I had been hunting ground squirrels all day, and it was getting late in the afternoon when I spotted one with it's back to me at 57 yards. As I was lining up the shot, the squirrel started waving it's tail like we would a flag, left to right across it's body. From years of experience, I knew immediately, that there was a rattlesnake in or around that squirrels den. I passed on the shot, and went over to the den area and very carefully started looking for the buzztail. Sure enough, there was a nice fat rattler doing what I was doing, hunting ground squirrels.

He wasn't an issue in any way for me, so I shot this video clip and kept on hunting. I'm sure he did too. I have a clip of the squirrel doing the tail waving thing, but for some reason the sound is WAY out of sync with video so I haven't included it here. This video clip is almost 5 meg, so it can take a bit to load.

This is the fourth rattler that I have encountered this year. You really need to pay attention when hunting ground squirrels. So far, I have seen all of them way before I've gotten close enough for it to be an issue. Over the years I've encountered hundreds of them, and for the most part they're just out there trying to make a living. I've had a few give me a warning buzz, but usually I see them before I get close enough to warrant one.

http://imageevent.com/varmintair/videos?p=...amp;s=0&z=2

Great video I love those rattlers. I've seen the squirrels do that warning thing with their tails. It's almost like they're calling attention to themselves to keep the snake occupied.

Good eye to see him. Better that way. Thought you might like seeing this swirling snaky swarm a friend found while rock hunting in Gas Hills near Riverton (central Wyoming).

Looks like mating season.

Maybe so. Back East they supposedly mate in late summer, then give birth several months later. I have another explanation. If you look real close, you see tickets for the new Indiana Jones movie. Maybe these guys had relatives in previous versions of this series and were headed to the matinee.

That sure looks like a good place for a couple sticks of dynamite!!!!