Exciting gathering

[Gentleladybear]

This definitely was a Timber Rattler. It had 12 rattlers and a button. It was definitely a poisonous snake.

[sunshinecruiserTN]

I still say you should have kept the skin for a hat band.

[Echo]

The design, diamond or striped and various coloration's of the rattle snake are great. I've seen them myself go from close to almost back with faint markings to a bright yellow and black. And yes the yellow and black was in mid to northeastern PA. But in NY where I'm from we have Western Diamond Back that they figure have come in on tractor trailers. We also now have Rattle snakes that have inter bred, the eastern with the western. So pretty much anything that looks like it's might be a Rattler is given a wide berth. Unless you know for 100% certain what it is? Stay away from it. Especially if you hear that telltale buzz. The suckers pack one heck of a punch and even a newborn rattle snake is deadly.

[kdmac]

Oh, I didn't read the post well enough and missed the part about the rattlers and button. Did you save the rattlers? That would be a good souveniour for such a "once in a life time, hopefully" event. I was seeing what looked like its tail in the photo and it didnt appear to have rattlers so that must be something else hanging down from his glove.You sure did the right thing to get someone there right away to kill it. It is true that they don't all have a diamond pattern. So glad no persons or pets were hurt by that very close encounter.

[bluepinecones]

They guys who killed it offered to cut the rattles off for us but we declined.
In talking with one of them later, they said that was the 3rd rattler they had had to kill this year. He said he had worked there for several years and this was more than he'd ever seen in the park - assume they usually stay in the heavily wooded area that surrounds the campground.

[Bethers]

Gimme a good old garden snake any day. That seems to be the one thing I worry about heading out west when I can travel.

Deb, they are in Alabama - don't need to go west. We had them where I lived in WI, also. We weren't allowed to kill them! Glad you are all safe and rattlesnake free (as far as you know) now.

And, I'm thinking Sarah is part of this, right? We saw a rattler at Monte Sano when Jean and I were there - remember Sarah? We must watch where we are when Sarah is with - the rattlers seem to follow her