Okay, this is a reasonably serious situation, so please put the BS on a leash for this one.
I've had four encounters, two in less than twenty-four hours, three of the four right in camp; two of the four were "low noise." In past experiences, the rattles have been very noticeable and instantly unmistakable. The last two I barely heard. They were like a low-volume hissing. In one of those two, the snake was within striking distance, and I could have been bitten easily. In the most recent case, the snake actually started coming at me when I poked him with a stick to get him to move away. Supposedly Mojave Rattlesnakes are more aggressive.
I used to think they weren't such a big deal, kind of like a bad bee sting without the allergic reaction. That is, painful but not fatal.
Now I read this, after the latest encounter:
"
Even though all rattlesnake species are venomous, this species is particularly dangerous to humans. The Mojave rattlesnake has the most potent venom of any rattlesnake in North America. Its venom is about 16 times more toxic than that of the Sidewinder (Crotalus cerastes) and surpasses even that of the tiger rattlesnake (Crotalus tigris)."
And it has me concerned on a new level. I am not near medical assistance at all, and a bite could be much more serious than a bee sting. And apparently there are serious neurotoxins involved in the special case of Mojave rattlesnakes, that are different from other rattlesnake toxins. And the Mojave species are not uncommon in this area.
I don't really want to kill them (for several reasons).
What if the next one has lost its rattle in a fight (one of the ones in camp had lost part of its rattle, and it isn't unusual), so little or no sound. Or what it is just low-volume like the last two, but things go a little differently next time, or at some point?
No warning.
These guys can also be hard to see. They often blend in well.
I'm a bit concerned, and am open to any thoughtful and constructive suggestions.