For some reason the coperheads are thick as theives this year at my farm in Ga. I think they must have nested close to the house. I have killed 2 moccosins and the dogs have killed 4 copperheads in the last week and a half. All the copperheads were within 20 yards of the house.
We have 2 dogs that will kill them every chance they get. One has been bitten so many times whe has built up an immunity to them. One copperhead was almost 4ft and was laying with his head less than a foot from the door that we go in and out of.
I think our one dog can actually smell the snakes because she generally stays on the screened in porch but almost every time she has killed a snake near the house she would go ballistic until we let her out. Sure enough she would find a snake. Did this the other day with the one at the back door.