Awesome atrox!  What time of day did you find it?

Van

Good job!

Tom Eason

Great job!

I found it around 3:30 in the afternoon. It wasn't really that sunny on Friday afternoon around Van Buren, just cloudy with an air temp of around 80 degrees. The hillside was steep, kind of like the "Slope of Death" steep that the large WDB near Moutainburg was on (for those of you that are familiar with that one). The interesting part was that it wasn't just an open rock slope. There was a fairly substantial canopy, even without the leaves on the trees yet. Additionally, there was some amount of plant growth around the rocks. All this was a little odd to me as I'm used to finding Timbers on somewhat barren talus slopes that get a lot of direct sunlight.

Anyways, I flipped a medium sized flat rock and it was coiled nicely underneath. The moment I flipped the rock it darted under a much larger rock. I knew immediately what it was...there's no mistaking that coon-tail banding. I flipped the larger rock over and this time it didn't crawl off. Instead, it assumed the classic WDB standing-S defensive posture.

I know some ideal places, but last year I got a late start on the area, and I haven't been able to get back up there this year to look..Hopefully in the next week or two I can hit my spots.. I just KNOW there's something there, I've had too many reports of that area from people who live there, and the descriptions are "coon tail rattler" or "diamondback" every time.

Thats a great find!
Incidentally I'm always up for herp partners, our spots or yours..LOL 

Van and I were trying to guess its age. Van thinks it is starting at least its 4th year of life. I think probably at least a little more. So we will say that we think it is starting between its 4th - 6th year of life. Not that young and not that old.

I had to say something about this:

So cute and I am talking about the snake. What a grin on the big guys face. You think he just won the lottery.

Glennnnnnnnnnnnnnnn

I was thinking something along those lines, though I hadn't quite got to the point of breaking it down year-by-year.  It just struck me that it had a long rattle string for such a little snake.  I can't quite make up my mind whether that last segment is a button or not; kinda looks sans button to me.  Either way, sloooow growth!  Maybe someone knows the estimated minimal size for a breeding adult (male/female)?

I'm with Kory, this snake appears to be older than the ones we find at my spot.  Look in the WDB gallery.  We found a snake approximately the same size 2-3 years ago and one this year about the same size, both had fewer segments.  It seems that they grow larger in less time just a few miles south.  Or maybe this one lives in an area where prey is not as plentyful.  Considering the size of the rattle string, I would guess 2-3 years.  The best part is that Kory is also correct about there being at least two more in the area.  Young snakes are always a good sign.  I'm thinking that the size and condition of this one means that they are not going to be real plentyful in this particular area though.  After all of this, I would still say--great job Jeremy!  This is the first one I have heard of north of the river.  Always thought they were there and now I'm ready to start searching north of the river once again.