Timber Rattlesnake, Walton County, GA

Working alongside an animal control department provides some good front-row-seat opportunities...

Photographer: William Wise | iNat Observation: 45282441 - Timber Rattlesnake; Walton County, Georgia. May 8, 2020. ©williamwisephoto.com

A co-worker texted me after-hours and said, “I’ve got one for you!” Along with that text came a photo of a nice sized Timber Rattlesnake in a five-gallon bucket. The dark, v-shaped chevron patterns ran in regular intervals down its body while an orangish stripe ran along the spine, head to (almost) tail. And at the end of the black-tipped tail were six rattles. I couldn't wait to get to work the next morning to see this beautiful snake!

The animal control officer was called out to a rural farm property in Walton County, not too far from a recent clear-cut of several hundred acres. No doubt the logging activity drove the snake out towards human habitations. Normally the officers don't respond to snake calls unless they are in the residence. But instead of leaving this rattlesnake to face the possibility of being killed by the caller, the officer went and removed it from the property. After I did some photography and a short video, for which it put on a nice show, I released it in a forested area not too far from where it was originally picked up.