A buddy of mine was walking in the mountains when he felt something wrap around his leg; turns out he'd stepped on a rattlesnake's head, and it was coiling itself around him in an attempt to fight back. He kept his cool, stepped down harder, and ground the rattler's head into the dirt and rocks until it died, before taking his foot off of it.
and people give Texas folks grief about carrying weapons... Things can get rough fast in Tejas. one minute you mowing the lawn next you fighting off raptors and rattlers.