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Unless, your workday puts you up close and personal to the local terrain (i.e. farmer, surveyor, etc.) you don't have much to worry about.
A rattlesnake would most likely to be the animal you would encounter, and they usually make it pretty obvious when you encroach on their territory. It'll be the snake with a rattle on the end of its tail, buzzing like a beehive.
If you do stumble across one, FREEZE. Give the snake a chance to escape, and usually it will. Back away SLOWLY. Most bites are caused because the person tries to mess with the snake.
Generally, wild rattlesnakes only bite in defense as a last resort, when faced with a large predator. They can strike about 1/3 to 1/2 their body length, so while you're "frozen" do a quick calculation. Ask yourself, "Can this snake reach me if it wanted to?"
If the answer is "no", simply back off.
If the answer is "yes", well, then it becomes a judgment call.
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