One of many Western Diamondback rattlesnakes I captured and released — using a bucket, a broom and a sheet of Masonite — while living in Tucson, AZ. Rattlers were drawn to our backyard because it was a veritable Eden for wildlife. I released the rattlesnakes in the morning, when it was cool — making the snakes sluggish and picture-perfect.

It’s important to release rattlesnakes no more than a mile from where they’re found, or they will likely fair poorly — we often half-joked we were seeing the same rattler more than once.