Surrounded by woods, we usually seem some Copperhead snakes every spring and summer. I hate snakes. And when I see ’em, I kill ’em, lest they bite one of our dogs. Not that hard to chop off a head if you happen to have shovel or hoe handy (you never do). By the time you drag the dog inside and find an implement, the snake has escaped.

A couple of years ago I bought a “snake grabber” and keep it next to our deck since that’s where they tend to hang out. You can grab the bastards and lock the grabber while you find something to send them to snake heaven.

It’s an unpleasant experience and a while back I purchased a .22 revolver and loaded it with snake rounds. Instead of a single lead slug, it’s like a tiny shotgun shell filled with little pellets. Can’t miss, right? Well, yeah, you can. Once a year I take the pistol out and fire a round, just to keep in practice.

This was less than three feet away and I managed to miss the snake’s head. So our first line of defense will probably be the grabber and a shovel.

UPDATE June 5, 2021: Riley spotted a Copperhead early last evening. About 2 feet long. Used the snake grabber to hold the thing while I sent it to snake heaven with a shovel.