Timber Rattlesnake
Northwestern NJ
June 2023

I located this snake “by ear” after hearing some movement in crackling leaves below blueberry thickets.

This rattlesnake neither rattled nor coiled at me. We simply observed each other for a few short minutes. I believe this rattlesnake was on the smaller side as it was not much wider or longer than a common water snake.

When I am hiking into “snake country” I wear hiking boots + jeans and I bring a long telephoto lens for these chance encounters.

Canon 77D + Tamron 150-600mm