FW: Texas Rattlesnakes changing behavior - not rattling as a warning

F Y I >
>  My fellow friends and family,
>
> We have killed 57 rattlesnakes on two separate ranches this year.
> 24 @Southbend & 33 @ Murray, since mid May.
> Not one has buzzed! We provoked one fair sized boy with a stick
> and he coiled & struck at the stick a couple of times before he buzzed up and
> rattled.
>
>
> The purpose of this explanation is that I have been hearing the same from fellow
> ranchers and hunters in regards to the lack of warning with rattlesnakes.
>
> I had lunch with a friend today and he offered a theory about the fact that
>  these bugs aren't rattling anymore. He raised pigs for years and reported
>  that when he would hear a rattlesnake buzzing in the sow pen, the sows
> would 'bee-line' to it and fight over the snake. For the uninformed, pigs love
> to
>  eat rattlesnakes. Therefore, the theory is they are ceasing to rattle to
>  avoid detection, since there are plenty of pigs roaming the countryside.
>
> I have a neighbor ranching lady who was bitten 3 weeks ago 2 times by the
> same snake without any warning....she spent 5 days in ICU, after 22 vials of
> anti-venom she is back at the ranch and still may lose her foot or worse yet
> her lower leg.
>
>  The days of perceived warning are over. Keep your boots on and use a light
>  when out and about. As you all know, one can pop up just about anywhere!
>
> You may wish to forward this to anyone that would be interested.