Keep In Mind Rattlesnakes Are Still Active In The Fall

As the days get shorter and the temperatures continue to cool, it's easy to forget about snakes when spending time in the Montana countryside.

Just last year, a buddy and I were out deer hunting when we stumbled across not just one rattlesnake but a whole den.

I was taken aback because I always thought snakes were, for the most part, denned up come hunting season.

It certainly wasn't frigid out, but it was far from warm.

One would think rattlesnakes would be tucked away in a hole somewhere by this time of the year, but clearly not.

Details About Rattlesnakes In Montana

Prairie Rattlesnakes occur throughout Montana, typically below 6,500 feet, and favor open and arid country but are also found in ponderosa pine stands and mixed grass-coniferous forests. They are more likely to be encountered on south-facing slopes and in areas with rock outcrops. The majority of their diet consists of rodents and small mammals. Females typically give birth in late August to early October. Prairie Rattlesnakes primarily mate in the fall, immediately after giving birth and just before hibernation. The female then holds the sperm and inseminates herself after emerging from hibernation in the spring.

I found this information in an article by the Montana Department of Agriculture and Montana State University Extension.

As you head out hunting this year, especially in the early season, don't get complacent when it comes to rattlesnakes.

Until the snow flies, they are still hanging around.