#Copperhead can detect a LOT

[cxpperhead]

Due to his serpent physiology, Copperhead has an exceptionally keen sense of smell. He's able to detect even subtle changes in the air using his tongue, making it a tough endeavour to get the drop on him. This can be as much of a boon as it is a hindrance however - Gotham doesn't have the most pleasant smells, especially the sewers and having such a powerful sense of taste can be awkward depending on how good his relationship with certain people are.

[thehuntingdomain]

10 Tips To Hunt Pigs

Do you hunt pigs? Would you like to be more successful when hunting pigs? In this article, we share tips to help you hunt more pigs to take home during the hunting season.

1. Baiting Pigs

Place your bait along trails that are frequented by pigs and create a trail back to a larger pile where you will have set up waiting for them. Additionally, set up in position so that your tree stand is downwind of the pile.

2. Scent Control

Pigs have a very good sense of smell. Wear gloves to control your human scent when you set up a bait pile. Additionally, always wash with a scent-free soap before you go hunting, especially from late spring to early fall. Wear hunting boots that won't leave your human scent. If pigs have been hunted before and they pick up a human scent, they will become alarmed.

3. Pig Squeals

If while hunting for pigs you hear squeals for a few minutes in the evening, it could be that a sow is being bred by a boar. Try to remember the area and hunt that area later for the boar.

4. Wear Snake Boots

To avoid being hit below the knee when you hunt pigs in rattler, cottonmouth, or copperhead habitats, wear snake boots. If you want to learn more about the best pig hunting tips, then click this link.

5. Small Herd Hunts

If you come across a few signs of pigs in the area, don't get discouraged. Instead, hunt smaller herds that are more predictable than bigger groups of pigs that are being hunted by more hunters.

6. Load With More Bait

Load the feeder with a lot of bait to attract pigs. This will prevent you from hauling in refills and prevents you from spreading your scent in the area.

7. Hogs vs Deer Tracks

If you hunt pigs, you should learn to identify hog tracks from those of deer. Hog tracks are fuller than those of a deer and have rounded tips than pointed ones. Additionally, hog tracks are in the front and back with a more uniform width while deer tracks have a teardrop shape.

8. Shoot To Kill

To deliver a fatal blow, shoot a hog directly behind the shoulder slightly lower than you would aim at a deer. Be sure of your shot before taking it. Don't be surprised if you don't see any blood trails. Hogs have a thick layer of fat that can quickly plug a wound which will make it difficult to see trailing blood, especially in a wet environment.

9. Spot & Stalk

If you are hunting in an open country, you can apply the spot and stalk technique. Position yourself where you will have a good view of the area and that the wind is blowing towards you. If you spot a pig, walk slowly and quietly toward it, keeping the wind at your face and using cover. You may be able to get up close to it without being detected as pigs don't have the best eyesight.

10. Freshly-plowed Gardens

Hogs like freshly-plowed gardens of crop fields to find fresh roots. When you find these gardens, position yourself and wait for hogs. They just might discover the garden as you did.

Conclusion

Hunting pigs involves some strategies and knowledge of them. In this article, we share some tips about hunting pigs. If you would like to learn more about hunting, then go to www.thehuntingterrain.com.

[gorogues]

Spoilers for Flash #60!

So James, Axel, and Copperhead are still hard at work together, and are no less ambitious than they were before.  In fact, they may have an even bigger scheme than we previously knew.  Commander Cold and Detective Burns find one of their former labs -- filled with gun designs -- and Barry separately learns that a corrupt cop in Corto Maltese has been getting illegal weapons shipments.  Some are apparently conventional weapons, but the cop orders special ones after his conventional shipment is destroyed.  And at the end of the issue, the cop shoots a Sage Force-powered bubble gun which sure looks like a Trickster type of weapon.  So, is it one of James' guns?  One of the weapons blueprints in the hideout kinda-sorta looks like the bubble gun, but I don't see anything that's an obvious match.  That doesn't mean it isn't one of James' guns, though.

If the Corto Maltese weapons are James' work, how did he manage to harness the Sage Force into a bubble gun?  And what exactly is he planning?  The implications in this issue suggest he's trying to become a fairly typical crimelord rather than someone involved in a "long con" or simply seeking revenge on Warden Wolfe.  It's possible that weapons dealing is just a means to an end, but it's pretty scummy to send weapons to a corrupt cop in an oppressive nation.  Of course, it's also possible that James is a red herring and the bubble gun has nothing to do with him...though I doubt it.  So what is he up to?  And what's his endgame?  I hope he isn't just after power for the sake of it.  It's also possible that he's conning everyone and the weapons don't work like Cauldron (the bad cop) expects, and that'd be a pretty good gag.

Anyway, it's a good issue and Fuerza is a cool new character I'd like to see more of.  I hope she can keep the Strength Force and keep protecting Corto Maltese, and she and Barry make good allies for each other.

Also nice to see Commander Cold making friends -- or more -- and settling into the Central City of this era.  He's going to have an interesting dilemma if he ever gets the chance to return home, because he'll have to figure out where/when is home for him.  I don't think he'll be around forever, if only so Len can return without two similar guys running around, but he's had more development and page time than I'd ever expected.  One wonders if or when we'll be learning more about his identity, and whether it will be significant (an Allen, a Thawne, or something else) or not.  He may of course just be a random dude, but the book's made a point about his name for a while now and all he's offered is his first name.

So a lot of interesting stuff which furthers both the Tricksters story and the Force Quest...and possibly ties them together.  Lots of food for thought here.

[snakeoftheday]

Debunking Common Methods of Identifying Venomous Snakes in the U.S.

Recently, I’ve seen a few images going around Tumblr purporting to show methods of identifying venomous versus nonvenomous snakes within the United States such as this one: 

While these features may sometimes be indicative of whether or not a snake is venomous, it is not a comprehensive guide, and can encourage people to put themselves at further risk of envenomation. This is especially troubling because the same or similar charts are printed in many nature guidebooks and even governmental websites. So, today I will go over some of these methods, as well as why they shouldn’t be used, and how to best prevent envenomation.

An important note before we begin: The information outlined here may only be applicable within the United States. Other countries have their own unique set of species which may or may not follow the same guidelines. 

Common Methods of Identifying Venomous Snakes

Head Shape - As with the image above, it is stared that nonvenomous snakes will have a more tapered head and neck, while venomous ones will have a broadly triangular head and thin neck (sometimes described as an ‘arrow-head’ shape). This is due to the presence of venom glands at the back of the snake’s head. This is not an especially accurate method of determining venomous status. This is due to the fact that a number of species, including water snakes, garter snakes, hognose snakes, and other, will actually flatten their head to mimic venomous species in an attempt to ward off predators. Here you can see one water snake (Nerodia sp.) doing just that: 

(x)

Additionally, there is one kind of snake, which we will be mentioning a few more times, which doesn’t have a triangular head but is venomous. This is none other than the Coral Snake (Micrurus sp.). These snakes have the same sloping head as nonvenomous species despite being considered one of the most medically-significant in terms of venom toxicity.*

Pupil Shape - It is stated that venomous snakes have vertical, cat-like pupils, while nonvenomous species have round pupils. Again, while this may be accurate in some cases, environmental factors may skew this method’s effectiveness. Like most other animal species, a snake’s pupil while dilate or contract depending on various conditions to allow more or less light into the eye. With this, it means that it can sometimes be difficult, especially at a distance, to see if a snake’s eye more-closely resembles a vertical slit or a circle. The image below shows a Copperhead (Agkistrodon contortrix), a venomous species, with pupils that look quite round. 

(x) Other species may also have irises that are black or dark brown, making this method almost impossible to use. For the record, our friend the coral snake has round pupils, though they also have black irises, making it pretty difficult to tell. Regardless, even if this method was 100% foolproof, it still requires closely approaching a potentially venomous snake, which is exactly what you don’t want to do if you’re worried about being bitten. 

Presence of Heat Pits - With the exception of the wildcard coral snake, all venomous terrestrial snakes in the U.S. have a small hole under the nostril or between the eye and nostril called a loreal pit. These allow the snake the sense the temperature of objects around them, aiding in detecting prey. I won’t spend much time on this method, since it’s pretty similar to that of pupil shape: it can sometimes be difficult to see the pit (depending on the angle and color or the snake), and requires getting too close for comfort. 

Ventral Scales - You might be noticing a pattern here, but the coral snake doesn’t have a single row of subcaudal scales on its tail. Also, of all the methods, this one actually requires picking up or otherwise flipping over a potentially venomous snake. Basically, this is pretty much the silliest method and the easiest way to get bit.**

How to Know If A Snake Is Venomous

So, if none of these methods are foolproof, how should one know if a snake is venomous? Sadly, there is no one perfect methods. However, it can become a lot easier with one simple thing: Research! There are around 20 species of venomous snakes native to the U.S. (though many areas may only be home to just a couple), all of which have much more reliable methods of identification. Knowing what venomous species and common-lookalikes call your state home, and studying their appearance, will give you a much better tool-set to identify venomous snakes than the common tricks above. Most states have a DNR website that list all of the snake species found in the area, so just google “[state] snakes” to find a starting point. Also, this group on Facebook is an invaluable resource for learning to identify snakes, though I will warn you that you may see pictures of deceased snakes there. 

Envenomation Prevention

Finally, here are some guidelines to avoid the potential pain (both physical and financial**) of being bitten by a venomous snake:

Be alert and aware of your surroundings. Most envenomations without an element of human agitation happen because the person didn’t know there was a venomous snake near them. Avoid stepping or placing your hands into holes or where you can’t clearly see the ground.

Wear snake-proof clothing. If you do have to traverse land where you can’t always see your limbs, invest in a pair of snake-proof boots and/or gloves which will stop a snake’s fangs from reaching your skin. (You will also sometimes see similar clothing labeled “needle-proof”.) 

Stay away from snake you think might be venomous. This one seems painfully obvious but many, if not most, envenomations occur when a person attempts to approach, pick up, or kill a venomous snake. It’s important to remember that snakes are not inherently malicious. In fact, the venom they produce is very precious and vitally important to hunting for prey. However, they will bite if they feel their life is threatened. Giving them a respectful distance is usually more than enough. 

Call a professional if the snake has to be moved. If you find a venomous snake in your home or otherwise where it’s unsafe to leave it be, call an animal removal professional to safely remove it and relocate it elsewhere. You can typically find someone by googling “[your area] snake removal”. Trying to move or kill the snake yourself is very dangerous. 

Know what to do if you get bitten. If you have been bitten by a snake you suspect is venomous, the most important thing to do is remain calm. Call emergency services immediately and limit your movement and activity. Note the time of the bite and remove any restrictive clothing near the bite mark. Do not attempt to cut open the wound, suck the venom out, use a “snake bite kit”, or cut off blood flow to the area. These will not help and in many cases can actually cause much more harm. Additionally, do not attempt to trap or kill the snake. It is possible to receive more venom in a second bite, and snakes can even bite after being decapitated.

As a final note, it’s important to remember that venomous snakes, like all other species, play a vitally important role to the environment. Even disregarding their importance to the wider environment, humans gain a very direct benefit from letting these snakes live: snakes are some of the best pest-prevention there is. Their presence helps keep the population of pest animals in-check, preventing the destruction of crops, as well as the spread of disease through ticks and other parasites. So please, even if you don’t like snakes, let them their lives at peace and prevent harm to yourself all at once. 

*Most of the wildcard factors are due to differences in anatomy between coral snakes, which are elapids, and other venomous snakes in the U.S., which are vipers. 

**Antivenin is typically very expensive and bills for snake bites that require the use of of it [not all do] can often run into tens and hundreds of thousands of dollars. Good incentive to keep your distance. 

[totesmccoats]

Mister Miracle #5

Scott and Barda spend their last day together in LA before his scheduled execution by Orion on New Genesis. The two visit the Walk of Fame, and Jack Kirby’s star specifically (unfortunately, not real 😦 ); make love, visit Oberon’s grave, go to Scott’s favorite deli, the carnival, the beach, and get stuck in lots of traffic. Scott doesn’t talk much, his longest continuous thought in this issue being an explanation of Descartes’ “cogito,” and Barda speaks less. Their dichotomy is made apparent, Scott wanting to make his last day with her special, while she’d prefer not to face it; as is their love for each-other. King writes these gods as human, but Gerads manages to inject one very evocative divine image into the issue that approaches dangerous levels of on-the-noseness. I also like to think he snuck in a visual reference to Fraction and Aja’s Hawkeye. This issue is the calm before the storm, heavy with portents, words still to be said, and actions against inevitability to be taken.

Wonder Woman #36

And, four issues into his run on Wonder Woman, James Robinson has jumped the shark.

This issue doesn’t start off well, with a bound Wonder Woman saying that feels hate towards her newly discovered brother. And yeah, hatred is a perfectly human emotion to feel towards someone who betrayed you, bound you, and plans to kill you – but Wonder Woman is better than human, she doesn’t hate.

Things do pick up when Wondy reveals she only let herself be bound so she could try to reason with Jason, and breaks out as soon as it becomes clear she can’t, and starts whooping Jason and Grail’s behinds; until a young-adult Darkseid pops in to turn the tables once more.

And then things jump the shark when Jason pulls a Vader-in-Return of the Jedi-face-turn and then last page spoilers Zeus shows up to save the day end spoilers. Ugh.

Thank goodness that the art team of Pagulayan, Pas, Parsons, and Fajardo Jr. give us something great to look at, starting when Diana breaks out of her bindings by completely destroying the wall she’s bound to, and continuing through her kicking Jason and Grail’s ass, and holding her own against Darkseid. And, despite how bad the actual plot of the final page is, the reveal is cool looking in it’s own right.

  The Flash #36

Barry races to Iron heights to find Turbine – not Kristen – dead of strangulation on the prison floor. And after arguing with Singh about whether his role in this case is as CSI or not, and Singh arguing with Wolfe over jurisdiction, and an attempted breakout by the Trickster; Barry realizes that his only lead in this case is August Heart – his former friend, and more recently, the evil speedster, Godspeed; but he’s a dead end too.

With no leads, Barry needs to blow off some steam, and luckily there’s a bank robbery – or rather, two simultaneous attempted robberies of the same bank – that give Barry and Wally the opportunity to cut loose.

All these threads aren’t unconnected, but rather a complex power-play made by Central City’s mysterious new crime boss, who’s finally brought Copperhead into the fold, and is preparing to recruit one more supervillain to finally take down the Flash and make Central City pay.

The issue opens with references to Sherlock Holmes, with Barry’s narration bringing up his childhood love of detective stories, and how they’re much less fun in real life, with real consequences. He may be rid of the negative-speedforce, but he’s still on edge, frustrated by the lack of progress he’s been having in pulling his life back together and the inscrutability of the city’s recent crime-wave.

  Unbeatable Squirrel Girl #27

For some reason, everybody, including Dorrine, really wants Nancy or Tippy-Toe to tell them how Squirrel Girl prevented Galactus from eating Earth. Not a huge spoiler, but turns out because they’ve been kidnapped and trapped in a hologram by a race of alien squirrels hoping to find out how to stop Galactus from eating their planet. They’ve been visited by a very jock-ular Silver Surfer and his bros, who tell the squirrels that either they forfeit all their riches – which they don’t have, being squirrels – or they’ll blow up their planet to easily digestible chunks!

Meanwhile, Dorrine searches all over for her missing friends, eventually consulting the new Sorcerer Supreme, Loki, for help. Loki, being tight with Nancy, agrees to help, but before he can, he and Dorrine are transported to Dormammu’s dark dimension!

I don’t know what Loki’s like as the Sorcerer Supreme in his own book, but I’m enjoying how he’s pretty much Taako Adventurezone in this one. That’s the voice I gave him in my head when I read it, at least. North’s interpretations of Marvel’s characters are always enjoyably skewed, which makes this issue’s “Silver Surfer” a bit of a meta-joke, even if what’s really happening is obvious from the get-go. Also, all of the squirrel names are fantastic, A+.

  The Wicked + The Divine Christmas Annual #1

This annual is a collection of seven short glimpses into the early godhood of the pantheon, and how much sex they all had with each other. No, really. I mean, it’s not all sex; a pre-god Baphomet hitchhikes to get to a Morrigan show, and we see how Luci and Ami’s friendship changed after joining the pantheon. And even the fucking isn’t empty, highlighting Baal’s first time with Inanna, and Laura’s first time with Baal.

Plus, Gillan makes a sneaky reference to his own Young Avengers run. The art, by a small battalion of different illustrators, flatters, and colorists, is uniformly excellent; and despite not having much to do with the winter holidays, the book feels the part.

Is this issue skippable if you just care about the current plot and character dynamics? Yeah, pretty much. But also, if you care about WicDiv, it’s probably for the characters, so why would you skip this look into their earliest days as gods? Besides, Baphomet makes a lot of really good puns. Can’t miss those.

Comic Reviews 12/13/17 Mister Miracle #5 Scott and Barda spend their last day together in LA before his scheduled execution by Orion on New Genesis.

[thecritterteaminc]

Warmer Weather Brings More Snakes Out

The ones you need to look out for

Warmer weather is on its way in Texas and many other southern states. With warmer weather comes more active wildlife, including snakes. Texas is home to numerous species of snakes, some venomous, some not. Snakes can be found almost anywhere in the state, including urban areas, many times people just don't see them. Some of the most dangerous snakes in Texas according to TPDW are the pit viper, rattlesnakes, coral snakes, copperheads and cottonmouths.

The first confirmed case of white-nose syndrome in a bat was just detected in Texas recently. White-nose syndrome is a deadly disease that effects hibernating populations of bats and can lead to their deaths. The fungus latches onto to their bodies and causes them to come out of hibernation early, which in turn can cause them to starve to death. Until now, the fungus had been detected in the state but never turned into a confirmed case of the disease.

For more information on bats and snakes, visit The Critter Team.

What kind of snake is this? Here's a Texas guide.

Texas snakes are expected to come out of hibernation as temperatures rise.

"There are lots of snakes around Houston," herpetologist Stan Mays snake curator at the Houston Zoo told the Chron.com. "People just don't see them."

The busy-snake season typically begins when cool winter weather gives way to warmer days. That's when Texas snakes are most active and will travel longer distances to find food. Female snakes are also seeking food for reptilian newborns. Learn more

Summary: Warmer weather is on its way in Texas and many other southern states. With warmer weather comes more active wildlife, including snakes. Texas is home to numerous species of snakes, some venomous, some not.

What kind of snake is this? Here's a Texas guide that can help. https://t.co/meUFCHj9tH

— Houston Chronicle (@HoustonChron) March 13, 2020

Deadly white-nose syndrome confirmed in Texas bat

A case of the deadly bat disease white-nose syndrome has been confirmed in a Texas bat for the first time, biologists announced Thursday.

Until now, only the fungus that causes the disease had been detected in Texas. White-nose syndrome has been a national concern because it has killed millions of hibernating bats in the eastern United States, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department biologists say. See more

Summary: The first confirmed case of white-nose syndrome in a bat was just detected in Texas recently. White-nose syndrome is a deadly disease that effects hibernating populations of bats and can lead to their deaths.

A case of the deadly bat disease white-nose syndrome has been confirmed in a Texas bat for the first time.

White-nose syndrome has been a national concern because it has killed millions of hibernating bats in the eastern United States. https://t.co/9HWKwZU7J7

— National Wildlife Federation (@NWF) March 8, 2020

Original Source Here: Warmer Weather Brings More Snakes Out

from The Critter Team (281) 667-0171 - Feed https://thecritterteam.com/field-notes/warmer-weather-brings-more-snakes-out/

[thecritterteaminc]

Warmer Weather Brings More Snakes Out

The ones you need to look out for

Warmer weather is on its way in Texas and many other southern states. With warmer weather comes more active wildlife, including snakes. Texas is home to numerous species of snakes, some venomous, some not. Snakes can be found almost anywhere in the state, including urban areas, many times people just don't see them. Some of the most dangerous snakes in Texas according to TPDW are the pit viper, rattlesnakes, coral snakes, copperheads and cottonmouths.

The first confirmed case of white-nose syndrome in a bat was just detected in Texas recently. White-nose syndrome is a deadly disease that effects hibernating populations of bats and can lead to their deaths. The fungus latches onto to their bodies and causes them to come out of hibernation early, which in turn can cause them to starve to death. Until now, the fungus had been detected in the state but never turned into a confirmed case of the disease.

For more information on bats and snakes, visit The Critter Team.

What kind of snake is this? Here's a Texas guide.

Texas snakes are expected to come out of hibernation as temperatures rise.

"There are lots of snakes around Houston," herpetologist Stan Mays snake curator at the Houston Zoo told the Chron.com. "People just don't see them."

The busy-snake season typically begins when cool winter weather gives way to warmer days. That's when Texas snakes are most active and will travel longer distances to find food. Female snakes are also seeking food for reptilian newborns. Learn more

Summary: Warmer weather is on its way in Texas and many other southern states. With warmer weather comes more active wildlife, including snakes. Texas is home to numerous species of snakes, some venomous, some not.

What kind of snake is this? Here's a Texas guide that can help. https://t.co/meUFCHj9tH

— Houston Chronicle (@HoustonChron) March 13, 2020

Deadly white-nose syndrome confirmed in Texas bat

A case of the deadly bat disease white-nose syndrome has been confirmed in a Texas bat for the first time, biologists announced Thursday.

Until now, only the fungus that causes the disease had been detected in Texas. White-nose syndrome has been a national concern because it has killed millions of hibernating bats in the eastern United States, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department biologists say. See more

Summary: The first confirmed case of white-nose syndrome in a bat was just detected in Texas recently. White-nose syndrome is a deadly disease that effects hibernating populations of bats and can lead to their deaths.

A case of the deadly bat disease white-nose syndrome has been confirmed in a Texas bat for the first time.

White-nose syndrome has been a national concern because it has killed millions of hibernating bats in the eastern United States. https://t.co/9HWKwZU7J7

— National Wildlife Federation (@NWF) March 8, 2020

Read More Here: Warmer Weather Brings More Snakes Out

from The Critter Team (281) 667-0171 - Feed https://thecritterteam.com/field-notes/warmer-weather-brings-more-snakes-out/