Why Some in Missouri Seek Out Venomous Snakes

When I was a kid growing up in Missouri, I collected baseball cards and stamps. These days some of the younger generation like to live on the edge where their hobbies include seeking out venomous snakes in the wild.

I came across the NKFHerping YouTube channel which gleefully declared "Hazardous Field Herping in Missouri! Finding Scorpions, Copperheads, and More Amazing Animals!" They're not joking with the "hazardous" description as several of the snakes they found could put you in the hospital or worse. "Herping" is the hobby of seeking out reptiles and amphibians in their natural habitat.

Whatever you do, DO NOT ATTEMPT THIS unless you're properly trained and even then, DO NOT DO THIS. These guys obviously know what they're doing and I have no doubt there is no hobby where you can get a better education and understanding of snakes, but there is big danger in doing this. All it takes is one bite from a venomous copperhead or rattlesnake to have your life be put in peril. When you consider that some places in the wild don't even have reliable cell service, you could end up needing medical assistance quickly and not be able to reach anyone. It's an interesting hobby in Missouri, but not one for the faint of heart.