Hoop Snake

image Sightings of hoop snakes have been reported since colonial times in North America and for at least the past century in Australia. This snake grasps its tail in its mouth and rolls after its prey, thereby achieving great speed, especially when going downhill. Hoop snakes have been clocked going over 60 m.p.h. At the tip of its tail is a highly venomous stinger, making this a creature to be avoided at all costs. It is the only species of snake known to have a stinger on its tail, and this stinger is so poisonous that even if it strikes a tree, the tree will instantly wither, turn black, and die.

If you should encounter a hoop snake in the wild, the best defense is to run as fast as you can and hope to find a fence to leap over. The hoop snake will have to uncoil to get through the fence, thereby slowing it down. Some have reported that diving through the hoop of the snake will cause it to run away. This, however, has never been verified.



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Comments

I was reading this book and a man was telling two little boys about hoop snakes. The man said that if you got stung you would blow up. Now I know that hoop snakes are real but if anyone new what happened to you if you got stung , it would help. Thanks. :cheese:
Posted by Hannah  on  Tue Jun 02, 2009  at  09:54 AM
To the scholar above who wrote the following:
********************************************* this has got to be one of the most childish, patheticly stupid thing to believe in. Snakes cannot even hold themselves upward for more than a few seconds, let alone hold themselves in a perfect circle capable of rolling.
**********************************************
him saying that snakes can't hold themselves up for no more then a few seconds, well lets just say he's not near as knowledgable about snakes as he wants people to think. When I was in the Army, in Viet Nam, I went on R&R (rest and recreation) in Thailand. Me and some friends went hiking in the hills. I confronted a huge King Cobra and when he reared up, him and me was eye to eye for almost 8 minutes. Him growling, and close enough I could smell his nasty breath. I froze, knowing not to tempt this venomous giant in anyway. After what seemed like an eternity, he lowered himself and crawled off in the bush. And as far as the gentlemans knowledge of snakes, my grandfather lost a leg because a hoop snake stunk him while thrashing wheat in Oklahoma in 1917. Just because you don't see one or know nothing but whats on TV, it doesn't mean something doesn't exist. Turn off the video games, get out and "learn" and see things. And this applies to the gentleman who said the quote above..............sir, you are VERY SHELTERED. I can back up what I"m talking about, your intelligence didn't impress me. Have a good day.
Posted by Darrell C  on  Sun Jul 05, 2009  at  04:58 PM
When I was 6 years old in 1959 growing up just outside of Hanover,Ohio on a farm on wills road off of 668. I was riding on a hay wagon helping my dad,brother and mom putting up hay,My dad yelled and said look at that it was a hoop snake rolling around the hay field, My dad said don't get off of the wagon and my dad jumped on the wagon with us,My dad said watch because that may be the only hoop snake you'll ever see in a life time.Told me he has seen them when growing up in West Virgina when he was a kid back in the 30s I have only seen one other hoop snake in the 80's and I got to point it out to my kids,Yes people they are real and roll like a hoop,but they are rare to every being seen.My Dad did say they were a poison snake.
Posted by Don Bennett  on  Thu Jul 16, 2009  at  08:23 PM
i have no idea what the hell i am doing
Posted by monika  on  Tue Sep 15, 2009  at  03:09 PM
right now i am 10 years old and i know the wise guy who wrote that note on how hoop snakes arent real is a word im not yet aloud to say, but ima back that army guy up because even though ive never seen a hoop snake someone who used to be in the army or vise-versa would probrably know more than that crap-head and that is all i will say
Posted by Kaylee  on  Sun Oct 11, 2009  at  02:48 PM
i have a close friend in texas that told me he saw such a snake years ago in texas. i have no reason to doubt him as his tale had no "OH WOW" intent or fantastic nature. i forget how it ended; the snake either climbed into a tree or unwrapped at a tree or bush and crawled along on its way. the man is a university graduate and served in the military.
the ridicule for many stories is deserved as i do not believe the 60 mph part, or the stinging of a tree and instant death. some people tell in a mater-of-fact manner. they could be truthfully telling what they saw.
Posted by marc sefcik  on  Sun Oct 11, 2009  at  05:09 PM
Hoop snakes are real cause my grampa died from a bite in 1960
Posted by Kaijene  on  Tue Oct 27, 2009  at  08:31 PM
Many years ago, when I was 8, I was riding w/bro,sis,father, and we saw a snake roling down a hillside and across the road.(in northern ark).we could not believe what we saw. It was about the size of a 24" bicycle tire. Just talking w/my 90 old aunt yesterday and she remembers when she was a child that her uncle kill one and her grandfather told them it was a "hoop" snake. It had a hard stinger in its tail.
Posted by Wendell Davis  on  Tue Dec 15, 2009  at  04:22 AM
In the early 50's my mother and I were driving down a gravel road in SE Kansas, and ahead of us, on the shoulder of the road, was a hoop shake going forward. She slowed down, pointed out what it was, and we watched it for a few minutes. It eventually went into the ditch. The area was nearby a timber area...needless, to say, it did exist.
Posted by C.P.  on  Tue Dec 22, 2009  at  12:39 PM
the author is christopher paul curtis...Elijah of Buxton was the book refering yo hoop snakes.
Posted by michelle  on  Fri Jan 08, 2010  at  09:03 AM
MY CLASSMATES WANTED TO KNOW ABOUT HOOP SNAKES. WE WAS READING A BOOK BY CHRISTOPHER CURTIS AND IT HAD HOOP SNAKES IN IT.
Posted by JADELYN  on  Mon Jan 25, 2010  at  06:23 PM
I work in the office of a landfill and one of our drivers just came in and said that they seen a hoop snake in the landfill. I will have to let him know that they are dangerous, he told us they are rare and not danerous. At first I did not believe him so I had to look it up, but now I think that they are real. I learn something new every day.
Posted by Toni  on  Fri May 21, 2010  at  08:06 AM
In 1950, E.Smith had a hoop snake encounter near Hart, Michigan. According to my mom (e.smith), the snake passed her rolling down down a forested incline. Our family listens to her tail (of tails)with some hesitation,but she is dead serious. signed b.shhl (and dont pay any attention to my intials)
Posted by E. Smith  on  Sat Jun 12, 2010  at  08:45 PM
the only natural enemy of the hoop snake is the snipe bird. thats why people go snipe hunting. to rid their farms of the hoop snakes

true story
Posted by jim  on  Tue Jun 29, 2010  at  07:48 AM
I am a herpetologist, Have been for many years.
This is one of the biggest lines of crap that you will ever hear. There are NO Hoop Snakes.
Posted by gene Stevens  on  Fri Jul 02, 2010  at  12:45 PM
No snake has bone structure to up right it's self to make a rolling hoop. No snake can hold it's tail in mouth in such a way to make this possible.
Some snakes that are in pain, (useully respirtory) will bite it's self, and have seen them with tail in mouth.

The fear that people have of snakes sometimes causes the imagination to run wild.

We fear what we don't know, educate yourself, and don't pass those fear on to your kids.
Posted by gene Stevens  on  Fri Jul 02, 2010  at  12:58 PM
To Gene Stevens; I'm sorry to say you are so wrong,if I hadn't saw two in my life time I may think the way you do.I haven't seen a lot of snakes and don't want to,but I do know the Hoop is out there.





When I was 6 years old in 1959 growing up just outside of Hanover,Ohio on a farm on wills road off of 668. I was riding on a hay wagon helping my dad,brother and mom putting up hay,My dad yelled and said look at that it was a hoop snake rolling around the hay field, My dad said don't get off of the wagon and my dad jumped on the wagon with us,My dad said watch because that may be the only hoop snake you'll ever see in a life time.Told me he has seen them when growing up in West Virgina when he was a kid back in the 30s I have only seen one other hoop snake in the 80's and I got to point it out to my kids,Yes people they are real and roll like a hoop,but they are rare to every being seen.My Dad did say they were a poison snake.
Posted by Don Bennett  on  Fri Jul 02, 2010  at  02:13 PM
WHAT EVER!
Posted by gene Stevens  on  Fri Jul 02, 2010  at  02:36 PM
Hi. Pliz check out my link for news and videos on hoopsnakes. We work to recieve funding for teaching prevention and control of the hoopsnake. The interest for theese marvelous creatures are gaining momentum. 😊
Posted by Espen  on  Fri Jul 02, 2010  at  02:39 PM
:cheese:

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=156798919579

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tff9ihACTao
Posted by Espen  on  Fri Jul 02, 2010  at  02:41 PM
No evidence of it ever happening. Only un-wise tails, no pun intended. People with great imagenations. I have handeled and studied snakes from all around the world. No snake can do what you think you saw.
TO BELIEVE THAT, you need evidence, scientific proof...there is none. The physical bone structure of a snake, (any snake) makes it impossible. There is no missing link people, only missing link is that of the human brain and reality. Tell the story enought times and one starts to believe its true.
O, By the way...snakes don't sting!
Posted by gene Stevens  on  Fri Jul 02, 2010  at  02:50 PM
No evidence of it ever happening. Only UN-wise tails, no pun intended. People with great imaginations. I have handled and studied snakes from all around the world. No snake can do what you think you saw.
TO BELIEVE THAT, you need evidence, scientific proof...there is none. The physical bone structure of a snake, (any snake) makes it impossible. There is no missing link people, only missing link is that of the human brain and reality. Tell the story enough times and one starts to believe its true.
O, By the way...snakes don't sting!

I'm not a person who lies, but you are a very sad person to think you know it all.
Posted by Don Bennett  on  Fri Jul 02, 2010  at  05:37 PM
Did not say you lied. just that maybe your fear of the unknown caused you to see something that was not real. I DO KNOW SNAKES, THEY DON'T TURN THEMSELVES INTO HOOPS ROLL DOWN HILLS CHASING AFTER PEOPLE, SNAKES DON'T STING...THEY BITE.
I do not nor have I made claim to knowing everything...BUT I DO KNOW SNAKES! In that I am almost an expert. If you know anything more about them (other than Hoop snakes) please enlighten me. I've got a minute.
Posted by gene Stevens  on  Fri Jul 02, 2010  at  06:32 PM
I am so sorry to find so many stupid people in one place. THERE ARE NO HOOP SNAKES. I don't care about your story of what you saw with your own eyes. Get off the drugs. Stop with the BS. Call Dr. Phil...anything...just get help.
Hell, heres a noval idea, Google Hoop Snake.

Dumb Shits
Posted by Gene Stevens  on  Fri Jul 23, 2010  at  09:24 PM
There are in fact hoop snakes. I have seen several, growing up in the foothills of the Canadian Rockies, but the snakes are very rare.

Researchers at the University of Calgary in Alberta Canada have have a secret research program at the Canadian Rockies and Foothills Biogeoscience Institute at the Barrier Lake experimental station in the Kananaskis valley. (The G7 meetings were held in the valley several years ago, with world leaders in attendance, including George W. Bush. Hoop snakes were clandestinely used for back up security by the CIA during that conference.

This program must be kept secret, as the venom is so terribly poisonous and there is no known antidote. If it was to fall into the hands of terrorists, like Al Qeda or one of the weird militias or other such losers, it could be catastrophic for the planet. The institute staff are sworn to secrecy and will deny all knowledge of these rare snakes and this program.

Interestingly, this has nothing to do with the super poison venom. Alberta, a major energy producing area, funds energy research, and this is one of the projects. They want to unlock the secrets of how the hoop snake propels itself.
It appears there is a micro bio radiation nuclear reaction at the cellular level within the spine of the hoop snake. This splits atoms and changes mass to energy as predicted by Einstein
Posted by Clovis Righthand  on  Sat Dec 25, 2010  at  10:55 AM
@ Research janitor. Man! You have way to much time on your hands! If these people ever find out you posted this information, your life is over as you now know it. You are taking a big chance. wikileak will look like child play.
Posted by Gene Stevens  on  Sat Dec 25, 2010  at  11:20 AM
I dont care, I will be satisfied that the truth is out there. This is real. See the links below to the university and this research center
And the G7 that was held in 1992 there.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/28th_G8_summit
http://www.ucalgary.ca/
http://bgs.ucalgary.ca

Just look for yourself. Idyllic spot. No one suspects what they are doing there.

I repeat this is real. HOOPSNAKES ARE REAL, and may hold the secrets of the salvation of the planet.
Posted by ClovisRighthand  on  Sat Dec 25, 2010  at  12:30 PM
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