This is what we ran into this weekend!
Did a little 13 mile backpacking trip with our older scouts. We were walking on the trail on Saturday morning whith our senior patrol leader on point. He stopped dead in his tracks when he saw this!
http://www.hammockforums.net/gallery...mallsnake1.jpg
Here is a closer look.
http://www.hammockforums.net/gallery...mallsnake2.jpg
He was 5 or 6 years old. He would not move off the trail. I tried everything I could to get him to move. Nothing worked until I tossed a small piece of rotten wood that rolled over him. (Didn't want to hurt him, just move him!) He rolled off the trail and started rattling. Second piece of rotten wood tossed got him down the hill a safe distance. He was rattling the whole time as we walked by.
This was my first experience with a rattlesnake. Definitely a distinctive rattle, but much softer rattle than I expected. To many movies I guess. Great experience for both myself and the other scouts with me.
The boys loved my homemade hammock by the way. Cheers.