We haven't heard about too many rattlesnake incidents around the Bay so far this year. But there are plenty of the venomous snakes up in the North Bay, and a 13-year-old boy had an encounter with one over the weekend.

The Sonoma County Sheriff's Office posted to Facebook about putting its helicopter, Henry-1, into use for the rescue. Sometime on Sunday, a report came in that a 13-year-old boy had been bitten by a rattlesnake in a rural part of Calistoga — which is near the Sonoma County border.

Henry-1 was dispatched and reportedly reached the boy within six minutes of taking off.

"A sheriff paramedic aboard Henry-1 had already contacted a local area hospital to ensure they had the proper anti-venom in case a transport was needed," the sheriff's office writes.

The arriving paramedic "quickly determined the victim needed to get to a hospital right away," and the boy was airlifted to an area hospital.

The boy's condition had not been publicized as of Monday, per NBC Bay Area.

A similar incident involving a seven-year-old boy happened on Mount Diablo in early June. In that case, the boy's mother carried him down to a parking lot and he was airlifted from there.

Back in October 2021 up in Sonoma County, a huge snake den was discovered underneath a home with upwards of 90 snakes.

Snakes tend to emerge to find warmth in the afternoon sun, and experts say they are not typically aggressive to humans unless provoked — or stepped on. It's important to watch the trail ahead of you when hiking, and just to let snakes pass by if you spot them.

In the event of a bite, it's important to remain calm and try to keep one's heart rate low. It's recommended that you lie down to keep the bite level with or below the heart, and never suck at the wound or apply a tourniquet.

Photo: Cy Lindberg