156 Rattlesnak es Rattles nak es pref erring dr y deser tlik e areas range int o the southern int erior of British Columbia The y f a v our a habitat in dr y r ocky areas in grasslands at the base of r ockslides in sage brush countr y or where there are boulder s and scatt ered shrubs f or co v er The y are rarely f ound abo v e the 2600 me tre ele v ation During ho t summer months rattlesnak es are most activ e at dusk and early e v ening but the y can be seen an y time of da y or night In wint er the y congregat e in dens par t w a y up r ocky slopes t o hibernat e Rattlesnak es are no t par ticularly aggressiv e and unless star tled or irritat ed usually will no t strik e When the y do ne wborn rattlesnak es can deliv er a le thal bit e e v en though the y are no t able t o mak e a rattling sound until af t er the fr st molt One ne w rattle is creat ed with each molt so older snak es ha v e man y rattles Be a w are that some large snak es do no t bo ther t o rattle bef ore striking A v oid rattlesnak e bit es b y taking precautions Be f am iliar with the v arious species of snak es that liv e in the feld area where y ou w or k so y ou can recognize them Learn wh ere t o e xpect t o fnd snak es in y our w or k area W ear highcut rather than lo w cut leather w or k boo ts as strik es are commonly made t o the lo w er par t of the legs W ear long pants that are no t tuck ed in Of t en f angs are caught b y loose clo thing and ne v er pier ce the skin of the victim Be ale r t t o the po t ential presence of snak es behind r ocks or o ther shady places K eep y ou r cam p free of debris and clutt er so snak es ha v e no place t o shelt er fr om the sun