Er...rattlesnake tales that people told me:
Someone's great-great grandmother died of a rattlesnake bite early in the last century. She wore tall boots that she kept outdoors. One day when she was putting on her boots, she got bit by a baby rattller hiding inside. She died of gangrene.
This one may be apocryphal: On a ranch in Texas, post holes were dug to put up a fence but the project was delayed and the holes filled up with wind blown debris. Much later, a cowboy was clearing the holes and got bit on the thumb tip by a rattlesnake. He promptly cut his snakebitten thumb tip off with an ax. (My remark was "Now why didn't I think of that??") Moral is: always carry an ax in rattlesnake country.
Man saw a large rattlesnake that had been run over - it even had tire marks on its back but was still alive. He picked the snake up from behind its head, planning to swiftly move it off the road but the snake somehow twisted around and bit him on the finger.
Woman saw on the floor what she thought was a toy. She picked it up but it turned out to be a rattlesnake that bit her.
Several near misses when hikers were "visiting a bush", preparing to "drop their drawers", then heard the rattler's warning and saw it coiled, uncomfortably close, in a striking position.
Another Texas rattlesnake story: After a large rattler was killed by chopping off its head, a man picked up the head and the rattlesnake promptly sank its fangs into his finger. Dead men may tell no tales but dead rattlesnakes can still bite you bad!
Family walked back to their campsite in the dark. Women stepped over what looked like a log but, instead, was a huge rattlesnake that bit her leg. Her leg became enormously swollen.
Woman golfing at golf course got bit badly on leg by rattlesnake that popped out of one of the golf course holes.
Man was walking with his kids when they saw a rattlesnake. He wanted to appear brave so he marched over to the rattler, to "deal with it". As he neared and saw the coiled snake and heard the buzzing rattle, his heart began beating rapidly with fear. He said "Let's go kids!" and they made a wise and speedy retreat!
