So this morning I was changing tarps on the flood irrigation. I was on a ditch that I had been late spraying it. There was a bunch of dying weeds and grass blocking things up. I chopped away with my shovel so I could get the tarp to set. I swing the tarp out and climb into the ditch on the up stream end of the tarp. I step on the edge of the tarp to hold it down until I can shovel some rocks or mud on to hold it down. The ditch begins to fill while I am standing in 2 feet of water. I turn to face up stream to dig out some mud. I see the weeds moving. Something is swimming in the ditch about 3 feet from me. OH!!!! it is a rattler. It goes up on the bank. It is in heavy grass about 2 feet tall. I can see the grass moving so I start hacking in there with the shovel. I felt it hit him a couple times but I couldn't see him. His head came out in an open spot where I had a clear shot. Off with his head. It had 10 rattles and a button. One less snake on my place.