Water Moccasins strike fear in me more than Rattlesnakes. A *lot* more. Water Mocs are aggressive, territorial snakes. They will literally chase you down to get you out of their territory, and they still might bite you for spite. They drop unexpectedly from trees along the bayous and in the swamps. I've seen them crawl into refinery laboratories, into electrical junction boxes, under cars in parking lots, and into private swimming pools (at least you can see them in those). They don't back down - ever. I'd rather face down an angry weasel than a run-of-the-mill water moc.

Rattlesnakes, on the other hand, will almost always retreat from you if they can. They rattle and make noise, sometimes, to let you know they are there. At least they warn you! Other times, they just scurry away. Rattlers are shy, retiring snakes unless, like any animal, you catch one completely by surprise. The biggest problem with Rattlesnakes, in my experience, is coming upon them while you are climbing steep slopes or free-climbing rocks. You almost always startle each other, and if the Rattler has nowhere to retreat, it *will* strike. Fight or flight instinct at work. I've walked/hiked alongside rattlesnakes several times as they sunned themselves, rode horseback over and next to them a couple times (not good, the horse spooking and throwing you is what gets you in trouble in that circumstance, not the snake, per se). I respect rattlers. They are beautiful and have a sort of dignity about them.