i disagree completely and support such laws. there are exceptions for when and where the snake is a threat. i have never seen a copperhead strike that wasn't provoked and i have seen more than a few.
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Killing Native Snakes in Tennessee
- It is illegal to kill any species of snakes native to the state of Tennessee, venomous or non-venomous. The only rare exception is made for a homeowner who feels genuinely threatened by a snake. This exception particularly applies to a homeowner who finds a snake inside of their home. It is also legal to defend livestock that are being threatened by a snake. This means that it is always illegal to go out into the wild and kill a snake in its natural Tennessee habitat.
Read more: Laws About Killing Snakes in Tennessee | eHowhttp://www.ehow.com/info_8718418_laws-killing-snakes-tennessee.html#ixzz2UVpXyBLz
Dave, just because you may not have intentionally provoked a snake, doesn't mean that the snake didn't feel provoked.
Most wild animals usually try to avoid humans. I think of cottonmouths as nasty tempered and aggressive towards people, but I don't really know what I'm talking about. Regardless, I don't want nothin' to do with no cottonmouth. This link is interesting: (The author has a PhD from Auburn, so I guess he qualifies as an expert on this forum.)
Living Alongside Wildlife: Are Cottonmouths Aggressive?
When I encounter a critter without legs on my porch, in my shrubbery or lying atop my front door storm roll-down, I shoot, hoe and/or shovel-dice first and let the scavengers identify.
If a snake corners me in a forty acre field, it’s a dead snake, sorry, but it is survival of the scaredist!
I don’t see many around my place anymore, the word must’ve spread thru the no-legged community!
I've seen a cottonmouth slide off the bank on the other side of the creek and make a beeline for me with its mouth open. That's either aggression or a d@mned good imitation. They smell bad, too. As far as I'm concerned, the only thing good about a feral hog is that it will eat a cottonmouth.
I was wondering just how close you get to cottonmouths to know they smell bad!