Idaho is in the time of year - during spring and summer - when rattlesnakes are the most active.
Just last week, a 9-year-old girl from Idaho Falls was bitten while swimming, and a 13-year-old boy was bitten in Featherville, according to an online fundraiser for the boy.
Rattlesnakes prefer drier, hotter habitats - like the Boise Foothills. Those areas offer places to find prey and hide from the heat during the hottest parts of the day. This time of year, rattlesnakes are most active in the early morning in evening.
Before people hit the trails, there are a few things to keep in mind to help avoid a bite.
"An awful lot of snake bites occur accidentally," Vicky Runnoe, conservation education supervisor for Idaho Fish and Game said. "Somebody steps somewhere that they don't realize the snake is there, they put their hands somewhere they don't realize the snake is there. The snake doesn't realize you don't mean any harm, and they will potentially get bitten."
Runnoe said people should watch where they put their hands and feet when hiking.
"If you're hiking with your dog, it's probably a good idea to keep your dog on leash," Runnoe said. "Let live, and if you've run into one, go one way and let the snake go the other way when you're out and about hiking - and just just being aware are the things to remember."
When people do run into a rattlesnake, they can often hear the snake before they see it. The snake's rattle can be an alarming sound to hear, but that's often all it has to be, if people hear a rattle they can avoid the snake.
"They do have that warning system," Runnoe said. "That is what that tail is for, to say 'Hey, I'm here, please don't come any closer.'"
That rattle is one part of the rattlesnake's distinct look, along with their triangular head, diamond pattern, wider body, and cat-eye pupils.
Runnoe said on of the most important things to do if bitten by a rattlesnake is try and stay calm. Call 911, and seek medical attention as soon as possible.
While they can be scary, rattlesnakes are still an important part of the Idaho ecosystem.
"Yes, these animals are out here. This is their home, this is where they belong," Runnoe said. "You can enjoy it and share it just by being responsible and being careful, and looking where you're going and making sure that you're not putting your hands and feet down some deep, dark hole you can't see the bottom of. Because somebody might be down there already and might not appreciate it."
The only two venomous snakes in Idaho are the western rattlesnake and prairie rattlesnake.
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