My best advice is to leave all snakes alone. Snakes are protected under TN law. I know this because i'm in the pest control industry and the ag dept tells us this every time someone asks. Treat all snakes as if they're venomous and give them room.
That said, should you be bitten, a telltale sign of venomous snakes is a triangular head. Water moccasins, copperheads, and rattlers all share this trait. Another trait of all three is vertical, cat-like pupils...but if you just got bit and try to get close enough to see a snakes pupils, you deserve to get bit again. Don't try to play "hero" and kill a snake if you think it might be dangerous, this is a good way to put yourself in danger...and it's illegal, anyways. Give 'em space and you have no reason to worry if a snake is venomous since you're out of harm's way.
Chris
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