Just have to watch for them. It'll rattle your nerves when you start smellin a cottonmouth whey your tromping through a brushpile or high grass or crossing a beaver dam--hate smellin them and not being able to see them. Cottonmouths seem to be the most agressive, but we have several types of rattlers and copperheads too. Grew up watching for them--remember my mother (generally a very meek and gentle person) breakin more than her share of hoe handles chopping a snake into peices.

I'm the odd one in our family--snakes are really interesting to me. My favorites are the king snake, hognose (known here as a "spreadin adder"), and grey rat snake. Like Russ said, a king snake is great to have on your place--they will eat any snake that is smaller than them, poisonous or not--along with mice and rats. The hognose will only eat toads, but they put on a great show if you walk up on one. They will rear up and spread out similar to a cobra, even hissing and striking. Funny thing is they make it a point to strike at the air--stick your hand down close and they will strike in the other direction (you'd think it was drunk or something). They will not purposly bite. If that doesn't work, it will put on a big show writhing and rolling like it's been poisoned, then go belly-up and hang it's tongue out. Those are protected in MS, so don't think about getting one as a pet. Grey rat snakes are common here (aka "chicken snakes") and are great to have in a barn or anywhere you store feed. They do a number on mice, rats, etc. and generally try to stay hidden. They will eat eggs and chicks too, though.

For the most part, leave them alone and they will leave you alone. Many snakes do a great job of keeping the rodent population under control. I worry more about biting and stinging bug types than snakes.

Chad