It’s best to first KILL the rattler, then hold it by the
TAIL; well away from the body. - We have got to where we
mostly just don’t kill ANYTHING any more. - A while back,
I did turn around and drive back to run over a rattlesnake
crossing the road across from a house where several kids
were playing in the yard. Mostly, animals out here stay in
their designated areas and don’t bother us.
In the mountains of southeast KY we have lots of snakes about with the rattler and copperhead being the poisonous ones. Where I live in the mountains I see plenty varieties and quite a few copperheads and they are the most aggressive. One year I shot14 of them about my property and one 4ft rattlesnake that decided it would be fun to crawl along next to my tractor a ways. .357 with snake loads do wonders on their heads.
My brother a few years back go nailed on the big toe, he was wearing flip flops on a fishing trip. He took a half load of venom one fang of the snake hit the strap between the toes. He was in the hospital for 5 days and off work for two weeks. 10 yrs later the foot still hurts him on cold winter days.