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[Magpie]

There's no formula, you use what is needed for the situation. It's hard to bag a snake that is caught in netting without touching it. If someone is dumb enough to tail a snake that has it's mouth 2" from it's tail without using a hook, then we are better off without them in our geme pool anyway. Always use the least invasive means necessary is my opninion, which is why I don't understand how people can be anti-hook. What's the diference between using a hook and using a stick? Except you can be confident the hook won't break half way through.
I am yet do do a relocate where the snake is sitting in the middle of an open area but if it was, straight tail and bag would be the go.