@Nesta the snakes first line of defense is camouflage which is why it wasn't giving off an auditory warning. You obviously weren't close enough to be threatening it at that point.
Of course I also hear that mass killings of rattlesnakes by people is causing natural selection to breed snakes with less noisy rattles (less likely to get caught by humans and are the ones still around to breed)... which probably isn't a good thing.
I don't want to derail this thread-again- let me just say this: That rattler must not be threatened easily because I was about a foot away from it, two feet @ the most, pushing my bike on a very narrow path in thick woods. It didn't even move until I doubled back & was about to pass it again. I was a step away when it's (slow) movement caught my eye [within 3 feet this time, but headed right toward it]. It was curled up on the trail -I may have stepped on it if I hadn't noticed it. [This was all going on while I was pretty high, so it was kind of like a cartoon].
This is only the 4th rattlesnake I've encountered. I like snakes so I try to observe them closely when I have the chance. Most snakes will try to get away from you as quickly as possible. But each of the rattlesnakes I've seen was reluctant to move. Stubborn even. They don't seem particularly threatened, it's like they know they don't have to worry about being attacked. Of the four I've seen, only one rattled, & that was because I prodded it with a stick, something I'm not proud of.
Your point about natural selection may have some validity- at least from what I've seen in my corner of NY.
OK, back to the regularly scheduled thread…Don't Tread On Me- Legalize It!
