The farm in Southern Virginia that I am fortunate enough to call home has an abundance of snakes; most of which, thankfully, are non-venomous.
Our most recent encounter had me relocating a cranky five foot long black snake out of the yard and into the nearest pasture, using a garden hoe. Not an ideal tool for the job, and the snake didn't like it much either.
After much lunging and snapping (on the part of the snake), I decided to invest in a proper kit for such encounters: a pair of snake tongs, a snake hook, and a snake bag.
Ordered today from amazon:
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My SO's approach to snakes, on the other hand, is more straightforward. She would have used that same hoe, or a shovel, to chop the snake, and relocate its body parts to the pasture.
But she indulges me, and we've come to an understanding that non-venomous snakes in the yard and garden are to be relocated (except for Clyde, our resident
Heterodon platyrhinos), by me, and the venomous ones are to be dispatched.
Seems reasonable.