’I feel like the good Lord spared me’: Philadelphia hunter bitten on the head by copperhead

PHILADELPHIA, Miss. (WTOK) - He’s been called the unluckiest hunter alive, but if you ask Tyler Hardy, he’s feeling pretty lucky.

A little over a week ago, on January 15th, Hardy had just finished deer hunting with a friend. Hardy and his friend were attempting to cross a flooded ditch just feet from his truck when he was bitten on the head by a copperhead snake.

“The snake the whole time had to have been sitting right here. He came across and I had the dog with me and I said come around I’ll hand the leash, I can jump across right here. So he came. I leaned just like this to hand the leash off. Whenever I came back up I guess my head hit the branch or I don’t know what but the snake struck me right on top of the head,” said Hardy as he explained what happened.

Hardy said his head was almost immediately burning and throbbing.

His friend, Michael Kilpatrick, rushed him to Neshoba General where he was ultimately airlifted to UMC in Jackson. Hardy was treated and released in 24 hours.

He said he’s feeling pretty great, considering how much worse it could have been.

“I feel like I’m the most blessed hunter alive. I feel like the good Lord spared me. I must have some unfinished business here left to do. The most amazing thing, like I said, is I’ve been struck by a water snake just on my boot before but I don't know if it was dark or what, but with the impact on my head, I hollered out something got me,” said Hardy.

Hardy and Kilpatrick have some advice for anyone who might ever be in a similar situation.

“Immediately we assessed the situation. Found out what kind of snake it was. Called ahead to the emergency room to let them know what it was and safely made it to the emergency room,” said Hardy.

“The worst thing to do is to overreact. You’ve got to keep your heart rate normal,” said Kilpatrick.

In case you’re wondering, the incident has not kept Hardy out of the woods. He said he was back at it just days later.