I shoot pds during the months of May, June and again in AUG-Oct. We see rattlesnakes all the time out on the prairie. Watching someone (regardless of how good they think they are) try to shoot a moving rattlesnake at 15 paces is a hoot. Even snake shot loads often just make a bunch of noise and do little to interfere with said snake. If you are really concerned take along a small .410 shotgun, otherwise even semi auto pistols with snake loads are better than nothing. You will have to cycle them manually though.