Western rattlesnake in Oregon

A coiled Pacific rattlesnake waits on the side of a gravel road on a hillside near Elkton in rural western Oregon on Thursday, July 9, 2020. The snake was likely waiting to ambush any unweary ground squirres venturing close. Pacific rattlesnakes are a venomous pit viper species found in North America in the western United States, and parts of British Columbia.

I photographed the handsome snake a short distance from my home. Maybe 100 yards from my front door. After taking my pictures I very carefully captured the rattler and relocated it a safe distance away.