SHAWNEE, Kan. -- An Overland Park woman said she was bitten by venomous snake Wednesday morning at Shawnee Mission Park.

Connie Owsley said she went to the park to fish for trout.

""I heard a 'hiss' behind me, I looked and he came up and got me," Owsley told KMBC's Peggy Breit.

A male Ozark Copperhead snake bit Owsley's leg, and the bite penetrated her waders, her sweatpants and broke the skin.

It felt "kind of like a hot poker," Owsley said.

Rather than run away, Owsley went after the snake, grabbed its tail, put it on the ground and put her shoe down to control it. She carried the snake to her car, where she held it out the window and drove to the park ranger's office.

Park Ranger Billie Thompson was impressed.

"You rarely see Copperheads this size," he said.

He said it's also unusual that a snake's bite would penetrate thick shoes like Owsley's waders.

Thompson said it is now snake mating season, so they may be more active. He said usually walking with a heavy foot will scare them away.

Breit reported that it's not necessary to carry a Copperhead snake to a ranger or to a hospital -- they are prepared to treat snake bites.

Owsley was not seriously injured. She was given some pain medication, and she said she hopes to go fishing again later this week.