Concerned the snake might be venomous and a danger to his family, the resident of Woodstock in Ulster County called the state Department of Environmental Conservation, the ECO reported.
ECO Officer Jason Smith met the man at his home and found the snake in a small rock pile next to the back door. He identified the snake as a northern copperhead, one of New York State's three venomous species, the department said.
After coaxing the snake into a bucket, Smith released the snake in nearby state lands with more a suitable habitat.
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