Years back I would pay for my fuel and food by hunting the red rattlers. Five bucks for a rattle sold to Cuban witch doctors, Ten bucks for the meat which I would delicately barbecue, and 20 bucks for each skin which the Mexicans would happily buy and then fuck up because they didn't know how to tan the hides properly. Me, I would use a six step process to get them to good pliable leather stage. Notice the rattle snake scales are "keeled" meaning they have a ridge down the center of each scale. That's the one feature I don't like much in rattle snake skins. I've tanned a Copperhead snake and I must say, their skin is much better because the scales are smooth so the skin ends up feeling more velvety when properly tanned. Of course you can send the skins to a tannery but I vetoed that right from the start since they charge a ridiculous amount to do what I can easily do myself by hand. Reptile skins are tough but thin so they are easy and quick to tan if you have a good system. Most directions people give on hand tanning are just not good instructions.