Not saying it isn't a rattler, but the eyes look round not cat eyed?
I had the same thought when I first saw the snake - it looks like a very non-rattle-y tail is showing at the edge of the picture. But I figured it was just a stick or something fooling my eye, so I kept my mouth shut.
For what it's worth, I have no problem with eliminating pest animals - I've shot plenty of squirrels and groundhogs, and killed plenty of bee nests. But these were things that were near my home, causing damage to my property, not random animals out in the woods.
