I was born in the Florida panhandle and have a lot of snake stories. I have killed a lot of rattlers, mostly in the 5 foot category but one huge 7 footer.
My Sister stepped on a large rattlesnake when she was a two year old toddler. She was extremely lucky in that it did not strike. Have also killed a large number of cottonmouths and all of them have been just about the same size.
Withing the last two months I have killed two copperheads. They were the first ones I have seen since around 1960. They were identical and both in the same spot several days apart.
I have had several friends bitten, all by cottonmouths and all while fishing.
Did they get very sick?
We were taught as Boy Scouts in FL, if you were really out there in the sticks and got bit by a rattlesnake, you were better off to find a good spot to hole up and wait it out for help, or for the worst to pass - that running off and pumping it around your body was worse that waiting for the worst to cycle through - you’d get pretty sick, but ultimately, you’d be alright.