LOL, yeah, no matter what kind of snake it is, if you're really close before you notice they'll make you jump right out of your skin.
The first copperhead I ever caught was trying to sneak up on me while I was sitting on the rock bank on the lake. I looked over, and he was about 4 feet away coming my way. I jumped pretty high, but I was already goin for a stick when my feet came down. I didn't have anything to put him in, so I scavenged a gallon jug from the lake bank (damn litterers, i always try to take out more than i brought in). So I attempt to stuff the copperhead in the jug head first. He didn't like that plan, and as soon as his tail was going in the jug, his head was coming back out. So I had to catch him again, and have another go at it. Got it right the second time, but the whole while my fishin buddy was 20 yards away yellin "ddh, you dumbass, you're gonna get bit, and you're gonna die, you're flippin crazy you idiot, you got a death wish, and it's gonna be granted." He doesn't care much for snakes, much less poisonous ones sharing our fishing bank.
In retrospect, I'd let the snake go next time before trying to use a gallon jug to hold it in again...too much danger in the process.
Was fishing there another time with a different buddy when a copperhead tried to sneak up on Dave. The snake got within a foot or two before he noticed it, but when he did, he was gone like a slug from a muzzleloader, smoke cloud and all. I seriously doubt I'll ever see anyone move that fast again on multi-level shelf rock. Or leave smoke behind from sneakers on stone.