There are an awful lot fewer snakes around now too.
The days when migrating herds of rattlers slithered across the great plains as far as the eye could see are long gone.
It seems it was the development of the automobile and paved roads that drove them almost to extinction.
Once when I was out in the middle of the desert I almost ran over a rattler when I was driving out to the pay phone (Salt River Rec). Made a mental note to get it off the road on my way back. Driving back, I couldn't find it. Pulled off to the side to walk the road and almost stepped on it when I got out of the car. It's nothing personal, but I don't pull over for snakes anymore.
Oh, and I vote for stick. Save the round for something that needs it. Now having said that, I remember when a Mojave rattler treed a buddy. A shovel solved that when we stopped laughing.