I'm not a "snake lover" nor am I a "snake hater". People who kill every snake they see don't bother me and others who keep them for pets don't bother me either, to each his own. I guess I fall somewhere in between. The only snakes I come across on a fairly regular basis in my yard are small garter snakes. I know they are completely harmless and l leave them to go on their way every time. It's obvious they are much more afraid of me and want nothing more than to be left alone.
In Louisiana state-wide we have a little over fifty different species of snakes, but only about 6 are venomous and common enough to consider. The rattlesnakes (Pygmy, Canebrake and extremely rare Eastern Diamondback) prefer the hardwoods and dryer soil up in central and north Louisiana and are not found in my area. Same with the Coral family(Harlequin & Texas), they prefer drier upland areas and are extremely rare in my area.
I live in south-central Louisiana and only have to keep an eye out for a couple of venomous ones while hiking and fishing around the marshes, lakes and bayous in this area.
The first is the Cottonmouth, aka Water Moccasin. This is the most common venomous snake and can be found in virtually any body of water or damp, low-lying area around here(GREAT swimmers). They can be just as common in drainage ditches along 4 lane highways around town as they are deep in the woods. They prefer to be left alone and will go in the opposite direction of you if given the chance. Bite is very painful, but not generally life-threatening, especially if medical attention is received in a reasonable amount of time.
The other one is the Copperhead. This is a mean little sucker and the only snake that I will put down if given the chance...especially if I come across him in a state park, a hiking trail or some other area I know other people will frequent. He doesn't really like water, but can be found in the drier hills and prairies surrounding the wet low-lands. He won't run, but prefers to remain motionless and stand his ground...and if he's out of his environment he may even chase you a little. Bite is extremely painful and permanent tissue damage is to be expected. Rarely fatal to a healthy adult, but medical attention should be received ASAP.
I guess where I'm going with this is that I educated myself on identifying what's really dangerous around me and what is not for a reason. An example is a Cottonmouth and a common Water Snake(non-venomous) often look VERY similar and both are found in the same environment. In fact Water Snakes are EVERYWHERE in my local wetlands and if I couldn't identify them I wouldn't be able to take 10 steps in the woods without fear. And if I went out of my way to try and kill every snake I came across, I wouldn't have any time left for actual fishing or hiking.
I suppose if I lived in a part of the country where rattlesnakes were common, I would probably treat them the same as a Copperhead.
Some people have a genuine fear of all snakes, my wife included. She is truly scared of all of them and wants absolutely nothing to do with them ever, ever, ever...and that's fine. Myself, I just consider them another creature in nature. I started teaching my son about identifying snakes when he was quite young because it was necessary for when we went fishing and camping in our part of the country. I didn't tell him a blanket statement like "every snake is dangerous" or "kill every snake you see" because I don't believe those statement to be true or necessary. He knows NEVER to approach a snake, but at the same time he doesn't run screaming every time one is nearby either. I’m a firm believer that a healthy respect for something is much more practical than just plain fear.
Anyway...here's a little garter we found in the yard. These little guys are the only ones I have ever handled in nature. Although if I ever came across a Scarlet Kingsnake or Milk Snake I would have to resist a strong urge to handle one of those for a minute or two...just make damn sure you know your banding sequence.
Some of it's so thick and rough ground, I can't even see very far. 
