12 Days of Scouting

 

The 12 Days of Scouting has begun. Help us to spread the positive message of Scouting this holiday season.

Don't have time to do an activity each day? That's okay. Post a photo of your completed activities and post to social media post on the listed day. Be sure to include #12daysofScouting or tag the Longhorn Council in your posts!

BREAKING NEWS

 

Hey Pack 1910 families!  I have BREAKING NEWS...the Blue & Gold Theme for 2022 has been determined... it is... MARVEL!

So everything around our Blue & Gold will be themed around the world of Marvel 

AND

the theme of our Pinewood Derby will ALSO BE MARVEL!

Wreaths Across America

  

On Saturday morning, December 18, 2021, a wreath laying ceremony will commence at the Arlington National Cemetery to honor those veterans laid to rest there.  The Wreaths Across America story began over 25 years ago when the Worcester Wreath Company from Harrington, Maine initiated a tradition of donating and placing wreaths on the headstones of our nation’s fallen heroes at Arlington National Cemetery. Worcester Wreath Company continues to be a major supporter of the project donating over 25,000 total wreaths each year. Although well over 100,000 wreaths will be sponsored by individuals, businesses and groups from communities nationwide. Wreaths will be placed in all 50 states, at several locations in Iraq, and at 24 national cemeteries on foreign soil.

In 2016, when Texas State Cemetery in Austin, was added as a Wreaths Across America participant, Governor and Mrs. Abbott joined for the ceremony and wreath placements on veteran graves. His remarks to the volunteers gathered truly captured the patriotic mission of this program's mission:

“We're called on today and every day to remember our fallen heroes. ​We must remember their names, we must remember their lives and we must remember their sacrifice, because we are each entrusted with their legacy of faith in this great nation. May we always remember our troops in harm’s way still today, and may we never forget the price they pay so that we can be free.”

While we have Veterans Day in the fall and Memorial Day in the spring, our servicemen and women sacrifice their time and safety every single day of the year, to preserve our freedoms. And in many homes across the U.S., every day there is an empty seat for one who is serving, or one who made the ultimate sacrifice for our country.

Pack 1910 has the amazing opportunity to be part of this movement recognizing our veterans this holiday season at the Oak Grove Memorial Gardens in Irving while similar ceremonies occur at over 400 other participating locations nationwide – a solemn tribute to those who served and those who made the ultimate sacrifice.

Oak Grove Memorial Gardens began working with the Wreaths Across America project in 2010 with over 300 wreaths donated that first year and placed on the graves of veterans buried throughout the cemetery. 

It is my understanding that there will be a formal ceremony again this year led by the fire department and police honor guards.  As such, upon arrival, please park and make your way near the tent on the west side.  You won't be able to miss it.  After that takes place, we will be present to do what we are tasked with -- placing wreaths on the graves of the designated veterans and throughout the cemetery. 

What's asked of our participants is a small prayer of thanksgiving and remembrance be said as each wreath is laid upon the headstones and make an active gesture by reading the name of the veteran buried there. Honoring our commitment to never forget.

Pack 1910 was proud to be a part of this event the last several years and made a commitment to honor those who have served by continuing to participate each year as our  Duty to Country. A Scoutbook event notification was e-mailed to the Pack. Please RSVP there and include in the comment section your family's full head count so we know if we should expect you. Scouts should be in full field uniform, but dress for the weather, obviously. We're going from 80 to 30 in a mere hours so who knows what the forecast will be.  

We hope you consider participating in this community event of remembrance. What's 60 minutes out of the Christmas season, compared to our veterans’ years of service in locations far from home?

Happy Thanksgiving

 

As families come together near and far to celebrate with food and fellowship while counting their many blessings, we would like to take this opportunity, too, to wish our Pack 1910 family a Happy Thanksgiving.

The first Thanksgiving was a celebration of the culmination of a successful partnership and harvest between different groups of people and was a further testimony that people of all creeds can live in harmony.

So, this Thanksgiving, we give thanks to children of all beliefs who have joined into the brotherhood and sisterhood of Scouting for the purpose of the greater good. We are united in a common purpose to be a different breed of person... the leaders of the future.

Thankful are we for the opportunities presented to us through the Scouting movement and the ability to serve our chartered organization, our community, our family, our unit and our country.

Thankful are we for the opportunity to Do A Good Turn Daily by acts of selfless service to those in our family, school and community.

Thankful are we for the blessings of leaders and volunteers who give of their time and their many talents to lead these Scouts with purpose.

Thankful are we for the bright-eyed enthusiasm as we witness young boys and girls take on greater responsibilities and meet challenges they didn't know they could overcome.

Thankful are we for the freedom afforded to all Americans and for those who are willing to fight for it... whatever the cost.

Thankful are we to not get everything we want, but to continue to be grateful for what we have.

Thankful are we for the partnership with nature and the outdoors as we learn to live in harmony with our earth and protect it for the generations that will follow.

Thankful are we for the gift of a merciful and gracious God that hears our prayers. Oh great Scoutmaster of all, please be with all of our Pack families until we can join together again.

Until that time... Happy Thanksgiving one and all!

Register for CUB-O 2022 Now!

Save the date and make plans to join us January 8, 2022 at CUB-O, the annual Cub Scout orienteering event held at Sid Richardson Scout Ranch.

Cub-O is probably the most popular Cub Scout orienteering event in North America. A fun day of hiking and friendly competition for Cub Scouts, parents, and leaders. Orienteering (the use of map and compass to find locations) lets Scouts plan a journey and has been a vital skill for humans for thousands of years. Thousands of people participate in the sport each year in local clubs and competitions. Longhorn Council has two events annually for orienteering. One is for Cub Scouts (Cub O), and one is held for Scouts BSA (SCORE-O).

Early Bird Registration is $20 per scout and adult and includes a patch, liability insurance and a Cub-O keepsake map. T-shirts are available to purchase at registration. Additional attendees (attending, assisting or camping but not competing) can pay $8 for liability insurance only but must register and be paid.  

***We are required to have 2 registered adults for every den we have attending. If there is a doubt we will need you as a walking chaperone, please register!

Lunch is NOT included so please bring your lunch with you to eat before the race. Each team of 3-6 Cubs gets a Cub-O map half an hour before the race starts. Your goal is to hike in the woods and find as many of the orange and white orienteering flags as you can.  The more difficult they are to access, the higher the point value.

Plan your strategy to score the maximum point total possible in 2 hours!

Map training sessions for Cub Scouts and parents are held all morning. Not sure if they'll be virtual again this year. That will be communicated shortly.

This is a rain or shine event: extreme inclement weather (ice or snow) may cause a one week postponement. Weather announcements will be made on the Longhorn Council Website and on our blog as well.

Sound like something you want to do? REGISTER ONLINE HERE.  Early bird registration ends DEC 11. 

It’s fast, exciting, and FUN. And it’s all Cub Scouts. The locations of 40-50 orange and white orienteering flags are marked on the map and you and your team will go hiking in the woods to find them – or most of them! Each flag has a hole punch that you use to mark your scorecard. Flags are worth 5, 10, 15, 20, or 30 points, depending on how hard they are to find. Your Den team will get a Cub-O competition map 20 minutes before the race starts. Then you plan a hiking strategy to find the most flags and score the most points in just 2 hours! You’ll stay warm ‘cause you’ll stay moving!

Cub-O is a team event for teams (Dens) of 3-6 Cub Scouts and at least 2 adults. Each team must have at least two adults registered for Cub-O. Be sure to dress warmly in layers and bring lots of water! Bring a compass and a watch so you’ll finish on time. All registered participants will get a Cub-O patch, our latest 5-color competition map, and a great day of orienteering.

Plan on about a 15-20 min drive from where Google shows the entrance to be.

We did not plan on this being a camping event but if the need exists, we can make it happen. Be sure to contact April.

T-Shirts Orders are LIVE!

We are ready to take orders for our new Pack 1910 t-shirts.  

These shirts are great for Pack events, camping or just wearing out to show your Pack pride. Anytime an outing calls for "activity shirt" or a "scout shirt" (especially at camp outs) or even  a "Class B" shirt -- this is what we are talking about. 

Shown above, the official Pack 1910 t-shirts are royal blue with red and white ink. Scouts are provided one t-shirt when joining the Pack from whatever inventory is on hand for their desired size (which could be different designs from whatever inventory we have in stock). Additional t-shirts for your scout, siblings or parents are priced as marked on the order page. Note -- larger sizes and moisture wicking shirts do have an upcharge. 

For new families - if your scout has NOT received their shirt yet, send an email to Stephanie Earnhardt at Smb1218@gmail.com . She is coordinating our Unit t-shirts.  She will make sure that your Scout gets a shirt ordered no charge to you.  However, if you want ADDITIONAL shirts, you will need to order those yourself.

Our official design is ALSO available in long sleeved, sweatshirt AND hoodies!  If you want to purchase one of these as a Christmas gift for your scout, be sure to indicate that on your order and she will insure that it's packaged so that your Scout won't see.  (Photos below)

  

Please note -- we do not order anything other than the 50/50 to keep in inventory. Additionally, we only place one order every couple of years due to minimum order requirements, so be sure to order your shirts now and maybe an additional one to size up to for when they grow. 

We are also offering for the Scouts the option of a moisture wicking NEON shirt!  Great way to find those Scouts at a campsite or Scouting event!  

And it gets better -- we have a NEW PARENT SHIRT!

DEADLINE TO ORDER IS NOVEMBER 28.

T-SHIRTS WILL BE AVAILABLE FOR PICK UP AT THE DECEMBER PACK MEETING.

 ****PLEASE NOTE:  At the current time on the website there is the option for a white tribal design on a cammo shirt. Due to supply issues, we were unable to source YOUTH SIZED shirts and this was a design FOR the Scouts. As such, we are going to be removing this option since most of our scouts don't wear adult sizes. If this option become available at a later date, we may do a special order for anyone that wants those. However, even if the design is still up as an option on the site -- DO NOT PURCHASE THOSE AS THEY ARE NOT YOUTH SHIRTS.

Place your order by clicking the icon below. You will be taken to our storefront on Kim's Kloset.

Recharter - Deadline December 1

 

It’s time again to recharter our Pack with the Boy Scouts of America (BSA). As part of this process, each Scout and registered leader must renew their membership for the upcoming year (which includes payment of registration dues and ensuring your Health Form (Part A and B) is current). While our Pack operates on a SCHOOL calendar of June - May, registration dues for everyone are paid on a January-December basis.

Recharter dues for returning scouts for the 2022 calendar year are:
$150 without Scout Life magazine; or 
$162.50 with Scout Life magazine  

Leaders are $60 and require a new Background Authorization Form

FEE EXPLANATION

1) National Dues - This fee is paid directly to the Boy Scouts of America and registers your Cub Scout for the period January through December. Youth fees are $72, paid annually, prorated monthly ($6 per month) from month of joining.

2) Longhorn Council Insurance Fee - This $15 fee is paid directly to the Longhorn Council for the period of January through December. The annual Longhorn Council Insurance Fees are paid annually, prorated monthly ($1.25 per month) from the month of joining.

3) Scout Life Magazine - $12 per Scout, prorated monthly ($1 per month). Boys' Life is the monthly magazine for the Boy Scouts of America. It’s a fantastic read that reinforces Scouting and the good family values that are part of our program. This is totally optional.

4) Pack Fees - $63 (about $5 per month) The Pack charges an annual Pack Fee to help cover the cost of running the Pack. This fee includes all program costs and is set each year by the Pack Committee. At the very basic level, this covers your scout's rank specific neckerchief slide and neckerchief at bridging each May, advancement, awards, badges, patches, pins, adventure loops, hiking awards, ceremony supplies, and the like. As you can see, there are a great deal of tangible goods that each scout receives annually just for doing what they do! This doesn't even begin to cover the other costs... just what our scouts receive.

Thus, we rely heavily on fundraising to ensure an awesome program for our youth. Simply stated, our Pack is POWERED BY SCOUTS and it will take us all to ensure we can have a successful fundraiser!

Membership renewal commitments are due no later than DECEMBER 1.

Our charter expires December 31 and there is a GREAT DEAL of paper chasing to take place before then. 
PLEASE do not make us chase you for filing your paperwork.

Say it with me now... ya didn't file your paperwork... 

Checks should be made payable to Pack 1910. If you would like to pay via credit card, that can be done through Paypal on our Payment page.  If you choose to utilize the payment page which is processed through PayPal, the processing fees are passed onto you rounded up to the nearest $0.25.

Without registration commitments, we cannot recharter you (as a registered leader) your Scout. Awards and rank cannot be recorded for unregistered Scouts.

While we try to streamline this as much as process, there IS paper involved -- we need a new health form for anyone that hasn't submitted one within the last year. We need completed YPT certificates for all parents with their Scouts if you have not supplied those via e-mail.  All leaders must be trained for their positions prior to recharter. All registered leaders need to have their YPT renewed THIS YEAR. 

Please know we NEVER want finances to be a reason that a child cannot participate in Scouting. If you have a need for a scholarship, please reach out to April Driggers. She will have you complete a scholarship form. Our request of you is that you actively participate in our Unit and our fundraising programs.  If you are waiting on one for the 2022 Scouting year, they will be emailed this weekend. Thank you for your patience.

Thank you for your assistance in making this as painless and streamlined of a process as possible. I appreciate everyone's prompt attention to this matter. If you have any questions at all, please do not hesitate to contact Alison Ford who handles all things Membership.

PAYMENT PAGE IS HERE

Scout Salute to our Veterans

 

Veterans Day originated as “Armistice Day” on Nov. 11, 1919, the first anniversary of the end of World War I. Congress passed a resolution in 1926 for an annual observance, and Nov. 11 became a national holiday beginning in 1938. A celebration to honor America's veterans for their patriotism, love of country, and willingness to serve and sacrifice for the common good.

Today we pay homage and give thanks to all of those who have served this great nation of ours from the United States Navy to the United States Army to the United States Air Force to the United States Marine Corps to the United States Coast Guard and each branch of reserves.

Scouting has a history rich in military service as well.  Robert Baden-Powell, the father of Boy Scouts, was a British officer with a long military career.  Much he learned along the way in his military career directly correlated with how he established scouting.  As it stands, many of our current military academies are home to a considerable amount of Scouts - over 1/3 of the cadets at West Point were involved in scouts and 16% are eagles; over 20% of the Air Force cadets were in scouting and 12% are Eagles; and 25% of the Naval Academy midshipmen were in Scouts and 11% are Eagle Scouts.  Though it's not the only way, it's definitely a great path to being a part of something much bigger than yourself.

So, today, we humbly give thanks to those who have signed their name on the line and said, "Whatever it takes... I'm here for America."  Those are the kind of courageous men and women we honor today.

Some interesting facts from History.com about veterans:


The brave men and women who serve and protect the U.S. come from all walks of life; they are parents, children and grandparents. They are friends, neighbors and coworkers, and an important part of their communities. Here are some facts about the current veteran population of the United States.

There are approximately 21 million military veterans in the United States.

• 16.1 million living veterans served during at least one war.

• 5.2 million veterans served in peacetime.

• 2 million veterans are women.

• 7 million veterans served during the Vietnam War era (1964-1975).

• 5.5 million veterans served during the Gulf War (representing service from Aug. 2, 1990, to present).

• Of the 16 million Americans who served during World War II (1941-1945), about 620,000 are still alive.

• 2 million veterans served during the Korean War (1950-1953).

• 6 million veterans served in peacetime.

• As of 2014, 2.9 million veterans received compensation for service-connected disabilities.

• As of 2014, 3 states have more than 1 million veterans in among their population: California (1.8 million), Florida (1.6 million), Texas (1.7 million).

• The VA health care system had 54 hospitals in 1930, since then it has expanded to include 171 medical centers; more than 350 outpatient, community, and outreach clinics; 126 nursing home care units; and 35 live-in care facilities for injured or disabled vets.

We remember your sacrifice. We honor your patriotism. To quote President Coolidge, "The Nation which forgets its defenders will be itself forgotten.”

You are all invited tonight at 7pm to the North Texas Field of Honor at Keller Town Hall for a flag retirement ceremony conducted by Troop 1910.  

Coat Drive Turn in TOMORROW

 

Don't forget TOMORROW is the turn in date for the One Warm Coat Coat Drive that we are doing for our Scouts to earn his or her Messengers of Peace. 

Please be sure if you've asked your neighbors for donations, you follow up with them for donations. Great time to clean out those closets!

Every Scout Deserves a Well-Trained Leader

 

Although you can take most training courses for just about everything needed online through the my.Scouting portal, nothing beats tribal knowledge and networking when it comes to training.  Something you will hear many of us tenured leaders say is that "every Scout deserves a well-trained leader!"  

If you are new to Scouting, new in a particular Scouting volunteer position, or perhaps you want to step up to offer assistance in a supporting role, the University of Scouting will have courses offered for just about everything under the sun from the basics to becoming an Eagle mentor.

Saturday, November 20 is the Longhorn Council's University of Scouting. If you haven't registered, there is still time to pick your courses and make a day of it. Check out the Event Guide HERE

Early bird pricing ($25) for registration ends October 31.

Late registration ($30) is from November 1-15.

Walk-in registration is $35

(While walk-in registrations are allowed at a higher price point please consider the logistical nightmare for your volunteers who are teaching... they're busy preparing materials, handouts and such.  The courtesy of an advance registration allows them to do their job and ensure enough materials are available for those in attendance. Pre-registration is just the kind thing to do.  A Scout is kind. Register in advance.  Thankyouverymuch.)

Check in is from 8a-9a

Classes begin at 9a and last until 12p

Lunch is from 12p-1p at the TCC cafeteria (not included in registration. You may bring your own or buy something there)

Afternoon classes are 1p-4p

Closing ceremony

UOS COURSE CATALOG

UOS COURSE SCHEDULE

REGISTER HERE

A Scout is Brave

The 8th BSA point of the Scout Law is Brave -- by definition, the polar opposite of fear. Although, I believe that both can be equally crippling. Being brave doesn't mean you're not afraid... bravery is actually to continue to move forward despite being afraid and frankly, it's something quite different for each and every one of us. 

Bravery could mean something as simple as standing on top of the monkey bars to a Tiger scout or signing your name on the line to dedicate your life serving in our nation's military. Bravery can be conquering Mt. Everest or having the courage to stand up before strangers to deliver a speech. It could be going away for the first time ever to camp without the creature comforts to which you've grown accustomed... to walking into the meeting of a brand new Pack and trying to make friends with people you don't know. 

Bravery is saying no to the wrong thing. 

Bravery can be having the courage to quit when you know the path by which you travel is not the one you intended.  Listening to that inner voice rather than the masses of people that you may have surrounded yourself with.. is very brave.

Being okay with being different... is brave. 


Bravery is... showing up... in every sense of the word.

{I do have to put a disclaimer here though -- don't let me allow ANYONE to confuse being brave with being stupid because the internet is FULL of people doing really, REALLY stupid things that don't equate to an OUNCE of bravery.} 

Thanks, I feel better now.

Every month in the Scout's Life magazine there is a feature called Scouts In Action.  Many of their stories highlight scouts all over the world who showed bravery.  Check out some of those stories the next time it arrives in your mailbox.  In fact, here's a link to the site with the previously published Scouts in Action pages from the magazine.  If you want to receive this magazine at your home, you can for $12 with your recharter.

So taking on the idea of bravery... did you know that a Scout can face danger even if they are afraid... that's being brave.  Think of all the things people are afraid of.  I'll bet that one of the top fears on more lists than you could even fathom is... 

 !!  SNAKES  !! 

There are lots of people who believe that the only good snake is a dead snake but there couldn't be anything further from the truth. Snakes are beneficial to our ecosystem in more ways than you can imagine. The way to learn to be brave if you're afraid of them is by educating yourself to identify the venomous snakes you might come across so that when you see anything other, you can simply appreciate them (and... perhaps spray them with a water hose to get them to go away if you're still not a fan).

Shaun Hayes has one of my favorite Instagram accounts @tx_snakewrangler and he has given me permission to use his photos for this post.  They're beautiful and amazing and I'm so grateful for his love of herping which enables me to share with you ways to identify these creatures.  Because, the more you know...the more you grow! Please check him out on YouTube too right here.

Coral Snake

• Coral snakes have one of the strongest venoms of any snake, but because of their small jaws they are not considered as dangerous as rattlesnakes.
• The snakes are usually between 18 and 20 inches long. Some grow to be 3 feet long.
• They can be as skinny as a pencil.
• Their heads are small and look like their tails.
• Their fangs are always out because they cannot pull them back into their mouths. 
• There is a harmless king snake that looks so much like the coral snake that people made up a rhyme about their coloring. However, it is a good idea to never pick up any snake unless there is an adult with you. The rhyme is: “Red and yellow, kill a fellow; “Red and black, just stay back.” So, if the red bands touch the yellow bands, you know it's a coral snake.
• Coral snakes live in a variety of habitats, ranging from marshes to woods and sand hills. They also like to sleep under rotting leaves. They are often found in suburban areas as well. 
• They eat lizards and other small snakes. 
• They lay eggs. Babies are 7 inches long when they hatch and are fully venomous. 
• Most people who are bitten receive the bite when they pick up the snakes or step on them with bare feet.

Here is a photo of a coral snake. See if you can find the head. See how the red touches yellow? 

Copperhead

• Copperhead snakes get their name from their copper-red heads. 
• They are pit vipers and have heat-sensing pits on their faces that help them detect prey. 
• Copperheads have wide, muscular bodies with hourglass-shaped markings. 
• They average between 2 and 3 feet long. 
• They live in many different environments, including rocky areas, woods, and mountains; near streams, desert oases, and canyons. Nearer to humans, they also love to live in wood and sawdust piles, abandoned and overgrown yards, and old construction areas. 
• Although they hunt alone, they are social and hibernate in dens with many other snakes. 
• Copperheads eat mice and other small rodents, small birds, lizards, amphibians, small snakes, and insects. 
• They use their pits to sense heat and track prey. After they bite large prey, they wait until the prey dies and then eat it. 
• Adults sometimes eat only 10 to 12 meals a year if the meal is a larger animal. 
• Babies are born live with fangs and venom as dangerous as an adult snake’s. 
• Copperheads give no warning and will strike almost immediately if they feel threatened.

See how the pattern looks like Hershey Kisses? That's a characteristic indicative of one species of copperhead.

This is a broad banded copperhead.

Another view of a copperhead.

Rattlesnake

• A rattlesnake’s warning sounds are hissing and rattling of its tail. 
• Rattlers can grow to be 1 to 7 feet long. 
• They have a distinctly triangular head. 
• Every time a rattlesnake sheds its skin, another ring is added to the rattle on its tail. 
• Rattlesnakes live in many different environments in North and South America. They can live anywhere from desert sands to grasslands, scrub brush, rocky hills, and swamps. They can live in high elevations, up to 11,000 feet. 
• Texas has NINE native species of rattlers. I've only seen four in my life.
• Generations of rattlesnakes can use the same dens for hundreds of years. 
• They give birth every two years to live babies. 
• They can live up to 30 years. 
• Rattlesnakes eat small rodents, reptiles, and insects. 
• Their strike is extremely fast. 
• They eat about every two weeks. 
• Most rattlesnake strikes on humans happen when the snakes are stepped or sat upon.

Diamondback rattle snake. The rattle...and diamond pattern give this one away, no?  There is an Eastern Diamondback and a Western Diamondback -- each has a coloration to help it blend in with its environment.

This is a massasauga rattler. Distinctive by the rattle (shocker) and the Pac Man pattern.

This is an Eastern Timber rattlesnake

Cottonmouth a.k.a. Water mocassin 

• Cottonmouths are the only venomous water snake in North America, but they are also happy soaking up the heat on land. 
• They have a triangular head and a thick body. 
• They are also commonly called water mocassins. 
• They are called cottonmouths because they open their mouths wide when they are threatened. The inside of the mouth is white, like cotton. 
• They are pit vipers. 
• Cottonmouths range from 2 to 4 feet long. 
• They have dark vertical lines by each nostril and pale snouts. 
• They can be found in swamps, marshes, drainage ditches, ponds, lakes, and streams or sunning themselves on land nearby. 
• They swim with their heads out of the water. 
• They eat fish, birds, amphibians, lizards, baby alligators, turtles, small mammals, and other snakes. 
• Babies are born live in litters of up to 20. 
• When threatened, cottonmouths will coil up, open their mouths, and expose their fangs.

See how white his mouth is? That's how they got their name. People try to say they're aggressive but you can see video after video of these and they stay coiled and rarely strike. I'm not saying they won't but they are not the monsters they are made out to be. Notice the sharp taper from thick to tail. Very good way to learn to ID these as they are not a slight taper like many snakes are. They go from thick to tail - BAM!

Another beautiful view of how they go from fat to end. Another reason, too, not to go sticking your hand in holes if you don't know what's in it. I zoomed in on this picture, below, too, because I want you to see the mouth and banded eyes. 

Juvenile cotton mouth - showing you some of the variations of coloration. Their tails also have a greenish tip when they're babies, too.

Wanted to show you a SIDE VIEW of the head of a water moccasin / cotton mouth. See how

the brown band runs fully along their eyes? That's another way to help you ID this species. 

If anything, nature shows us ways that camouflage and pattern mimicry help species survive and avoid predation.  For instance, the photo below shows two diamondback water snakes with a broadbanded water snake. These are constantly misidentified as cottonmouth snakes. I have personally seen more than one photo posted on Facebook (after they have been killed) by people SWEARING they're cottonmouths. I promise not every snake is a cottonmouth. 

Speaking of mimicry... I want to draw your attention to how these NON VENOMOUS snakes can flatten their heads to LOOK largely triangular (which people like to say is indicative of venomous snakes). Lots of snakes learn ways to appear big and bad so they're not messed with. Another reason to educate yourself. 

This plain bellied watersnake is frequently confused with a cottonmouth. See the vertical bars along its mouth? That's another way to identify this harmless, nonvenomous species.

Below is a video posted by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department to help you see these species moving in the wild.

And if just watching this gave you the heebie jeebies -- thanks for being brave and making it to the end!