[header] How to keep snakes away [title] Keep your yard free of clutter. [step] Snakes are ambush predators, meaning they like to attack their prey from dark hiding places. As such, clutter is essentially an open invitation to snakes, giving them perfect hiding spots. 
Piles of leaves, compost piles, straw mulch, wood chip mulch, stacks of firewood, and piles of cut grass are all comfortable places that snakes like to hide in, so these should be removed from your yard. [substeps] Instead of wood mulch, consider crushed stone.