Thanks for the suggestions. We bought the properties in June of 2004. The pond enlargement work continued on through early November. Unfortunately, we didn't beging feeding pellets until after mid-April this year when we stocked the enlarged ponds with bass and catfish fingerlings. There was already a resident population of bass, crappie, bluegill, bullheads and cats in the much smaller original ponds. In addition, there were turtles galore already present so whatever has attracted them apparently still exists.
The snakes that we are seeing are limited to a 7-1/2 acre wetlands we created on a 55 acre property 5 miles north of our homestead. While I personally haven't seen an venomous species there yet, the former owner said he frequently killed copperheads around a corral where he kept a few horses.
Cooperheads are the least aggressive of the venomous snakes in TX and have the least toxic venom. However, I am not impressed by their diminished degree of toxin ... bang - bang is my solution.
