Venomous snakes are not something to be messed with, and rattlesnakes are no exception. While there are very few people who die each year as a result of snakebites, being bitten while in a survival situation or a bug out situation, in which you could already be weakened by hunger or thirst or a battered resolve, could quickly prove fatal.

Rattlesnakes are one of the most frightening predators in the United States. With their telltale rattle and aggressive pose, they manage to stir the fear of even the most seasoned snake wranglers. It also doesn't help that they have a hemotoxic venom that completely destroys your tissue in as painful a way as possible.

With this in mind, being able to identify these snakes from the countless others is an important lesson for anyone spending time in their habitat.

Fun fact: it doesn't just come down to the rattle. Learn more about how to tell them apart on the next page.

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