Everglades Snake Hunting

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1hogfan83

New member
Did it say what they are doing with them? Im hoping boots, wallets, ect? Just shooting just and doing whatever I dont know. A .38 with shot in it would probably do wonders. I hope the dog gets milkbones!
 
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Pahoo

New member
It's all protein, I guess !!

I have been following this problem down there and it is serious. They are also eating large alligators and the gator will start to eat it's way out from inside the Burmese Python. By the time the gator makes it out, both soon die, a short time later. ..... :eek:

I too have eaten Rattler and it's good. Don't see why a Burmese Python should be any different but right now, I'd say that I prefer that gator. .... IRO

Trained dogs are a great solution or detector as Pytons are very hard to spot. I have also see where dogs are trained to locate and retrieve a certain specie of endangered turtles. .... :)

Be Safe !!!
 
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LSnSC

New member
I dont believ any snake no matter how large can handle a full grown gator. He is the apex predator in his environment. Ive watched gators eat everything from wading birds to wild hogs. I believe they would make short work of even a large snake.
 
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Pahoo

New member
Size does matter !!!

I dont believ any snake no matter how large can handle a full grown gator.
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Okay; Then would you believe that a full grown Python can easily handle a medium size Gator? It's all relative and pythons are eating gators. .... ;)


Be Safe !!!
 
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Bigfatts

New member
I watched a show a while back on NatGeo where they found a python skeleton 20+ feet long, they thought it had died in a hard freeze. There is pretty much nothing that thing couldn't eat if it put its mind to it. I've read a few news reports that have said that in areas where the pythons had been established that rabbit, raccoon, possum, etc populations had declined up to 90%! Deer, Bobcat, etc were also on the decline. It really says something when RABBITS can't keep up with something. I tell you what, if man doesn't fill in the marsh and chop down all the trees he just dumps in a new super predator the ecosystem can't cope with.
 
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shortwave

New member
Not only is a python capable of killing gator but can and will also kill a croc. and caiman.
 
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ClayInTx

New member
It can get serious.

After the pythons have cleaned up all the swamp critters they’ll then come into town and catch kids at the school bus stop.
 
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whip1

New member
I believe a python can kill a gator. I DO NOT believe for a second that a gator can eat his way out of a python........ Pythons don't eat living prey.
 
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BigMikey76

New member
I believe a python can kill a gator. I DO NOT believe for a second that a gator can eat his way out of a python........ Pythons don't eat living prey.
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Try again. I used to feed a Burmese python regularly (owned by a friend of mine). All she ate was live rabbits... and they were still kicking when she started swallowing.
 
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btmj

New member
What are the natural predators of large pythons in Africa and SE Asia? In other words, what type of predator do those regions have that is missing in South Florida?

After the WSJ ran a story on this a few weeks ago, I talked to a marine biologist friend I know. In his opinion, gators eat small pythons regularly, and large pythons eat immature gators. But he did not think that a full grown 20 ft, 120 lb python (which would be a very rare near-record size) could eat a full grown 12 ft 600 lb alligator (which would not be unusually large at all). I should have asked him about the snake's natural predators, but I did not think of it until just now.
 
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Water-Man

New member
It will take MUCH MORE than trained Labs to put a dent in Florida's python problem. They've been multiplying in the Everglades at least back to hurricane Andrew and that means there are a bunch of them.

And by the way btmj, a large python goes over 200 lbs.
 
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Art Eatman

Staff in Memoriam
Be nice if the state would put a bounty on them. Maybe a sliding scale of $, based on length. Lots of out-of-work folks who still own shotguns, down in that area. Help solve two problems at once...
 
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btmj

New member
I think there is a lot of misconception about the size of large snakes... similar to the claims of wild hogs the size of bison...

From Wikipedia... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Python_reticulatus
Python reticulatus, also known as the (Asiatic) reticulated python[4], is a species of python found in Southeast Asia. Adults can grow to 6.95 metres (22.8 ft) in length[5] but normally grow to an average of 3-6 meters (10–20 feet). They are the world's longest snakes and longest reptile, but are not the most heavily built. ........ In general, reticulated pythons with lengths of more than 6 metres (20 ft) are rare. One of the largest scientifically measured specimens, which was from Balikpapan, East Kalimantan, Indonesia, was measured under anesthesia at 6.95 metres (22.8 ft) and weighed 59 kilograms (130 lb) after not having eaten for 3 months.[5] Widely published data of specimens that were reported to be several feet longer have not been confirmed
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The heaviest snake species is the green anaconda... from wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eunectes_murinus
The longest (and heaviest) scientifically recorded specimen was a female measuring 521 cm (17 ft 1 in) long and weighing 97.5 kilograms (215 lb).
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These big snakes are so strong and powerful, that attempts to measure them have been problematic. Zoologists and other experts from the 1950's to the 1980's often over estimated the length and weight. When it takes 8 strong zoo men to manhandle a big snake, you just can't believe that it only weighs 120 lbs... 'cause it feels like 500 lbs... Back then there were no safe sedatives for reptiles. Today, biologists can get accurate measurements.

By contrast the average male American alligator is about 11 feet, and weighs between 400 and 800 lb. Some unusual specimens can grow to 14 ft and weigh in at 1000 lb. The biggest on record was 19 feet 2 inches and 2,200 lb.

As hunters, we need to find ways to pursue and take these snakes in the everglades, similarly to the way we have stepped up to the plate with the feral hog problem. The environmental damage in the everglades from these large snakes is alarming.
 
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shortwave

New member
^^^ ...and the average adult female is 8.2ft.

Remembering that we gave figures for adult gators and given the fact that a Fla. gator grows about a ft. per year, it's not hard to see that an overabundance of pythons could do some damage to the gator population given the fact that the smaller female gator is probably more likely killed by the python. As well as the smaller males.

I'm with Art.

There should be a bounty on them.
Instead FDNR has been trying to capitalize on the whole scenario by selling permits/tags to hunt them? :rolleyes:

IMO, thats scary given the fact that when all this python thing went public, Fla. officials tried to down-play the quantity of pythons that even existed in Fla.
 
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bswiv

New member
The snakes are a true concern regardless of their size.

What the FWC needs to do is open it wide to hunting..........and work on recipes.

Best way to control a invasive is to make people want to hunt it and eat it.....
 
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