Lost arra, I've skinned over 100 bows, and have never killed a snake myself to do it. I've had about twenty in many huge tanks I've built ovewr the years. I choose not to kill them, but to me every life is of equal worth. If I see a skin for sale, I'll buy it if its legal. The snake is dead either way, I will never let one go to waste, thats for sure.
My philosophy on animal lives being taken is, the animal does not want to die. Be it a deer, cow, spider or snake. Only we humans try to make ourselves feel better about the death by coming up with reasons its okay. We use all of the animal, it looked wounded, there are too many, etc. All reasons for us as human beings to justify killing something.
But if you think about it, I'm pretty sure the critter being killed does not give a damn if you eat it, just use the skin, or both. Its dead and did not want to be.
You choose to kill copperheads near your home. Some guys would never do such a thing. What is okay to you is not necessarily okay to the next guy and vice versa.
We all have to decide for ourselves, but respect anothers legal decision also if it differs from ours.
I love snakes, always have. Most of mine are snakes that have died at pet stores, breeders, roadkill, etc. But I do not knock someone who legally kills a snake to skin a bow, to me its no different than killing a cow for meat.