They may lie in wait for several days for the chance to capture a meal. Because C. horridus often congregate in large numbers at den sites for their winter hibernation, they are highly susceptible to human interference. In fact, many populations in the northeastern U.S. have been eliminated as a result of overcollection and unnecessary killing by humans. These snakes are an important part of the food web because they limit rodent populations , as well as being a source of food to several large mammal and bird species. Conservation efforts have been implemented in many states in an effort to learn more about these important predators and to protect those remaining populations from further human-induced problems.
Females give live birth to an average of ten young in the late summer months.
West of the Mississippi, the Timber Rattlesnake is found as far west as Nebraska, Kansas, Oklahoma and Texas, and as far north as Minnesota. It is not found in Mexico, and only a single small population is found in Canada. In Texas, Crotalus horridus is found only in the wetter portions of the eastern quarter of the state. Across much of its range, C. horridus is protected from collection by state regulations. Texas is no exception, and the Timber Rattlesnake is classified as a threatened species by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department and is fully protected under the law.