I must have run into 2-3 rattlesnakes while out geocaching last year, that was 2-3 too many in my eyes. There was a veteran geocacher last year who got bit (on the hand, I think) by a rattler out by Folsom Lake last year and it was pretty serious, he spent several days in the ICU. In reading the logs of the geocache where he got bit, the snake came out of nowhere and got him, the snake didn't rattle or anything. Yikes...
I think, in general, geocachers are aware of their surroundings and are careful out there. BUT, we are also playing this game in snake territory and geocaches are hidden in the very places where snakes live (ie., off the trail, often hidden in spaces beneath rocks, in holes of trees, etc.) so while most geocachers aren't stupid, our chances of being bitten are probably a lot higher than a jogger/biker who stays on the bike trail.
There are a few things that we can do to avoid encountering snakes: make lots of noise so the snakes aren't surprised or startled, I always take my walking stick (if I'm gonna poke around some rocks, I'm poking w/a stick and not my hand), carry a cell phone, and leave the dogs at home! With that said, I guess its time for me to give up on all those geocaches out by the river that I've been itching to get and I'll start leaving the dogs at home (they hate walking through those dry stickers anyway!). I really learned to appreciate geocaching in the winter this past year, even though I often had to put up with a wet trail, its much easier to geocache when you don't have to trudge through dry grass and stickers and have to worry about rattlesnakes.
This is the time of the year when I guess those "urban" geocaches start being a little more appealing. Less risk of injury lifting up a lampost skirt, or reaching for a magnetic keyholder or altoid tin under a bench/table! :-)
Be careful out there!
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