I've seen them off the ground on occasion. Years ago was walking down a game trail that forked, with a knee high bush at the V with a small (2-3') rattler in the bush.
In the winter, I've seen blacksnakes travel over the top of dead grass but never a rattler.
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Another concern is wading through the often knee to thigh high grass in spring and summer. I use my shooting sticks to, hopefully, encourage any unseen snakes to depart when walking in the grass. May be wishful thinking, but I suspect it would be a bit harder for a snake to strike in the thick, heavy grass?? Rattlers down here are quite big enough to strike above a boot.
