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Copperhead relocation

Q

questionreality

New member
I walked outside tonight and was going to walk down the road and about 5 steps in front of me I found a beautiful copperhead. I tried to use a long paint roller and an empty cat litter bucket to catch it for relocation but it bolted into the weeds. I have 2 children a 9 year old and a 3 year old. I really do not want the snake within a few feet of my front door and and front yard where my children play. Our land is set on about 4 acres of wood so he can be moved to anohter area of the property. I want to relocate him does anyone have any suggestions on how to make a trap or a way to catch this guy for relocation?
 
Funny thing is I followed this thread half way through but not the last 4 pages lol. I am going to try to put a mouse in a trash can and lure him in and then close it up. I will have to sit outside for who knows how long to just watch but sigh I really only want to kill the dear if I can find no other option.
 
I don't feel like reading that thread, but when I had to get a rattlesnake out from under the washing machine (which was located outside, but in a breezeway where I and my dogs had to walk through several times a day), I used a loop stick. I don't know what they're actually called, but it was safe and easy.

Take a length of PVC pipe, 4-5 feet, maybe 1 inch or 3/4" in diameter, and loop a long piece of rope through it so that there's a loop sticking out the far end, and the loose ends run through the pipe out the other end (to your hand). Then, you can push the rope out through the PVC pipe to make a nice, big, loose loop. With a big, loose loop, it is not difficult to work the loop over the snake's head, because if you work it right you don't have to touch the snake with anything but just lay the rope over it, and then once you've got it all in position, take up all the slack and you've lassoed your snake. Position the rope as near the head as you can, because then your snake won't be able to move out of your loop. Pick the snake up, maintaining tension on the rope, and quickly put it in the bottom of a receptacle you can close (trash can, cooler, etc. and of course you already have this prepared and right where you are working) release the tension on the rope, remove your loop stick. At this point you can even shut the lid of the receptacle on your stick before letting the snake go, drop your loose ends, and pull the stick out without the rope, then pull the rope out the almost-closed receptacle using only one end, so that it slides out from under the snake as you pull it if the snake is on top of it.

It shouldn't hurt the snake, especially if you make sure the business end of the PVC is nice and smooth. For me, hooks work nicely for positioning a snake or getting it to move, but not too well for actually lifting and moving snakes.
 
Thanks Fred. It worked a lot better for me than when I pinned a rattlesnake with a yard rake. I was just so worried about being heavy-handed with the rake. And then of course once you've pinned it, you still have to pick it up--not ideal. The loop stick is nice and light and you have a good sense of how tightly (or not) you're squeezing the snake with it. Of course I wouldn't walk around holding a snake by its neck very far. But if you need to move the snake in horizontal space (like to get it out from under something before you can get it into a container), you can just drag it along the ground so that most of its weight is still supported by the ground. I'm sure snake tongs work great, too, but I don't have a set, and I don't have the stuff around my house to make one when if I happen to suddenly need one.
 
Thanks so much for that idea!!!!! I have racked my brain trying to think of things. I also am wondering how the best way to lure him out would be now or if I should just wait and watch for him.
 
The odds of ever seeing that copperhead are very slim to never. It would be more beneficial to educate the family on what to look for and areas to stay away from.

Within the next month the snake will be retreating to its den for the winter and not a concern till next year. This fall you can put out pieces of artificial cover on your property (old carpet, plywood, metal roofing, etc.) and then next year check them often to see what snakes are on your property.
 
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