Since you are so experienced with rattlers I'll ask you if you have ever seen what I saw. I was walking back to the camp from the tree where I had been sitting waiting for a big buck (he never came).
I startled the snake who was heading down the trail toward me. He jumped up in the air and started wiggling while he danced around on his tail. He was not a huge snake only about 3 to 4 feet long.
One of the famous western artist (can't think of his name right now) did a painting of Indians and rattlesnakes and the snakes were doing what I saw the snake do. Have you ever seen this snake action?