Never hunted them - They are not around where I live in Western NY but I have a hunting camp in PA that has a fair number of timber rattlers around. The mountain was strip minned 20 - 25 years ago and all the snakes left the area. the past 5 years or so you see more and more each year. We came into camp one day and found a shed in the middle of the livingroom floor. We searched everywhere and never found the critterer. The shed was about 3 foot long though. From what i understand they are protected in PA.