Snake hunts in florida

[augustino]

Recently I've heard of many non-native snakes securing a firm foothold in Florida, specifically in the Homestead - Everglades - Miami and Southern portions of Florida and even into the keys.
I've seen many iguana lizards swimming and roaming free in the keys and have heard of Burmese Pythones, Boa Constrictors and even Cobras being seen, and taking pets in otherwise civilized areas. In fact there are lizards from Ghana, I think?? Roaming freely and scaring everyone. They are kin to monitors and along with looking fierce they are fierce!

Now some of these escaped after the hurricanes rolled through and destroyed the shops and homes where these exotics were housed. BUT many more have been released into the wild once they became too large to keep any longer.

So I've heard that there are now hunts that go out in search of these INVADERS from other lands in hopes of keeping a lid on a problem that can have devestating and dire consequences on the eco system.

Anyone know or or heave info on these types of hunts?

THANKS!!!

 

[slabuda]

Dont know really as Im not from there. But I would think its an opportunistic type of hunting. I mean how do you track them? And they are near IMPOSSIBLE to see coiled up sitting there.

 

[augustino]

Yes I agree with you. One show I was watching on the History Channel, I think??? Showed groups out at night on the roads that go through remote areas of the glades and the surrounding Homestead sections and others. The snakes come out in the evening and lay on the hot pavement during the dark hours. They also went into and abandoned warehouse and had hunches as to where they might breed and live. The majority of these locations yielded nothing. But several had proof positive (baby snakes; eggs; skins; etc...) indicating snake activity and breeding.

Some of these critters were pretty big! I wouldn't want to wrestle a 9 or 10 foot long snake that's for sure. I would hit it with a load of buckshot, TWICE!!! Then skin it and let the buzzards have their fill if another snake didn't come along and eat it first.

 

[floridabou3]

you got to walk around in the lakes and find them with your feet lol

 

[cwbjaxfl]

my wife had a snake fall off the roof of out house yesterday and land on her arm then it fell too the ground....it was a baby rattlesnake. in the end, it got shot with a .410

 

[oneounceload]

There are permits to be obtained

http://www.nbcmiami.com/news/local-beat/Snake-Hunt-Starts-Again-86863542.html

 

[Art Eatman]

I lose track of whether a subject has been discussed here or over at http://www.TheFiringLine.com I do know there has been a lengthy discussion of the feral snakes in Florida, and of the state regulations/permits/season on public lands. Try a search for background.

 

[qajaq59]

Look it up to be sure, but I believe they recently legalized shooting the Burmese Pythones in the Glades. And even up in New England we had to watch for rattlers lying on warm rocks on the trails after dusk when running our coon dogs.