Survival Animal Attacks

Bull Snake Bandit

By Outdoor Life Team

Updated on Apr 20, 2021 4:33 AM EDT

1 minute read

httpswww.outdoorlife.comsitesoutdoorlife.comfilesimport2014importImage2010photo10013215791_Bull_Gopher_Snake_-_Loma_Bridge_-_7-11-20101.jpg
I pulled over at the Loma bridge fishing access site just outside of the UMBNM north of Fort Benton MT on Sunday afternoon around 4:30PM to photograph the cliff swallows tending thier nests.
httpswww.outdoorlife.comsitesoutdoorlife.comfilesimport2014importImage2010photo10013215792_Bull_Gopher_Snake_-_Loma_Bridge_-_7-11-20102.jpg
What I found was an enormous Bull Snake fishing for cliff swallows from 30 feet above the racing Missouri River.
httpswww.outdoorlife.comsitesoutdoorlife.comfilesimport2014importImage2010photo10013215793_Bull_Gopher_Snake_-_Loma_Bridge_-_7-11-20103.jpg
httpswww.outdoorlife.comsitesoutdoorlife.comfilesimport2014importImage2010photo10013215794_Bull_Gopher_Snake_-_Loma_Bridge_-_7-11-20104.jpg
I observed it for more than two hours slink in and out of about five nests consuming the chicks.
httpswww.outdoorlife.comsitesoutdoorlife.comfilesimport2013images2010085_Bull_Gopher_Snake_-_Loma_Bridge_-_7-11-20105_0.jpg
Bulge after bulge running down it's body.
httpswww.outdoorlife.comsitesoutdoorlife.comfilesimport2013images2010086_Bull_Gopher_Snake_-_Loma_Bridge_-_7-11-20106_0.jpg
httpswww.outdoorlife.comsitesoutdoorlife.comfilesimport2013images2010087_Bull_Gopher_Snake_-_Loma_Bridge_-_7-11-20107_0.jpg
You have to admire his daringness.
httpswww.outdoorlife.comsitesoutdoorlife.comfilesimport2014importImage2010photo10013215798_Bull_Gopher_Snake_-_Loma_Bridge_-_7-11-20108.jpg
httpswww.outdoorlife.comsitesoutdoorlife.comfilesimport2014importImage2010photo10013215799_Bull_Gopher_Snake_-_Loma_Bridge_-_7-11-20109.jpg
Then snap, he grabed one of the adult swallows who had dared to swoop by to pester his dining.
httpswww.outdoorlife.comsitesoutdoorlife.comfilesimport2013images20100810_Bull_Gopher_Snake_-_Loma_Bridge_-_7-11-201010_0.jpg
httpswww.outdoorlife.comsitesoutdoorlife.comfilesimport2013images20100811_Bull_Gopher_Snake_-_Loma_Bridge_-_7-11-201011_0.jpg
httpswww.outdoorlife.comsitesoutdoorlife.comfilesimport2013images20100812_Bull_Gopher_Snake_-_Loma_Bridge_-_7-11-201012_0.jpg
When it had had its fill it kicked itself free and dropped into the rushing river.
httpswww.outdoorlife.comsitesoutdoorlife.comfilesimport2013images20100813_Bull_Gopher_Snake_-_Loma_Bridge_-_7-11-201013_0.jpg
httpswww.outdoorlife.comsitesoutdoorlife.comfilesimport2013images20100814_Bull_Gopher_Snake_-_Loma_Bridge_-_7-11-201014_0.jpg
httpswww.outdoorlife.comsitesoutdoorlife.comfilesimport2014importImage2010photo100132157915_Bull_Gopher_Snake_-_Loma_Bridge_-_7-11-201015.jpg
It was a truley incredible behavior to observe and a magnificent specimen.