Reply #12: "What About Rattlesnakes?"

[Clara T]

"Nobody in their right mind would go into the bush on foot to pick up a dead
bird--the danger of rattlesnakes is too great and that's what trained bird
dogs are for." That and flushing out the prey.

"You turn the dogs loose and they crisscross in front of the vehicle until
they point or set a covey," Ben explained. "When a covey flushes, it rises
to a height of 20 to 30 feet and then settles. By the time it drops below 10
feet you have no shot because of the underbrush."

I've heard other hunters mention a horizon rule--you don't shoot at birds
below the horizon

from same link