Posted: 12/15/2012 6:38:21 AM EDT
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I'm intrigued by the Python Challenge coming up, but I have a few questions. Is this something you can do on land walking around? Or do you need an airboat? I'm assuming a 12 gauge for the rather large ones? How hard are these to find/hunt? Obviously I've never hunted python's before but I'm interested in this.
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Don't get your hopes up..... http://myfwc.com/license/wildlife/nonnative-species/python-permit-program/ |
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I have spent a lifetime in Floridas Woods and swamps, I grew up in a rural area, camped one weekend a month in remote areas from 11 to 17 in scouts, and have hunted religiously all my adult life, since 1977.
I will not be bothering to try to hunt Pythons. They can only be found in South Florida, mostley in the Glades. I would consider an Airboat a neccesity for hunting them, and I would bet you would easily burn hundreds of dollars in fuel for every snake you found. The area is vast, and the snakes were born to hide. The best bet is to put a bounty on them to make it worth the bother to pursue one if you run across it. Seeing snakes is somewhat rare. I have seen a couple of black snakes and one little Rattler catching some sun all year. I would expect most of the ones killed to be a by-catch of people who stumbled across one while hunting something else or airboating. Of course, I haven't hunted down south, the place may be stiff with them and people come back with a dozen everytime they go out. Doubt it though. Just my opinion, I could be wrong...... 
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Quoted: I have spent a lifetime in Floridas Woods and swamps, I grew up in a rural area, camped one weekend a month in remote areas from 11 to 17 in scouts, and have hunted religiously all my adult life, since 1977. I will not be bothering to try to hunt Pythons. They can only be found in South Florida, mostley in the Glades. I would consider an Airboat a neccesity for hunting them, and I would bet you would easily burn hundreds of dollars in fuel for every snake you found. The area is vast, and the snakes were born to hide. The best bet is to put a bounty on them to make it worth the bother to pursue one if you run across it. Seeing snakes is somewhat rare. I have seen a couple of black snakes and one little Rattler catching some sun all year. I would expect most of the ones killed to be a by-catch of people who stumbled across one while hunting something else or airboating. Of course, I haven't hunted down south, the place may be stiff with them and people come back with a dozen everytime they go out. Doubt it though. Just my opinion, I could be wrong...... Thanks for the response. I would imagine them growing so large isn't because they are hanging out in plain sight all the time. Not having access to an airboat, that might be a wild goose chase.
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Quoted:
I have spent a lifetime in Floridas Woods and swamps, I grew up in a rural area, camped one weekend a month in remote areas from 11 to 17 in scouts, and have hunted religiously all my adult life, since 1977. I will not be bothering to try to hunt Pythons. They can only be found in South Florida, mostley in the Glades. I would consider an Airboat a neccesity for hunting them, and I would bet you would easily burn hundreds of dollars in fuel for every snake you found. The area is vast, and the snakes were born to hide. The best bet is to put a bounty on them to make it worth the bother to pursue one if you run across it. Seeing snakes is somewhat rare. I have seen a couple of black snakes and one little Rattler catching some sun all year. I would expect most of the ones killed to be a by-catch of people who stumbled across one while hunting something else or airboating. Of course, I haven't hunted down south, the place may be stiff with them and people come back with a dozen everytime they go out. Doubt it though. Just my opinion, I could be wrong...... I actually heard a radio story on this subject just a couple weeks ago. They had a scientist on from a herpetology research center, I think in NC, and his area of study was the non-native invasive species of snakes in the Everglades. His comment was that these snakes spend upwards of 80% of their lives curled up in a hole somewhere, so going "hunting" for them was likely to be an exercise in futility. He said the way they normally find the ones they study is by simply driving up and down the roads in the 'glades around dusk and hoping to see them lying along the side of the road. |
| I was remotely interested in it, until I really thought about it. Somehow being out on an airboat hunting fairly large (some giant) snakes in the middle of water populated with said giant snakes, alligators, and the occasional croc does NOT sound like a place I want to be. Besides, I'd be terrible at the contest...i don't want to collect the damn things. I'd just go shoot 'em and leave 'em there to rot...I wouldn't bring them back for proof |
| What is so ridiculous about the FWC is that if they REALLY wanted to ge rid of them it would just be open season all year long with a permit. No bag limits not pictures needed no GPS data for sure. IF they are that bad and Florida needs to get rid of them make it easy not a pain in the butt. What commi B came up with all these rulles and regs on an invasive species that is suposedly taking over the glades. |
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The Python Challenge event.
http://www.pythonchallenge.org/registration.aspx A FWC hunting license or area management python permit is not required to participate in this event which islmited to certain areas. |
