How many species of Rattlesnakes in Texas?

The snake ID thread got me to wondering how many different kind of rattlesnakes we have in Texas.

Just see how many you guess before you look at this link and post that number if you want. But don't tell the real answer so others can have the fun of missing the hell out of it too.

Rattlesnakes in Texas
Bonus question, which one is in Texas but not on that list?

I didn't know TX had than many species. Pygmy rattlesnakes are supposed to be in east Texas, but they must not be common.

Too many is the correct answer.

Well in that case, they missed 2.

Lots of them here on the ranch.

stompy

2 - Live and dead

Stompy, where is your ranch? How many of those are this year's? those are some sizeable snakes!!
We've only killed two of this year's hatch but haven't seen any big ones around the place yet.

Evil critters

South of Breckenridge about 8 miles. Couple of those were this year but it's been a slow year for them. I believe the big freeze had an impact on them. My house and cabins area is about 2.5 acres, the most I've ever relocated out of this area in one year is 16. An average year would be 6-8 a year. I also see several more on the ranch.

Western Diamondback
Pygmy
Timber
Prairie
Masasauga
Rock

I think I’m missing one or two….

When you say relocate you do mean relocate its head from its body right ?

We live on the north edge of the Hill Country and we used to “relocate” several a year but as Stompy mentioned the Artic Blast seems to have had a big affect on them. My wife used to run over a couple every year with her riding mower but nothing so far this year. I am not a fan……..and the drought and heat have knocked out what little grass we had around our house.

Thanks. We don't usually relocate any that are around the living areas and liable to get stepped on which averge is around 2 a year. But the ones that are out of our way get a pass. I think they make a big dent in the rodent population.

No, I don't kill them. They get relocated a ways away, like a mile so they don't come back.

Good for you on this. Around my house the rattlers are no bueno.

I used to encounter about a dozen a year out at a tank farm that sat on the Canadian River just North of Borger, 6 ft. Coontais were not unusual.

I know of at least 1 Pygmy rattlesnake den that was at my hunting buddy’s parent’s place on the Brazos.

We use to catch them in north Louisiana and sell them to LSU research facility in Shreveport for $125 apiece and they would milk them and make anti-venom.

Sidewinder and Mojave. These two are found in far west Texas.
Eastern Diamondback is also in Texas but figured you used it’s nickname Timber instead.

Saw one in Utah on a mule deer hunt that was pink. And no, I had not been drinking.

I have not seen a rattler since I left the Panhandle in '82. Have not missed them a bit. We have copperheads around the house once in a while.

MO

I have seen one rattlesnake in my life. It was on a golf course outside Nacogdoches. We heard the rattle but didn't realize what we were hearing. It was enormous, the biggest venomous snake I have ever seen.

I am guessing:

Western Diamondback
Timber
Prairie
Canebrake
Pygmy
Sidewinder?

But the only ones I have personally seen are the Western DB, Prairie and Timber.

Y'all got way more than I did! I find it hard to believe that article list left out Sidewinder and Pygmy
If you chopped much cotton in west Texas, good chance you whacked a sidewinder with a hoe at least once and likely more.
The tracks they leave are not forgetable after you've seen one. There were a lot more tracks than snakes seen and the wind will blow the tracks away quick enough. I haven't seen one in over 50 years.

It's funny you say that, we haven't seen near as many in Albany either the last year or so. 3 years ago it was everytime out it seemed we would bump into one.