I smelled one Thursday when I was pulling weeds in the flower bed. Never did see him, but the Hosta is grown up where he could have easily been under one. I stopped and called it a day when I caught "that" smell. A rattler has a distinct smell also, but flower beds are prime territory for a copperhead.

Rattlers smell, just not as bad as a copperhead.

Sooo...what exactly is the copperhead smell? There's a ton of snakes behind the house and I'd rather not run into the wrong kind if I can avoid it. Someone told me it was like cucumbers.

Copperheads have a very musky damp stink to them.

I will say that you have to be somewhat in tune with what the environment normally smells like. If you get near a den its a whole lot of stink.

Flip

I just know it enough that when I smell it, I'm out of the area. Did I mention that I hate copperheads?

I have been around and killed a ton of copperheads. Been bitten once. Can't stand them. I am glad there are none here.

Never been bitten, usually don't give them the chance. If I see them first, I either give them a wide berth or else kill 'em. If I don't see them first, I'm in trouble, but usually wear high boots when I'm out in the woods. What scares me is that I wear sandals a lot and may get on one coming into the house at night.

My dog got bitten my one once upon a time, a little terrier, his head swelled up like a football. He laid around for a couple days and then he was fine.

Mine wasn't a bad bite. But I was sick for a few days. I was crossing a creek on a downed tree and stepped into a den. Got nicked on the calf.

I would have had two movements. Bowel movements and leg movements! I shudder just thinking about it.