Watch Out for Rabun’s Rattlers

With warm weather settling in, rattle snakes native to Rabun County are being seen more frequently. Though they do tend to stay away from highly developed areas Ga DNR Senior Biologist John Jensen says they could be anywhere…

“Kind of early in the season and late in the season, they may be fairly concentrated around rocky, especially on south facing slopes where the sun is going to heat those rocks up quicker. Those are the kind of places where you can kind of predict that there may be decent populations, and decent concentrations, and it would really only be at that time of year. This time of year it’s really difficult to predict where they are.”

Jensen says that what to do if you come across a rattler is very simple…

“Take a step to the left or the right, a couple steps to the left or right and walk around it. Most bites from venomous snakes around the country come from people who get to close, put themselves into harms way by, either by trying to mess with it, collect it, trying to kill it. They’re not going to come after you if you just walk around them, that’s the safest thing you can do.”

If you are bit by a rattle snake, call 911,and seek medical attention immediately.