Rattlesnakes at Pawnee

[Tristan]

The snakes are everywhere-just go walking. You'll find them. Early morning right after the sun comes up is the best time. They bask on the rocks and road.
Gators help if your reactions are not up to par. Be careful.

[bimmer]

would leather boots be enough? i mean i'm obviously not going to TRY to see how close i can get without being struck at or bitten. i'll be carrying my 12G with me just incase i need it. do you kill them before you bag them? I've heard horror story's of people getting bitten through the bag. after all, they use heat to tell where thing are, so i wouldnt feel safe just using a bag qith a live rattle snake in it.

[Tristan]

would leather boots be enough? i mean i'm obviously not going to TRY to see how close i can get without being struck at or bitten. i'll be carrying my 12G with me just incase i need it. do you kill them before you bag them? I've heard horror story's of people getting bitten through the bag. after all, they use heat to tell where thing are, so i wouldnt feel safe just using a bag qith a live rattle snake in it.

Contrary to popular belief, snakes bite pretty high-the few times I've been bitten it was just below my knee, once on the hand and once above my ankle-only once (the hand) did I not have protection- a pair of chaps works well, also.
The snakes will usually try to slither away-they really are more afraid of you than you are of them. But sometimes they just don't feel like running-especially the young ones. They don't control their venom-so they are the most dangerous. The adults 7 out of 10 times don't inject-but it's the young ones who don't run away and are the scary ones. They can strike about 1/2 to 2/3 their body length, so it's pretty easy to know your distance. Better safe than sorry, of course.
Sure boots would be enough if you don't get caught-and people usually don't. They have the antivenin here in Greeley if you do get bit. It's pretty painful and takes about 2 to 3 weeks to heal. But there's only about 20 bites a year in Northeast Colorado-so your chances are pretty good. A snake stick (a broom handle with a rope on the end of it) is probably your best bet-you hold that out in front of you if you're walking. If you go early in the morning when they are basking, you are pretty safe because they are slower and not paying attention. Once their blood warms up, it's anybodies game. They are on higher ground in the morning and lower ground towards noon. They like crevices and stuff around lunch time.
Snakes will only bite you in self defense-if you're messing with them or if you startle them. So if you take the basic precautions and are the predator, you'll be just fine. Oh, and go slow when you are walking. If you walk fast, they will feel it long before you ever see them and they will be gone and you'll never even know they were there.
Also, rattlers are just like most other snakes-they will move to movement. Just like the cobras in India you see on tv. The cobras are moving to the snake charmers' movement-not his flute. A rattler does the same thing. So when you come upon one, move very slow. There have been a few times I have just stuck the muzzle in his face and moved it back and forth-they will stay perfect with it-then pulled the trigger. No head every time.
I leave them alive till I get home, because I like the meat. It's just like any animal-if you kill it then don't gut it immediately it will spoil in the hot sun and weather fast. Also, I just put them in a white pillow case. A rattler will give up fighting pretty quick if you bonk him a few times. Then you just grab them and cut the head off. Then I really do bury the head. Better safe than sorry. Or you can just submerge the snake(s) in a tub of water and drown them-but that takes a while. Flippin' snakes can hold their breath forever for some reason.
But since it's your first time, just be careful and until you cut the head off, wear welding gloves or something equivalent. It's scary the first few times-after that, it's just respect for the snake. All in all I would rather take on an angry rattler than an angry deer any day. Of all the predators I have encountered, the snake is of the least concern. Hell, I even got my ass handed to me by a Jack Rabbit one time. It started hissing like a cat then shrieking really loudly and then attacked me and bit me. Make fun if you want, but that bunny f'ed my up. Damn near bit my finger off.
Anyways, just use common sense and you'll be fine.

[ChunkyMonkey]

Tristan, wow you know a lot about them snakes. You gotta read it Steve Irwin style though!
"Crikey! Herein lies our diamond back rattlesnake. As you can see mate, they are just very instinctive to me. I've been playing with snakes since before I could walk. It doesn't matter where or what it is, from the biggest to the most venomous. No problem, mate!"

[Tristan]

Ouch!
Gosh, that made me laugh.
No, I'm certain no Steve Irwin, that's for sure. Just that once you get bit and go through all that, you learn reeeeaaaaalllll quick and rreeeaaaallll well. I've also been bit by a Black Widow (was WAY more painful than my worst ever surgery), a brown recluse (not allergic, thank God) and been treated for rabies. However, I think the rabies was from my brothers' girlfriend.....
Anyways, the rabies thing was back in the day. 26 needles 10 feet long and 3 feet big around in the tummy-that just plain sucked.
Oh, and I got shot by salt rock when I was a kid, too. Us Mountain Boys always learn the hard way, ya know. I had so much fun! But now the old body is paying for it. Who knew. But I do still catch snakes with my hands and no protection/Steve Irwin style. Just been doing it for 35 years or so.

[bimmer]

I've keeping and breeding ball pythons, and corn snakes. and catching all sorts of other things when i go to florida (those baby alligators are a-holes). i just havnt had any real experience with venomus snakes.

[theGinsue]

MB888 say it true - Tristan, you really do know your rattlers.

I think I might try Marlins advice and check out the Two Butts (er, Buttes) SWA.

Thanks for all of the advice guys. I was thinking of using something to capture the snake (broom handle/rope and perhaps a long pole with a bent end to hold it until I can get the broom handle/rope around it's head). I was also planning on cutting the head off (watching for potential bites - even after the head comes off), and skinning and gutting it on the spot. I'm not too fond of the idea of carrying a live rattler around - even (or especially) in a pillow case - mostly because of the getting it out of the pillow case part.

Tristan - I too was bit by a Brown Recluse, but snce I was just a young toddler, I dont remember it. My mom says I whined about the pain and it ate a hole through my abdomin (still have the scar ~ barely). I don't envy you your experiences - yikes!