I kill several coon-tail(Western Diamondback Rattler) and velvet-tail rattlers(Timber Rattler) around my house and place every year. Couple yrs ago I killed 8 velvet-tails around the house. My grandpa and old timers had always called them coon-tails and velevet-tails so I have always called them that. I used to go with my cousin back in the early 80's but he would gas them out of there den's and just sack the bigger ones. I love rattlesnake and dumplens. Here is a story for you. This old rancher here by my place was out checking his cattle when he drove up on a huge western diamondback rattler crossing the dirt road he was driving on so he stuck his shotgun out the window and shot it. Well after checking the cattle he got back home he told his wife about the rattlesnake and she wanted to see the rattlers. He didn't cut them off so his wife wanted to go back and get them so they both went back. He drove up to about the same area and saw the snake laying in the road so he got out pulled out his pocket knife grabbed the tail to cut the rattlers off. He was cutting them off when the snake started to move and coil up when he realized that it was not the snake he had shot. He said he about chit his pants, jumped back in the truck and went home. LOL He said it looked like the rattler had around 16+ rattlers plus it was during the spring and still cooler out.