I did trail maintenance in nearby mountains for almost 20 years & encountered quite a few ‘Timbers’. I can say, for a fact, they don’t always rattle. Most will be in the mountains, but we have nearby rock & brush piles, good places for rodents which is an attractant. Mom’s hearing stinks, even with hearing aids plus the rattling can sound like insects. We had a crew member struck in the chainsaw chaps by a Timber. The crew hsd stopped for a break & this snake did rattle to warn, but it was mistaken for insect noise - when the sawyer took 2 steps, the snake struck (grass & weeds were knee deep on an old roadbed). The chainsaw chaps are Kevlar- the snake struck/hit them and kept on going, right over the edge of the road. Exciting with no harm done, but would have been disastrous if one of the other crew members with no chaps had started to walk off first.
I plan on doing a corned beef Monday as well. We’re not Irish, but my niece was born on ‘the day’ so it’s special to us for that reason.
You know, this is why I love FReepers! I would’ve thought the timber rattlers might be obvious, but your explanation helps me understand something I have no experience with.
Happy St. Patrick’s birthday to your niece! I love being an honorary Irishman. Woman. ;)