NEVER PICK UP A SNAKE

Tragedy after hiker was bitten by most venomous snake in Tennessee

 

By Germania Rodriguez Poleo 

 

Daily Mail

Aug 14, 2025

 

 

A hiker died after he was bitten by a venomous rattlesnake at Savage Gulf State Park in Tennessee on Friday 

 

A hiker was killed by an venomous snake bite in a Tennessee state park last week, officials said.

The male victim, who has not been identified, was discovered at Savage Gulf State Park, about 95 miles from Nashville. 

He was reportedly found a half-mile down a hiking trail on Friday. 

Officials said the hiker had picked up the snake, which was identified as a Timber rattlesnake.

'It is believed that the hiker had an allergic reaction, however full details of [the] actual cause of death have not been released,' Matthew Griffith of the Grundy County Emergency Management Agency told Fox News Digital. 

Paramedics performed CPR at the scene before transporting the hiker to the hospital, where he was later declared dead. 

 

A witness told officials that the hiker picked up the snake before the animal bit him in the hand

 

According to the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency, the Timber rattle snake is 'a large, heavy-bodied snake (36.0 to 60.0 inches long) with a large, triangular head, vertical pupils, and the characteristic rattle at the end of the tail.'

They are the largest and most dangerous of the four venomous snake species found in Tennessee.  

The snake kills its prey 'by a venomous bite, in which the venom is injected by fangs located in the snake's mouth.'

In most cases, their bites s are not fatal - less than 1 in 600 bites result in death, according to the US Forest Service.

In the US, about 7,000 to 8,000 people are bitten by venomous snakes every year, per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 

However, only about five of them die annually.

Griffith with the Grundy County Emergency Management Agency sent prayers to the family and asked people to be vigilant about snakes.

 

The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency said the "Timber Rattlesnake is the largest, and the most dangerous, of the 4 venomous snakes in Tennessee."

A coiled Timber rattlesnake. Timber rattlers, or timber rattlesnakes, are considered one of the most dangerous species of snake in the country due to their deadly venom, long fangs and large size

 

'As always it's strongly recommended to have some kind of first aid supplies while enjoying outdoor recreational activities and be mindful of wildlife and the dangers that some wildlife may pose,' he said.

'If you encounter a snake, simply remain calm and do not attempt to handle it. If bitten, seek immediate medical attention.'

Timber rattlers, or timber rattlesnakes, are one of approximately 30 venomous species in the US, and can be found from Texas to New England.

In May, an Arizona toddler was bitten by a a diamondback rattlesnake and had to be injected with 30 vials of antivenom.

One-year-old Cara and her mother were walking around their property near Florence when the mom went to throw away a piece of trash.

When she returned, she noticed the young girl 'had four puncture wounds on the top of her foot, in the little window of her little jelly shoe, and behind her, to her left was a snake coiled up.'