish toward the head and orangy toward the tail. Its head fanned out kinda making it square looking. You can kinda see that in the picture.
Eastern Hog-Nosed Snake, most likely. Their colors vary, and include red and brown with spots. The upturned nose in your photo (like this), and the flattened head reminded me immediately. Not poisonous.
How about a hognose snake? (I’m particularly noting the reddish brown color with the large dark spots in the midst of lighter bands on that appear on your photo and on the upper photo in my link.)