Be snake conscious, if you can do that without becoming jumpy. Don't step nor put your hand within reach of where a snake could be hiding. That has saved me from being bitten on hand or on boot a number of times. I'm only afraid of the rattler that I haven't noticed.
Re artillery: I proved for myself that a 180 grain Nosler Partition is adequate for a rattlesnake. On a prairie dog shoot you are bound to have something that will do and the sound of another shot doesn't make any difference.
