Backyard Landmines
I love snakes. I love venomous snakes. But… something is unnerving about finding them when you’re not looking for them. Two years ago, while mowing some spots in my backyard, I caught movement out of the corner of my eye. A HUGE adult southern copperhead slinked out of my periphery and disappeared into my wood pile. I killed the lawn mower and grabbed a small—too small—stick. Just as I went to chase after the copperhead, the very last second, I instinctively looked down.
Two inches from where my right foot landed was a perfectly camouflaged smaller, probable female copperhead snake. This smaller female was likely the mate of the behemoth I had just seen. I jumped back, corralled my dogs inside, and threw on a pair of boots. I grabbed my trusty snake hook, a potato rake, and a five-gallon twist-top bucket. I made my way back to the site of the attempted snake copulation and began to tear into my wood pile.
Once I got to the bottom of the pile, I saw the fold of a rust-colored coil. Just as quickly as I saw it, it disappeared again. Hyper-vigilance and adrenaline were coursing through my veins. Each time I stepped, and the air blew up my leg from my snake boots, I would get goosebumps. I was on high alert. Every crooked stick in my yard became a snake in waiting. I kept repeating the internal mantra, “If you build it, they will come.” The only reason I even have woodpiles in my yard is for this exact reason. Although nonvenomous snakes would have been more my intent, I digress. Creating a habitat for the sole purpose of attracting wildlife…attracts wildlife.
A curious male five-line skink joined the melee as I continued to churn up wood chips and detritus-dwelling insects for him. With my nerves frayed during the hunt, every crunch and rustling leaf from the skink made me hyper-focus on my surroundings. Finally, I found the smaller copperhead. I scooped it onto my trusty snake hook and pulled it away from the wood pile. I put the snake into the waiting bucket. Spinning the bucket’s lid tight and placing it securely in the shade, I continued my hunt for the larger of the two serpents.
I kept tearing my way to the dirt beneath the crumbling woodpile. Frantically, I wondered if the snake had slithered away. Almost as if by magic, it appeared. It was like the snake materialized in front of me. I clumsily scooped a coil first with the potato rake and then tried to coax it out with the snake hook. We did this back-and-forth capture/evasion dance for five minutes. The logs were unstable and strewn every which way. This was not the best scenario to wrestle with a venomous snake. Finally, I got the snake out of the woodpile and over to the bucket. This “who’s on first” act went on comically for a few more minutes until I could open the lid. The first snake lay coiled in contentment at the bottom of the bucket, waiting to receive its lover.
As I sat on my front porch, letting my heart rate slow and wiping sweat from my brow, I wondered what to do now. I love these animals and have no problem with them living in my yard, but it was a reminder to keep the areas I plan to spend time in clear of debris. It reminded me that I should mow more frequently in my “dead zones” to eliminate strongholds for unwanted wildlife. People often ask me how to rid their property of snakes, and my answer is to do the opposite of what I do.
If you DON’T want wildlife on your property, mow your grass low, and don’t keep brush piles, debris, wood piles, and other places where snakes and other wildlife will take refuge. Mind your bird feeders since prey draws predators. In my case, I have slowly created areas in my yard over the years that receive little management. I have areas of my yard that I only mow a few times a year. I have multiple wood piles, stacks of brush, rocks, and other similar things in my yard to promote wildlife.
I’ve found over five species of snakes, a few lizards, box turtles, and multiple species of frogs in my backyard. It’s by design. That species list grows each year. It is also important to note that copperheads are one of MANY brown-patterned snakes. The vast majority of snakes you will encounter will be harmless. Repeating my prior mantra, if you build it, they will come, and they do—so be ready.
I took the venom-laden lovers a little over a mile down the road to an area devoid of people and pets. They can now go on benefiting the environment with less threat of unwanted interactions with unsympathetic neighbors. Life can be an adventure. Sometimes, you don’t have to leave your yard. These snakes aren’t villains. They didn’t want to hurt me. They only want to live. Thankfully for them, it was someone like me who found them.
Wow. Great article. I was super scared of snakes til Caidan and I went to a snakes alive show in Winston. I learned so much from that show. Now, although I don’t love snakes, I understand their purpose and am not freaked out when I spot them on our property. Thanks again for a great article!
I had a similar experience with a large Timber Rattler in my back yard. I love to watch them, but not in the woodpile.