I photographed this Copperhead Snake on June 2018 while it was crossing the asphalt section of the tour road at the Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge in Oklahoma.

Copperhead Snake Crossing Road
A Copperhead crossing an asphalt road at the Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge in Oklahoma.

How I Got The Shot – Copperhead

I was driving the tour road at the Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge when I spotted this snake in the middle of the road. I was able to stop my pickup and exit with my camera and get a few photos before it went into the brush.

I was hand holding a Canon EOS 7D Mark II camera with a Canon EF 100 – 400 mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II lens. I was shooting in aperture priority mode (AV) with a shutter speed of 1/160 of a second at f8 and the ISO at 1000. White Balance on auto. I was using single point, continuous auto focus with evaluative metering.

Copperhead Facts

  • It favors deciduous forest and mixed woodlands.
  • During the winter, it hibernates in dens or limestone crevices, often together with timber rattlesnakes and Ratsnakes.
  • Like all pit vipers, it’s generally an ambush predator; it takes up a promising position and waits for suitable prey to arrive.
  • When hunting insects, Copperheads actively pursue their prey. (Wikipedia)