Ouch!! A number of years ago I went on a sunset ride outside of Tucson. The trail we were on was only wide enough for one horse at a time to get through. Cactus all around the trail. Immediately to the left of me was about a 4 foot rattler curled up asleep. I turned my horse's head towards the cactus and happily took the killer cactus in my leg rather than wake the sleeping rattler. I'm surprised no one's horse saw it since it was only about a foot away from the trail. What you may not know is that prickly pear leaves make an awesome pie (No--it doesn't take like chicken--more like apple.) Tell the cactus if it doesn't mind its manners, you will be dining on it for dessert.

Great stories!  btw - Bernice,  Rattlesnake meat is yummy, and it does taste like chicken. 

 It would probably taste better marinated in prickly pear cactus juice ;-)  Next time you are in rattlesnake territory, take along a steel rake and a big burlap bag.  As a backup, shotguns (preferably sawed off) work well too, then you don't have to tenderize the snake.