Portsmouth Ohio: Agkistrodon contortrix

This one gives me the shivers. In all the right ways. 

Portsmouth Ohio was my grandmother Marian's hometown, and this 34-inches of pure slink owes its name to one of three extremely venomous snakes known to reside in Ohio.

The Copperhead.

Marian certainly would have come across one or two on childhood camping trips across the United States. The odd one probably made an appearance in a local yard. 

Snakes do love to travel.

I doubt, in all cases, she would have flinched.

Gold in tone. Tremendous condition. Prepared to plunge. Deeply.

For the snake enthusiasts: http://atlas.ohparc.org/species/agkistrodon_contortrix