Rattle Snake Coiled and ready to strike. The snake is on a gravel path in a Nature Preserve in Southern California.
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How to Kill a Rattlesnake the Ethical Way

If you encounter a rattlesnake, the best response is to get away from it—but that's not always an option.

For most of us, if we came face to face with a rattlesnake, we'd just be concerned with trying not to get bit. Wondering how to kill a rattlesnake—and with your bare hands at that—is next level. But YouTuber Neal Hunt shares how to do it quickly and ethically.

Rattlesnakes can be found in almost every state across the country, although the variety varies by region. Rattlesnakes are venomous snakes, although some 33% of bites don't actually contain the injection of venom at all. Still, rattlesnake venom can cause serious symptoms and, in extreme cases, be life-threatening. So you should always treat a rattlesnake as a dangerous threat.

If you encounter a rattlesnake, the best response is to get away from it. Never, ever try to provoke any kind of snake. Even baby rattlesnakes can be harmful if they bite.

But if there is ever a situation where you need to know how to kill a rattlesnake, you better have that knowledge handy—which is where Hunt comes into play.

Hunt brazenly scoops up the snake by the rattler—and snaps it like a bull whip. That caused the neck to break, and it instantly killed the snake.

While chances are pretty low you'll ever do this yourself, if you ever come across a dead rattlesnake, take care when handling it because sometimes the snake can still bite, even after death, and the snake venom from a rattlesnake bite can still hurt you.

If you do have to implement this knowledge of how to kill a rattlesnake, at least try to utilize it afterward for a cool taxidermy mount.

It is worth repeating that this method should only be used in extreme circumstances. Never seek out any species of snakes, unless of course, you are a skilled wildlife removal professional. For everyone else not involved in animal control, use common sense and be safe out there.

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