What a bunch of sissies. We don't kill any of the snakes we find, we relocate them to uninhabited areas. If you've got snakes you've got snake food. I'd rather have a snake in my yard than rats and mice in my house. We consulted a herpetologist when we first moved to the area and got educated about the snakes we found.
http://www.copperheadsnake.net/bites.htmWe were advised that the anti-venom is more dangerous than the bite.
If I am going to garden in tall grass, leaves or anywhere a snake can hide I wear boots and gloves and make noise. Yes a snake bite from a copperhead can make you ill but you aren't going to die. I've only seen copperheads, rat snakes, and garden snakes on my property.
I've never seen a rattlesnake though I know they can be around, if I see a rattle snake it might die.
Oh and lots of skunks, O'Possum, and coyotes and many other interesting critters. Roadrunners by the dozen.
Bathing dogs in the middle of the night= fun.