Three eastern brown snakes fight at Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve in Canberra

William Chancellor and friends were walking along the trail when they spotted the snakes.

"We got up further up the trail and we just saw these two snakes that were spinning around," he said.

"We weren't really sure what was happening, whether they were fighting or mating.

"As we watched, another one came out of the scrub towards the two snakes that were entangled and then it sort of joined in as well and they sort of started spinning around, nipping at each other.

He said one of the snakes left and the other two continued for about 10 minutes.

Mr Chancellor, who grew up on a farm in country Victoria, said he had never seen anything like it.

"I've seen a lot snakes but never sort of two, let alone three at once so that was probably the weirdest thing," he said. "I've never seen anything like it before."

Mr Chancellor, who has walked the trail many times before, said when they returned to the spot after their hike two hours later, the two snakes were resting near a log.

The sighting comes as Canberra enters the beginning of snake season.

Canberra's Premier Reptile Catches co-owner Luke Dunn said the encounter appeared to be three male snakes fighting one another.

"During breeding season, males are seeking out females, and may fight if they cross another male," Mr Dunn said.

"This fighting involves no biting, instead they wrestle one another by entwining their bodies together and trying to push one another down to the ground via strength alone."

Mr Dunn said the fight can last some time, essentially until one gives up or runs out of energy.

"The winner then will gain the rights to mate with any of the receptive females that might be around the area."

He said it was not an uncommon sight during the breeding season to see two males fighting, but seeing three was not something you saw everyday.