Read this for what it's worth (not much, imho). I'm not sure the author spent a whole lot of time doing research on the subject.

https://heritagelandbank.com/announ...mystery-disappearing-rattlesnake-rattles

BS

Rattlesnakes now stalking your livestock.....this boy needs to get out from behind his desk a little (or a lot) more often.....

Headless rattlesnakes are popular

Glad I do not use Heritage Bank.

I did hear a few years ago that rattlers weren’t rattling and I think the theory was hogs were killing and eating them, so the ones that did rattle to warn off threats were surviving and the ones that did were getting killed.

Heard the exact same thing....evolution.

Me too!

Along with that, I heard that at some time in the future that pheasants would not fly, those who fly get shot and those who are runners live to breed again.

Ain't that a copperhead?

I've heard same, but my questions is more on the time of evolution. I'm not Charles Darwin, but seems to me like the time for a species to evolve would take many generations. Not sure if I am convinced of the science.

Because there is no science..

Just BS

There is nothing to substantiate that claim.

The one I killed this weekend rattled when I move the trap it was hiding under. He’s headless now.

I’m not saying it’s true or correct; it’s just a theory I heard that was interesting. I agree with you on the timeframe.

Brilliant!

Makes sense, humans too. I hear a rattler, it’s dead. I don’t hear it it might live.

Part that I call BS on is that hogs have a REALLY good sense of smell and rattlesnakes stink (if you've ever been around a den you'll know what I mean). No way that the rattle or not rattling would make a difference for a hog.

JR

I thought it was that the cattle stomp them if they hear them. We've had a couple at the lease that didn't rattle. The one for me I walked by 4 times unloading the truck. I saw it move the fifth time, got a shovel for that 4 footer. The one for my buddy he and his daughter walked right by/or up on it before he saw it.

I don't buy the hog theory at all. I live in an area with no hogs. I kill quite a few rattlers every year and most never rattle. I think rattlers don't rattle because their best defense is to just try to not be seen and let you go on by. If that doesn't work then they may rattle as a warning. My rattlers have never seen hogs so who told them not to rattle based on this theory

I have plenty of hogs on my ranch and have encountered some rattlers that rattle and some that don’t. This spring I walked my pasture with a TPW Biologist and asked her the same question, her response was “ it’s a local wives tail, don't you believe it.”

I didn't read the article.

Out of the last 5 rattlers I killed, only one rattled.