Timber rattlesnakes enjoy hanging out near homes and crossing familiar roads, so if you happen to see a snake near your bug out cabin this may be it!

It's a good idea to familiarize yourself with its appearance; the color varies from a light gray to yellow, and its black chevron-shaped blotches hopefully will make it stand out more should you ever encounter one.

5) Timber Rattlesnake

TIMBER RATTLESNAKE (Crotalus horridus). Length 3-4 feet, occasionally longer. The timber rattler occurs only in eastern Kansas and is only locally common, at scattered localities. It prefers the deciduous forest where Iimestone rock cutcrops as ledges, but may wander into cultivated fields and open areas during late spnng and summer. The food consists primarily of small rodents and young rabbits. Ordinarily, it is a mild-mannered snake, one which will seek to escape direct contact with man, but its size and habit of living close to human habitations necessitate considering this rattler dangerous. Ground color may vary from a light gray to yellow, with the black chevron-shaped blotches of the back uniting with lateral blotches to form crossbands. Another common name for the timber rattler is banded rattlesnake. Some individuals may be almost all black. The tail is characteristically velvet black in adults; banded in young.

During the spring and summer the timber rattler is quite often encountered crossing roads, where its large size and slow movement often make it a victim of modern transportation.

The timber rattler has a habit of frequently spending daylight time just beneath the edge of overhanging rocks. A hiker should always look beneath any rocks of this sort before using the rock as a resting place.

As you hike, remember this rattlesnake is frequently spotted near overhanging rocks, so if you're a rock climber or venture near rocky areas be on the lookout.

The last snake you'll learn about dwells mainly in the western United States and is one of the most common rattlesnakes. Be that it is common, you should really take the time to memorize what it looks like, especially since it's known to be active during the daytime as opposed to the night. 

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