Posted June 2, 2015 8:46 am by Comments

By Patriot Outdoor News

Cottonmouths, also known as water moccasins, have extremely potent venom. One of these snakes is believed to be the cause of a Missouri man’s death last week.

A man in Nixa, Missouri is believed to have been killed by a cottonmouth snake last week after he refused treatment and went to sleep. According to the Springfield News-Leader, 37-year-old Gilbert De Leon was found dead by his girlfriend on Saturday, the day after he received two snake bites while wading through the water at the Delaware Access southwest of Nixa. Although neither De Leon or his girlfriend saw the snake that attacked him, Christian County Coroner Brad Cole said it was most likely a cottonmouth.

“His girlfriend reported that he yelled he’d been bitten by a snake and got out of the river to find he’d been bitten twice—once on each leg,” Cole said. “I’m not sure what kind of snake bit him, but the only venomous water snake I’m aware of is a cottonmouth. It could have been something else, but we just don’t know.”

De Leon’s girlfriend reportedly urged him to go to the hospital and get the bites treated, but the man refused, saying he could not afford the bill. Instead, …read more

Source:: Patriot Outdoor News

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