I have lived and hunted in Northern Virginia, South and Eastern Texas, Colorado, Alabama, Florida and the only place I have seen and been able to handle copperheads is in Virginia.

Copperheads are definetly more abundant in The Carolinas than down in Texas or Louisiana where the cottonmouth is very abundant.

Yes copperheads and cottonmouths have the same type of venom (hemotoxin). However the copperheads venom is not as toxic as a cottonmouths and do much less damage to a humans body. If bitten one still needs to get medical attention though.