A savvy snake hunter could really make some money!


FLORIDA’S PYTHON ROUND UP ARE STAGGERING




The numbers are in for Florida’s python elimination program and they are ridiculous. The state hired hunters to go into swamps and remove the unwanted snakes. After they tallied up all the inches and pounds the final numbers were astounding.

According to News Channel 4 out of Jacksonville, hunters killed over two miles worth of snakes with a weight approximately 10.4 tons. In total, 1,711 snakes have been captured during the program which is attempting to get rid of Burmese pythons that continue to do severe damage to the Everglades ecosystem.

Hunters were paid $50 a snake and $25 dollar bonus per foot for snakes over 4 feet. So an 8 ft snake would be worth $150 bucks. Also, a snake found guarding a nest with eggs is worth an additional $100.

The largest python ever killed in Florida was a female that measured 18 feet in length and weighed 128 pounds. If that snake was captured by one of the hunters it would have netted them a cool $400.

Brian Hargrove of Miami captured 235 snakes, the most of any hunter in the program.

Even though those numbers sound impressive much more is needed. Scientist estimate that conservatively there are at least 30,000 pythons in Florida and some researchers say that number could be as high as 300,000. Either way the removal of 1,711 snakes is great but is only scratching the surface.

A lot more work needs to be done. More hunters and money is needed to even put a dent into the population. Hopefully people and Government officials can come together and take even more decisive action.

http://thehuntingnews.com/numb...cAvb8hzAM4k9qOIlVuOM

Hope they don’t make it to Mississippi.

quote:

Originally posted by xgrunt:
Hope they don’t make it to Mississippi.

They don’t survive beyond the no freeze zone. Naples and below.

Mike

Whole lotta fine eating there!

George

What happens to all the dead Pythons ?

quote:

Originally posted by 30.06king:
What happens to all the dead Pythons ?

Cat food? IDK...

quote:

Originally posted by 30.06king:
What happens to all the dead Pythons ?

Cowboy boots, purses, etc.

Send them to Washington. They have a lot of relatives there.

I remember when it was said armadillos could not live where there were hard freezes. We have an abundant number in north Alabama on top of Lookout Mountain.

quote:

Originally posted by Ole Miss Guy:
I remember when it was said armadillos could not live where there were hard freezes. We have an abundant number in north Alabama on top of Lookout Mountain.

You won’t get pythons long term living and reproducing anywhere north of Naples - the freeze line. The wildcard may be global warming but you just need a hard freeze to control the population.

Now Nile monitor lizards might be different - have seen some near my gun range in east Orlando.

Mike

quote:

Originally posted by Beretta682E:

quote:

Originally posted by Ole Miss Guy:
I remember when it was said armadillos could not live where there were hard freezes. We have an abundant number in north Alabama on top of Lookout Mountain.

You won’t get pythons long term living and reproducing anywhere north of Naples - the freeze line. The wildcard may be global warming but you just need a hard freeze to control the population.

Now Nile monitor lizards might be different - have seen some near my gun range in east Orlando.

Mike

Hopefully you are correct, but never underestimate the ability of critters to adapt and change to suit their environment.

Cold weather studies...

http://www.reptilesmagazine.co...ther-Python-Studies/

Good one JDollar. Packy

quote:

Originally posted by Beretta682E:

quote:

Originally posted by Ole Miss Guy:
I remember when it was said armadillos could not live where there were hard freezes. We have an abundant number in north Alabama on top of Lookout Mountain.

You won’t get pythons long term living and reproducing anywhere north of Naples - the freeze line. The wildcard may be global warming but you just need a hard freeze to control the population.

Now Nile monitor lizards might be different - have seen some near my gun range in east Orlando.

Mike

They have been found considerably north of there. There was a 19 footer in Kissimmee.

https://www.orlandoweekly.com/...-melbourne-this-week

Never underestimate a species ability to adapt to their environment.

There have been multiple credible sightings of python’s near my sisters place in Saint Augustine.

It was commonly believed that armadillos would never be able to live north of the Missouri River, yet here they are, firmly entrenched and expanding north.

quote:

Originally posted by larryshores:

quote:

Originally posted by Beretta682E:

quote:

Originally posted by Ole Miss Guy:
I remember when it was said armadillos could not live where there were hard freezes. We have an abundant number in north Alabama on top of Lookout Mountain.

You won’t get pythons long term living and reproducing anywhere north of Naples - the freeze line. The wildcard may be global warming but you just need a hard freeze to control the population.

Now Nile monitor lizards might be different - have seen some near my gun range in east Orlando.

Mike

They have been found considerably north of there. There was a 19 footer in Kissimmee.

https://www.orlandoweekly.com/...-melbourne-this-week

Question is are they breeders and can they survive for time. So much is pets being abandoned.

Mike

quote:

Originally posted by Beretta682E:

quote:

Originally posted by larryshores:

quote:

Originally posted by Beretta682E:

quote:

Originally posted by Ole Miss Guy:
I remember when it was said armadillos could not live where there were hard freezes. We have an abundant number in north Alabama on top of Lookout Mountain.

You won’t get pythons long term living and reproducing anywhere north of Naples - the freeze line. The wildcard may be global warming but you just need a hard freeze to control the population.

Now Nile monitor lizards might be different - have seen some near my gun range in east Orlando.

Mike

They have been found considerably north of there. There was a 19 footer in Kissimmee.

https://www.orlandoweekly.com/...-melbourne-this-week

Question is are they breeders and can they survive for time. So much is pets being abandoned.

Mike

If they are pets they are supposed to have a chip. This one didn’t.

is this a year round pay-off or is there some kind of season?
do I need a license and tags or do I just show up somewhere with dead snakes?

larrys
How long has the chip rule been in place and who is to say that this one was not "chipped" just because it is the rule.

I really don't know.

quote:

Originally posted by Lamar:
is this a year round pay-off or is there some kind of season?
do I need a license and tags or do I just show up somewhere with dead snakes?

I do not profess to know for a fact. I have read a few articles.

I think it all depends on when and where one wants to hunt. There are different rules and regulations depending on where and when . Further, certain entities (for example the S FL Water Management District) have hired some people to catch/kill these snakes on an as needed basis.

I believe on private land, one can kill them anytime using any method. There may or may not be a bounty. On public land, it is far more regulated.

Personally, I have never seen one but I am fairly far north for that. My ranch is really far north for that.

I can, however state unequivocally that Mike attracts snakes. The last time he was at my place, it was cold. I killed a pygmy rattler and a moccasin in a couple of hundred yards and it was cold to boot! I had never seen a snake there before.

Those are poisonous Jerry! Poor pythons.

quote:

Originally posted by jdollar:
Send them to Washington. They have a lot of relatives there.

quote:

Originally posted by larryshores:

quote:

Originally posted by Lamar:
is this a year round pay-off or is there some kind of season?
do I need a license and tags or do I just show up somewhere with dead snakes?

I do not profess to know for a fact. I have read a few articles.

I think it all depends on when and where one wants to hunt. There are different rules and regulations depending on where and when . Further, certain entities (for example the S FL Water Management District) have hired some people to catch/kill these snakes on an as needed basis.

I believe on private land, one can kill them anytime using any method. There may or may not be a bounty. On public land, it is far more regulated.

Personally, I have never seen one but I am fairly far north for that. My ranch is really far north for that.

I can, however state unequivocally that Mike attracts snakes. The last time he was at my place, it was cold. I killed a pygmy rattler and a moccasin in a couple of hundred yards and it was cold to boot! I had never seen a snake there before.

Snakes like me and I like them. Not enough to keep them as pets. I just don’t mess with them good or bad - they go their way and I go mine.

Poisons snakes don’t scare me. Pythons probably more.

Mike

I'm guessing they no longer have a nutria problem...

Just hang pictures around of O'Donnell, Feinstein Hillary and Pelosi and they will all leave in a big hurry !!!

Hip

thanks Larry.

I kind of figured if the F&G were involved they would find a way to want one thing and then make it so they couldn't get it, but make damn sure they got the funding for it.

quote:

Originally posted by larryshores:
https://www.cnn.com/2019/04/07...ured-trnd/index.html

That's a big snake!

These snakes are but one example of what can happen with invasive species. I have a ranch in Levy County Florida.. It has a few ponds, water holes or whatever you want to call them. There is a small water hole probably no larger than 4 full sized pick up trucks. I have just found that it is full of armored catfish, another invasive species. This little hole it totally isolated from any others. How these got there is totally puzzling to me.

Larry,

I would bet the invasive catfish hitched a ride as eggs on the legs of wading birds. It is pretty amazing how resilient invasive species can be.

Tom

Tom:

I was just told about someone catching a bunch with a net. He put them in buckets with no water. When he next checked , 3 hours later, they were very much alive

Resilient? I’d say so.

I have had several mud cats live for 24+ hours in the back of my truck.
I was gonna use them for fertilizer but when I opened the irrigation gate they started swimming around the garden area when the water hit them.

They have had some recent success radio tagging male pythons so that they lead searchers to the big females.

Also found Indian rock python genes which make them more adaptable...
https://www.livescience.com/63...threat-wildlife.html

What is the preferred method of killing pythons ?
.22 to the head.
A shotgun.

I see a new show advertised on the Discovery Channel. It is called Guardian of the Glades or something like that. It is about the guys catching snakes.

This new show starts Tuesday.