If I had those copperheads around here which we do not, I would have the snake charmer with me any time I was out in the woods. Black Widows do not bother me. They smash easy.
I had an intimate conversation with a Diamond Back many many years ago- I do not wish to repeat that with DB or any of it's relatives. Eight legs and scorpions get the same can of whoop-azz. Problem with little creepy things seems to be the smaller they are the meaner they get except for a few thing in AUC land, everything there is just plain mean.
Here's an interesting tid-bit. BlackSnakes (and Black Racers) will actually eat a Timber Rattler. However, during hibernation, all three species will share the same den. Rattlers, Black Snakes and CopperHeads. Go figure. We have lots of these near our camp in Sproul State forest ,PA. Gotta watch your step.
I love snakes and my kids are always grabbing garters, brown snakes, smooth greens, etc. and bringing them to me during the summer. We have population of timber rattlesnakes in NH, but about 1.5 h from me - used to be a lot more of them but lots of them killed and populations crashed. Seen many on trips to PA - can be real thick. Cheers!
We too have rattlers on the Mississippi river limestone bluffs just a few miles from me. So far I've never seen one on or around my property but we have our share of copperheads and water mocassins (usually down by the creek or around small ponds and sometimes called cotton mouth), and thankfully tons of black and king snakes. Plenty of bull snakes and the normal other harmless little guys...but I still HATE snakes !!!!! Now, we are not just walking around in writhing masses of nasty-ashed snakes like it may sound, but seldom does a season go by that at least 1 or more of them are not spotted. I hate snakes, so I balance out the other half of your equation.....
If Adam would not have listened to Eve, today's snakes would still be walking around upright. (easier to see). So I blame this all on woman. Oh no, I did it now.
When I head out into the woods for firewood, fishing, hunting, or just even exploring, I do not have to worry about snakes at all. As far as I know, there are no poisonous species around these parts and that's fine with me! The things I don't want to meet up with are quite a bit larger....
Back when Pop bought his place the fields had been fallow for a couple of years, and one could stand and watch racers running across them. Those things flat move. The biggest black snake I ever saw was just a little shy of 5 feet long. He was crossing the highway after having his tail wounded by a farmer's disc, and I made my buddy stop so I could grab him. He, of course, was in no mood for it and promptly bit me. I nursed his wound for the next few days and let the kids take him to school. He was quite the sensation. I turned him loose behind Pop's barn and he took up residence under an old planter, from which he would stick his head out and occasionally threaten me as I mowed. He was a big, mean guy.
