I joined a new lease this year and so far things have been great.  I made 5 hunts.  Had deer in bow range every hunt.  Missed one doe because I hit a limb and this evening shot a doe.  While trailing this evening's deer in the dark I nearly stepped on a canebrake rattlesnake.  He was coiled with his head up, ready to strike.  He never rattled.  After I was a safe distance away it occurred to me that my cell phone battery was dead and the snake bite kit was in the truck.  Guess you could say I was not very prepared.  So keep an eye out and watch your step and don't go into the woods unprepared..

Snake boots were a hot topic at our camp last weekend. My buddy dang near stepped on a Diamondback in the middle of a sendero. He said that the one he walked up on did not rattle either.

I have heard that the rattlesnakes are cautious with their rattling due to the hog population. A hog will dine on a snake in a heart beat.

I have heard that a hog will dine on a "buzzing" rattler in a heart beat, but will give a quiet snake a pass.  I never go anywhere without snake boots.  Have already had one encounter this season.

Hmmm does that sound like "survival of the fittest" in action ?  Classic Darwinism.  

Conditions changed, hogs are part of the picture now, they eat snakes.  Snakes that rattle and tell hogs where they are tend to get eaten and not pass on their genes.  Snakes that are slow to rattle survive and pass on their genes.  Eventually, rattlesnakes will not rattle in those areas.

ChuckC

I about stepped on a rattler this year hunting elk of all things in Montana.  gotta watch the buzzworms..

Temperature will affect rattling as well.It would have to be down below 60 for that to start though.

this is true...many people are not aware of the change here in TX...hogs will run over and eat a snake that rattles...

I do a lot of training in central and south Texas....and the rattlesnakes here have quit rattling....

snake boots were convenient before...due to thorns and what not...but now they are virtually a requirement.

I concur with Chuck C....It's not a cognitive decision on the part of the snake to not rattle.  It's just that snakes that do rattle are more likely to be killed by hogs (or man), and that snakes that don't rattle get more girl-snake lovin' to make baby snakes.

  :D

I'm glad I don't have to deal with those buggers!  I get nervous just reading about them!  Be careful out there if you're in snake country!

Bernie Bjorklund

NC Iowa/SW Wisconsin

It the time of the yr, there moveing back to there dens, I have seen alot of snakes in the last week, and one was a coral, in my back yrd, and two copperheads in the wma that I hunt.
 I have snake boots, but last time I stepped on one I had rubber boots, it was a small copperH, and he was unable to get me.

 Pretend This is a snake and me     You can Love a snake all you want I just Hate them and nothing will ever change my mind...Yeah they look good on a bow is about all but that's about it...

Never trust anything without shoulders.......

Lucky so far this year. I have not run across any snakes at all on the few outings I have been able to make. Be cautious, guys. Wear the snake boots!