BOISE - If you plan on taking advantage of the beautiful weather by heading to the trails, you're going to want to watch where you step.
Rattlesnake season is here.
Idaho Fish and Game says there have already been sightings in the foothills. They can be found all over the state, and there's even more of a chance you'll come across one in areas with rocky terrain like Table Rock.
The best thing to do is keep your eyes open and watch your step. If there's a rock on the path, look on the back side of it before stepping over it to make sure nothing is there.
Hailee Munoz hits the trails in the Boise foothills all the time, but rattlesnakes aren't the first thing that comes to her mind since she's never encountered one.
"I'd probably try and move slowly around it and not try and scare it,” she said. “But on the inside, I'd probably be freaking out wanting to book it."
"We have one rattlesnake in Idaho. It's the western rattlesnake,” said Charlie Justus from Idaho Fish and Game. “It's probably one of the most docile rattlesnakes in the U.S., and so they're not aggressive. So, if you see one on a trail and you're hiking, just walk around it. You'll be fine."
If you bring your dog hiking, Fish and Game recommends keeping them on a leash. Especially if your dog isn't trained to avoid a rattlesnake.
If you do get bit keep movement to a minimum, call for help and get to a hospital as soon as you can.
Another thing Fish and Game recommends, even if you’re not a hiker, make sure to protect your property. Think about your landscaping: trim bushes up off the ground, don't leave piles of leaves or rocks or even boards laying around because those kinds of covered areas are places snakes like to be.