Rattlesnake crashes wedding in Colorado, bites groom during photo shoot
FORT COLLINS, Colo. -- There was more proof it's rattlesnake season in Colorado after a rattler bit a groom while he was posing for wedding photos, CBS Denver station KCNC-TV reports.
Johnny Benson wasn't badly injured at Horsetooth Reservoir in Northern Colorado last weekend and was able to make it to his reception and honeymoon with his new wife Laura.
In nearby Loveland, Jarmila Prikryl was bitten in her neighborhood.
"I fell back because it was shocking," she said.
Manda Walters with Colorado Parks and Wildlife said the snake population is holding steady.
"There isn't more or less rattlesnakes this year," Walters said.
The good news is the recent hot temperatures mean the snakes aren't as likely to be out on open trails. The bad news is they're lurking in bushes and hiding under protective foliage.
"They're going to be hidden, and so just watch where you step, and watch where you put your hands and your feet." Walters said.
If you see a snake, she said, back up slowly and don't antagonize it.
There are dozens of kinds of snakes in Colorado but only three types that are venomous. Walters urged hikers to wear sturdy, closed-toed shoes.