Cottonmouth/Copperheads

Question
QUESTION: I live in South Carolina and we have a woods behind us with water and also a large pond in front of our house (the road is between our house and the pond in front).  We have a problem with snakes travelling through our yard from the back to get to the large pond.  There are literally hundreds of snakes in this pond.  The landscapers who take care of our community, on occassion, have to kill some of these snakes because they are so large and they do not want to get bit while maintaining the lawns.  They just got one last week which was about 8 foot long and as round as a toddler.  Last year I had a rattle snake in my yard too and had to call the snake catcher to remove it for $100.  Is there anything we can do to get rid of these poisonous snakes before someone gets hurt?

ANSWER: Not really besides draining the pond which would cause more environmental harm than good.  In all fairness I believe you're exaggerating the problem a bit as that many snakes in one area would die off from lack of food.  Those snakes rarely bite if not bo thered and you have little to worry about.  If you'd like to keep them away from your yard use cedar mulch in your landscaping and sprinkle moth balls around where you don't want the snakes.  Also just making the yard less hospitable to snakes will help alot keep the lawn mowed and don't leave any debris.

I'm a little offended that you think I know so little about snakes that I'd believe you had a cottonmouth that by your estimates weighed around 50 pounds and it soemhow didn't make the news.  I've asked many people since about it and not one person believes you're being completely accurate.  So you go ahead and take those pictures.

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QUESTION: I'm sorry if you misunderstood my original question, but I didn't say the large snake was a cottonmouth.  We have various types of snakes in the area and I personally don't know one from another but there are some large snakes here.  I really don't care if you believe me or not.  I was just trying to get some expert advise.  Apparently I came to the wrong place.  You need an attitude adjustment.  There really is no reason for your crude remarks.

Answer
There was no "crude" remarks I answered you in the same manner you answered me. Also if there is that many snakes living in that area and all have a food source then your drainign the pond is causing great harm to the environment.  Those snakes are eating something.  Most likely mice and rats some fish I suppose but if you take them away you'll have an explosion of whatever they are feeding on and I'd rather have those snakes in my backyard than thousands of mice and rats.