Be careful, the copperheads are out big time

[LinvilleGorge]

I've seen several in the last couple of weeks. Had a close call this evening walking the dogs. My Rottie was at my side and my pittie was up ahead and about that time I see a stick laying across the driveway maybe 20 feet ahead. We get a little closer and that's no stick. That's a BIG copperhead laying across the driveway on the bridge. I grab my Rottie and now I have him in my right hand and the pittie is on the other side of the snake. She had to have stepped right over it. Neither dog had noticed the snake at this point and I'm trying to he chill and keep it that way. I switch my Rottie to my left hand and tell my little to sit and stay. Now I'm skipping past this copperhead between it and my Rottie and grab my pittie with my right hand. poo, this isn't gonna work. Now we gotta get past this copperhead again. It's about three feet long laying stretched out across the driveway on a 10' wide bridge. We have maybe four feet to play with so here I am with a 120# Rottie in one hand and an 80# pit bull in the other trying both trying to figure out how we're getting past this copperhead and trying to do it fast before they notice it and do something stupid. Finally decide on sending the Rottie who is my right hand scooting up the driveway ahead of us since I'm between him and the snake. We get up to the snake and I guide him ahead and tell him go,go,go, go and he happily goes trotting up the driveway giving me time to swap the pittie to my right hand so I'm between her and the snake and we scurry past. The copperhead never moved and never offered any sign of either aggression nor fear. It was just chilling.

[rayzor]

Copperheads are pretty chill for a poisonous snake. I've run into them many times. I've lifted logs only to find one there and they just left. The first few times I saw them they made me piss myself. then i got used to them. I'd actually rather run into one of them than a black racer. Nonpoisonous, but super aggressive. I've been chased by a few of them. One time I had one i was trying to avoid come up on my mower. 

 

But copperheads should be respected for sure but if you can keep your dogs under control and don't step on them they'll show no interest in you. 

Fwiw, the last time I encountered one I was hiking with the family. My daughters were up ahead of us by maybe 15 yards and I wasn't really paying attention and apparently they weren't either, but I saw a copperhead crossing the path right behind them. It was close enough that they could have stepped over it thinking it was a branch. That was a bit freaky, but also points the the fact that copperheads really just don't care. You have to work to get those things mad enough to bite you. 

 

[LinvilleGorge]

The only real concern I have with copperheads is stepping on one.  Those things are practically invisible laying in lead litter.

[Lame Duck]

They are horny and aggressive right now but chill for the most part.  Anytime someone walks on brown grass or around pine needles, need to watch where they’re stepping. 

[Aussie Tank]

I've had a Easter Brown and Taipan cross my path in the last week lucky its coldish here to slow them down 

[Davidson Deac II]

A friend of mine's daughter got bit by one at Hanging Rock State Park, while she was 6 months pregnant.  Had to spend several hours at the ER, but eventually they sent her home without getting anti venom.  Let swelled up, but that was about it.  

[Paa Langfart]

I watch every step of mine in the woods and wire grass in warm weather.  copperheads blend into the environment better than any snake I know of  especially in hardwood leaves and pine straw.  I never just randomly wantonly kill any critter or snake even the poisonous ones on my place but wrong placed copperheads close to the house  and canebreak rattlesnakes no longer get corner from me anymore.  Cottonmouths seem more subdued and are easier for me to spot and seem to light out before I have to take an action I wish I didn't.  The world has a place for even the poisonous kind.  Just watch your step and get rid of the trouble makers close to home.  FWIW the peak copperhead season round Se NC for me seems to me to be late spring when the younguns still have that green tip on their tails which makes them easier to spot.

Edited September 15, 2025 by Paa Langfart

[Paa Langfart]

[Paa Langfart]

[Paa Langfart]

The cottonmouth was least aggressive and close to home -less than 100 feet and she left the premises unmolested by me.  The canebreak was inside my backyard fence while swhmbo was hanging the wash and had to go with its rattling tail.   This copperhead one of my cats had cornered in the yard. There have unfortunately been many  others over the years but I never feel good killing wildlife.  There is damn litttle of it left and all of them serves a purpose.

Edited September 15, 2025 by Paa Langfart