Rattlesnake surprise

Today I explored an area new to me called Sand Canyon, an area on the Comanche National Grasslands. This location is only a few miles from Oklahoma and about 15 or about miles east of Springfield, a very remote area. It is a canyonlands similar to Cottonwood Canyon, which is a little further west, but has a larger cottonwood gallery.

The two-track was pretty rugged and I stopped only a quarter mile in as there was a big mud hole I didn't want to venture into. So my two dogs and I hiked the approximate 1 mile to the canyon with all the cottonwoods. There I saw at least 7 Red-headed Woodpeckers including a juvenile begging and chasing after an adult, 2+ Ladder-backed Woodpeckers, a few Northern Flickers and 1 Lewis's Woodpecker--and I was there less than an hour and only explored a small portion of this great riparian forest. I also saw an Olive-sided Flycatcher and a probable Juniper Titmouse (there are scattered junipers in this canyon). I saw a lot of turkey tracks though I didn't see any. And I saw a lizard, possibly a Lesser Earless Lizard, about 5 feet up a tree.

As I hiked back on the two-track I came around a corner and less than 10 feet in front of me was a large snake laying across one of the tracks. As I am quite fearful of all snakes, I always assume they are dangerous. I gathered both of my dogs close to me and got away, of course after taking a few photos. I have now looked it up on the internet and it appears to be a fairly large Western Prairie Rattlesnake, about 3 foot long and several inches in diameter. Though I read that this species tends to be fairly aggressive, this one didn't move or coil up (good thing as I would probably still be running away).

I still think that Sand Canyon is a great place and I will return (though I'm sure I'll be a little paranoid about snakes).
SeEtta