Golfing with Rattlesnakes in Lake Tahoe

We made snares and would catch and cook everyone we could for a couple years. Back in high school,but there was no internet and what not so it was word of mouth. After trying and making to many car tires we gave up and let them be.

The problem with a record rattler is that most encounters are gonna be by hikers,hunters,fisherman and just anyone outdoors. Apparently the people who want to find them can't and the ones who don't do. I'm sure most anyone that's just outdoors comes across a huge 4'+ snake is gonna go the other way not stop and measure. I come across more rattlers than any other snake.

That's logical, but people have also been keeping them in captivity and growing them out to their max for a while.

5' is 4" short of the largest recorded size! They don't get much bigger unless your down south almost in az for C Atrox.

Well, if that's true, then I've killed one that was a record breaker a few years ago.  I was out back and the dog with in the garage with the roll-up door open.  He's a little dog; part pug.  I figured the cat had teased him and he was giving that cat hell.  Eventually I went into the garage as the dog would not shut up.  He was barking at the car, or under the car to be precise.  I figured a raccoon had come in and he had it pinned down under the car.  I bent down to look, and there was the biggest rattler I've ever seen, all coiled up, not making a sound.  It was trying to lure that dog closer!!  I'm sure he thought that dog would make a fine meal.  I got a pellet rifle, not wanting to use a shot gun while laying on the floor, or a 22 either.  I shot that snake and it took off into my storage racks where I keep all my 'stuff'.  Crap!  Now what am I gonna do?  I can't see him, I can't hear him, and he's bleeding pretty good with a streak of blood from the car to the racks.  I had to start unloading those racks to get at him.  Eventually I could see his head, but the only thing I could get to him with would be that pellet gun.  The gun is accurate, but sighted in for 20 yards, not 2 feet, so it wasn't easy to get a pellet into him.  Eventually he bled out and I was able to fish him out of there.  I took photos of me holding him up by the tail.  With his rattles at my eye level, his head just touched the ground.  I'm 6'0" tall so I'm pretty sure my eyeballs are more than 5'4" from the ground. 
We had a house fire since then, so no photos any more, but luckily I cut off his rattles and had those in my truck ash tray.  I still have those rattles; 13 long. 

I've killed several at least 5' long.  Seems to me the bigger they are, the more aggressive and mean they are.  Anything 2' and under usually won't even move if I kick at 'em.  From 2' up to maybe just under 3', they will run away if I give them a chance.  From 3' on up, they get real pissed and stand their ground.  I had a big boy under my front deck that leads to the house several years ago.  Every time I went in or out, it would buzz like crazy.  After many days, I finally disassembled the deck enough to shoot it.