[Ditter]

I have had some very close encounters with snakes but have never been bitten. A friend and I were walking down a deer trail in the woods and I stepped right over a cotton mouth that was crossing the trail. It made me sick to my stomach and I could not go any farther into the woods.

You said they can raise up 2 inches? I'll bet they can raise up higher than that. Did you know that a smaller sized rattlesnake can stand up and dance on it's tail? I know that sounds preposterous but it is true. There is an old western painting (either Russel or Remington) that depicts Indians in some kind of ceremony with snakes dancing in “S” shapes on their tails.

I was in south Texas deer hunting and decided to walk back to the camp because nothing was moving. I heard a buzzing sound (I had never heard a rattlesnake's rattle). About 12 feet in front of me was a rattle snake up on his tail just like the western painting I had seen.

Yes I was armed and I killed it, it took a couple of shots because it was moving. I thought I was going to have a heart attack, I was so stunned.

[EinNYC]

I was herping with a friend in AZ one summer, while on vacation. I pulled up a large cardboard box. Under the box was a huge (at least 5' long) red coachwhip snake, Masticophis flagellum. They don't call them "Nastycophis" for nothing! This darn thing lunged at me very aggressively. The only reason I wasn't bitten was that I leaped back like I never knew I could. Jeez! That was a close call!

[Redcitizen]

Ive heard them buzz and ive heard them rattle. First time I heard the buzz, i knew right away it was a rattler even though I did not see it.

I heard the Hopi Indians have a rattlesnake dance but thats all i know.