Be Prepared! The 5 Most Snake-Infested Lakes in Wisconsin

Swimming in lakes is an olden summertime custom — from Maine to California, “summers at the lake” explain a season of rest, relaxation, and enjoyable in the sun. In Wisconsin, a state with 2 shorelines on the Great Lakes of Michigan and Superior, time at the lake is a family-friendly activity lots of delight in. 

An undesirable visitor to the celebrations, snakes generally don’t factor into summertime lake strategies. However, lots of snakes reside in the water, so it’s human beings attacking their houses — not the other method around. In Wisconsin alone, there are 6 types of water snakes that you might see on your next journey to a popular lake in the Badger State.

Discover the most snake-infested lakes in Wisconsin, in addition to more details about water snakes and other animals you can discover near lakes in Wisconsin.

Key Points

Water snakes belong to the environment in Wisconsin, specifically the lakes in the state.

• Wisconsin is home to lots of snake types, 6 of which are water snakes that reside in or regular lakes.
• You’ll discover the most snakes at Devil’s Lake State Park and Lake Pepin.
• The most typical water snakes you’ll discover in Wisconsin lakes consist of the typical water snake and the typical garter snake. 

5 Most Snake-Infested Lakes in Wisconsin

Be prepared on your next journey to the lake  with details and an emergency treatment package in case you see a snake. If you’re heading to any of these lakes, the possibility of coming across among Wisconsin’s 6 water snakes is quite high.

Devil’s Lake State Park

Located around the Baraboo Range in Sauk County, Wisconsin, Devil’s Lake State Park ranks as the most popular state park with almost 3 million visitors a year. Besides the lake, the park’s destinations consist of hiking, outdoor camping, hunting, boating, and more. The lake itself uses 2 beaches, one on the north and one on the south side. 

Lake Pepin

Sitting on the border in between Minnesota and Wisconsin, Lake Pepin is a naturally-formed lake on the Mississippi River. At 22 miles long, it extends through numerous towns and uses a huge selection of water activities like boating, fishing, swimming, and more. Lake Pepin likewise has a regional legend about a serpent-like animal called “Pepie” comparable to the Loch Ness Monster. 

What snakes can you discover in Lake Pepin? Lake Pepin is home to a range of water snakes. Expect to see the typical garter snake, in addition to the typical water snake, when unwinding at Lake Pepin. In addition, the lumber rattlesnake, Dekay’s brownsnake, the ring-necked snake, and the Eastern milksnake make their houses around Lake Pepin.

Lake Michigan

Wisconsin surrounds the Great Lake, Lake Michigan — which is home to a large selection of water snakes. On the coasts of Lake Michigan in Wisconsin, nevertheless, you most likely won’t run into the most hazardous of the Lake Michigan snakes: the Eastern massasauga. With numerous miles of shoreline sticking out up versus Lake Michigan, the chances of seeing a snake while sunbathing, paddleboarding, playing beach volley ball, and hiking stays quite high.

What snakes can you discover in Lake Michigan? In the water and on the banks of Lake Michigan, Wisconsinites and travelers can anticipate to see a range of water snakes, consisting of the plains garter snake and the typical (or northern) water snake.

Lake Winnebago

Lake Winnebago ranks as the biggest lake completely in the state at almost 140,000 acres of land and water. Due to its place, the winter season tends to bring ice pushes into Lake Winnebago. During the summertime, travelers and residents can delight in splendid fishing on the lake.

What snakes can you discover in Lake Winnebago? Most frequently you’ll discover the typical garter snake and the eastern garter snake. These snakes tend to avoid human beings however can and will bite. While a bite is not hazardous to human beings or animals, it might trigger itching and burning at the bite website. Monitor the bite to make sure that it doesn’t get contaminated.

Castle Rock Lake

Though it’s a manufactured lake in Wisconsin, Castle Rock Lake is a regional preferred swimming location and home to numerous Wisconsin water snakes. Not just does the lake deal fishing for muskellunge, the main state fish of Wisconsin, its big body of water is ideal for boating and other water leisure activities. 

What snakes can you discover in Castle Rock Lake? The typical garter snake makes certain to make a look throughout your journey to Castle Rock Lake. You might see the typical water snake too.

Water Snakes Found in Wisconsin

Like most states in America, Wisconsin is home to a range of snakes. Of the 21 types of snakes discovered in Wisconsin, just 6 are water snakes. 

Common Water Snake (Nerodia sipedon)

The typical water snake is non poisonous, though lots of who see them wriggle error it for a poisonous cottonmouth snake. The markings in between the 2 snakes are comparable, with brown, gray, red, or brownish markings on its back. Most typical water snakes grow to be approximately 2 to 3 feet, though they’ve been understood to mature to 4 feet long.

Common water snakes spend the majority of their days indulging in the sun on a hot rock. At a neighboring disruption, nevertheless, the snake will instantly dive under the water and run away from risk. Common water snakes aren’t cowards, however — they will battle to protect themselves if cornered. Even without venom, their bites hurt.

Since the mid-1990s, preservation efforts have actually been in progress to save the then-endangered typical water snake. Now off the list, this water snake has a large family that covers throughout the northern parts of the United States and into Canada.

Eastern Ribbon Snake (Thamnophis saurita)

Much smaller sized than the typical water snake is the eastern ribbon snake, a subspecies just growing to 34 inches at its biggest. Most Eastern ribbon snakes make their houses on riverbanks and coastlines of lakes, ponds, and streams. Because they’re adjusted to both environments, Eastern ribbon snakes live both in and out of the water, looking for sanctuary in bushes or throughout the waves when they feel impending risk.

Unlike water snakes, Eastern ribbon snakes don’t dive under the water when scared. Their little size allows them to move upon the surface area of the water and slide along it. In the winter season, these snakes should discover shelter to hibernate; frequently utilizing other animals’ burrows like muskrat lodges and ant mounds to remain warm.

The Eastern ribbon snake does not tend to bite, even when dealt with by human beings. Instead, it excretes a nasty smell from its anal glands when it feels threatened. 

Plains Garter Snake (Thamnophis radix)

Plains garter snakes are slightly poisonous to human beings and animals, however their bites don’t frequently issue doctor if dealt with immediately. The Plains garter snake is belonging to the majority of the main United States and has an unique orange or yellow stripe down its back versus an otherwise dark background. On average, the Plains garter snake grows to around 3 feet in length. 

Fans of water and hibernation, the Plains garter snake has among the most tolerant bodies to cold temperature levels — it even comes out of hibernation on warmer winter season days to indulge in the sun. 

Overall, these snakes make their houses near water. Swamps, marshes, streams, and ponds stay perfect environments for the Plains garter snake. Interestingly, some specialists think the Plains garter snake and the typical water snake might hybridize (or crossbred) due to the fact that they share their environments carefully. In Wisconsin, the preservation of the snake is of unique issue, though the types is internationally thought about to not be threatened.

Western Ribbon Snake (Thamnophis proximus)

Western ribbon snakes look for water whenever their environment might be, leading to a diet plan of mainly tadpoles, fish, lizards, frogs, and other amphibians. They’re a non poisonous snake based upon present research study and research study, however some specific reports have actually pointed out the Western ribbon snake’s saliva having poisonous residential or commercial properties. Still, herpetologists keep that Western ribbon snakes are not hazardous to human beings.

Western ribbon snakes grow a bit longer than their Eastern equivalents at approximately 20 to 30 inches long. These marine snakes tend to make their environments near water through ponds, lakes, springs, marshes, and rivers. Quick and little, Western ribbon snakes pick to require to the water instead of land when scared. Like their Eastern cousins, the Western ribbon snake slides upon the surface area of the water to obtain from one location to another. As diurnal snakes, they will actively hunt and bask throughout the day. 

Queen Snake (Regina septemvittata)

Non poisonous and semiaquatic, queen snakes have a comparable look to a garter snake and a critical diet plan of crayfish. 

Unlike other water snakes in Wisconsin, queen snakes pick really particular environments on their own and their brood. You will never ever discover a queen snake beyond an environment without tidy running water or watersheds with a rocky bottom. The uniqueness in this environment originates from the queen snake’s diet plan of crayfish: they just nest and live near where they can hunt. Furthermore, queen snakes utilize their tongues to taste where the newly-mottled crayfish hatch, which is why tidy water stays so essential to their way of life.

As docile snakes, it’s not likely for a queen snake to bite when it feels threatened. Rather, it will excrete an anal musk comparable to the garter snake to fend off predators. During the day, queen snakes both hunt and indulge in the sun on branches or roots near their water source. When scared, they’ll drop themselves into the water listed below.

Common Garter Snake (Thamnophis sirtalis)

Did you understand typical garter snakes have a vast array of colorings — from red, to yellow, to brown, to blue and black? Common garter snakes have a unique response to predatory dangers also; when very first confronted with a predator, the garter snake will strongly strike; however when it’s touched, the snake ends up being passive. 

Common garter snakes are poisonous, however the venom doesn’t generally adversely impact human beings beyond moderate burning or itching. Like a few of its cousins, it produces a foul-smelling liquid to safeguard itself and fend off predators when it feels threatened. If human beings mishandle or hurt the snake, they might experience that smell.

The typical garter snake’s diet plan consists generally of amphibians, which brings its environment near water sources like lakes, ponds, coastlines, and wetlands. Their little bodies allow them to capture fast-moving victim like fish and tadpoles with ease. 

Some garter snake subspecies deal with termination, or crucial endangerment. One such types, the San Francisco garter snake, has actually been a threatened subspecies given that 1967.

Summary of the Most Snake-Infested Lakes in Wisconsin

Other Animals Found Near Lakes in Wisconsin

Water snakes aren’t the only semiaquatic animals you’ll discover in Wisconsin! Wisconsin lakes have a variety of reptiles, birds, and mammals surviving on their coasts or in their depths.

Reptiles and Amphibians

Besides snakes, other reptiles delight in the harmony of deep lakes or bright coastlines. A range of turtles reside on the banks of Wisconsin lakes, consisting of Blanding’s turtle.

You’ll discover lots of frogs, salamanders, and toads in Wisconsin lakes too. While most travelers and regional will let these amphibians be, if you’re hunting for a frog, toad, or salamander in the water, bear in mind that these animals are water snake victim, too.

Birds

Dozens of birds make their houses on the waves of Wisconsin lakes, consisting of:

• The Common Loon. What seems like a ghost is really among Wisconsin’s most intriguing birds that pick Wisconsin’s northern lakes in the summertime to raise their young in.
• The Osprey. Known as the “fish hawk,” an osprey will hover over open water to discover its victim under the waves and dive, capturing it in razor-sharp talons.
• The Wood Duck. Respected and concerned, wood ducks keep an important area in the environment for their look, historic significance, and ecological effect.

These birds cover just a few of the lots of winged animals that fly in and out of Wisconsin lakes’ environments. 

Mammals

Among the citizens of lakes in Wisconsin are muskrats, otters, beavers, and mink. While they don’t frequently reveal their faces at populated lakes like Devil’s Lake State Park around human beings, proof of their environments can be seen in bank dens or huts on the coastline far from the bustle of beach chairs, let loose animals, and sprinkling kids. 

Bats are likewise understood to regular lakes, though they don’t swim or hunt in the water. Instead, these flying mammals choose the bugs surviving on and around the lake, like water fleas and dragonflies. 

Water Snakes in Wisconsin Lakes

For one of the most part, you can enjoy your lake day (or week) without much trouble from snakes. Most of the water snakes and other animals that live around lakes in Wisconsin watch out for individuals and feel there’s excessive turmoil to be intrusive.

If you do run into a snake in the lake, remain calm, don’t attempt to capture or eliminate it, and attempt to recognize its markings. Unless cornered or threatened, a snake most likely won’t chase you through the waves. Instead, it will wish to turn tail and run the other method. 

Up for more snake education? Learn more about snake practices, lakes in neighboring state lakes, and more.

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