# Florida Python Hunting Season 3/8 - 4/17/2010



## BornToHuntAndFish (Feb 22, 2010)

Looks like Florida has a new hunting season which is probably long overdue.  Hope it's not too late.

http://www.miamiherald.com/2010/02/22/1493525/python-hunting-season-set-for.html

Python hunting season set for South Florida

Monday, Feb. 22, 2010 

The Associated Press

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. -- State wildlife officials have created a special python hunting season to try to stop the spread of the non-native snakes throughout the Everglades.

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission says anyone with a hunting license who pays a $26 permit fee can kill the reptiles from March 8 to April 17 on state-managed lands around the Everglades in South Florida.

The season is open for Burmese and Indian pythons, African rock pythons, green anacondas and Nile monitor lizards.

Thousands of the nonnative Burmese pythons are believed to be in the region, upsetting the natural balance of the ecosystem.

Wildlife officials on Monday trained a group of hunters on how to identify, stalk, capture and remove the reptiles.


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## golffreak (Feb 22, 2010)

Like you said, should have done that a long time ago.


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## Redbow (Feb 22, 2010)

Kill em all , good riddance !


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## Philbow (Feb 22, 2010)

I wonder how long it will be before QPM is being proposed.


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## jason bales (Feb 22, 2010)

thats stupid they have a problem and there going to put a season on it and charge you to help them with it , what is happening to this world!


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## shawn mills (Feb 22, 2010)

Just how do you measure one of them suckers for P&Y or B&C ????


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## swamp hunter (Feb 22, 2010)

I,m thinkin TRADE!!. Ole Shawn ,s got some nice Bucks. I got some BIG Snakes . We,ll work it out.They Got a little guy @8 ft. last week just down the road. I,m waitin for the Water to drop a little more and I,m loadin up the Machete and my Cayote Bunnie and calls.


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## shawn mills (Feb 22, 2010)

swamp hunter said:


> I,m thinkin TRADE!!. Ole Shawn ,s got some nice Bucks. I got some BIG Snakes . We,ll work it out.They Got a little guy @8 ft. last week just down the road. I,m waitin for the Water to drop a little more and I,m loadin up the Machete and my Cayote Bunnie and calls.


 I'm in! whens the peak of the python rut?


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## backwoodsjoe (Feb 22, 2010)

swamp hunter said:


> I,m thinkin TRADE!!. Ole Shawn ,s got some nice Bucks. I got some BIG Snakes . We,ll work it out.They Got a little guy @8 ft. last week just down the road. I,m waitin for the Water to drop a little more and I,m loadin up the Machete and my Cayote Bunnie and calls.



I'd like a few of them snake skins to put on knife sheaths !


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## Son (Feb 22, 2010)

They never miss a chance to make money.  If they think permits are needed to keep up with who is hunting, they should be free.


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## lungbuster123 (Feb 22, 2010)

You can buy wild caught pythons online at variouse snake websites (I used to have a bunch of snakes)...the reason they have such a big problem is because people were buying burmese pythons ect. and kepping them untile they reach around 8-10 feet then people realize that they are in for more then they originally thought. Snakes are harder to care for then most people think cleaning, feeding, keeping their houseing correct. It becomes a job that takes alot of time away from you. They found the first albino burmese python in the wild last year I believe, and there are literally tons of them roaming around Florida. Those guys better watch out catching them because if its not done right then they can be nasty critters and they have a NASTY BITE!


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## bighonkinjeep (Feb 23, 2010)

A season on a non native that is destroying native species and throwing the ecosystem out of whack. That's gotta be one of the stupidest things I've heard in a while. Open season with no permit, bag limit or restrictions sounds more in line. Maybe even a big ol party similar to a rattlesnake roundup.


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## Twenty five ought six (Feb 23, 2010)

I don't understand the idea of a "season.'

So if you walk up on a 16 foot python, and it's not python season , you just wish it well and send it on it's way?


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## petedao (Feb 23, 2010)

They are trying to apply the saying " making lemonade out of a lemon".   The only thing is you have to do the squeezing and not let the python do the squeezing first


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## BornToHuntAndFish (Feb 23, 2010)

shawn mills said:


> Just how do you measure one of them suckers for P&Y or B&C ????



The PBS Ch. 8 Nature special on pythons this past Sunday nite reported that these giant snakes can grow to 26 feet long, but I have only heard of any caught in the wild of the United States up to 20 feet.  Wonder what the equivalent would be for a python?  

I'll start it off & just say maybe a 15 footer bagged with a bow makes P&Y, and maybe a 20 footer bagged with a firearm makes B&C.  What about bagging & tagging a python with just your hands, which may need a little lower scoring system, & a minimum like maybe 10 footers???  





lungbuster123 said:


> Those guys better watch out catching them because if its not done right then they can be nasty critters and they have a NASTY BITE!



Yep, I've seen & heard how nasty a python's bite & teeth are.  I'll post a photo for example.  I never knew they have so many rows of teeth hidden in mouth tissue.  This past Sunday's PBS Nature special also showed a python skull with long teeth with 2 rows on the bottom jawbone & 4 rows on the top jawbone.





bighonkinjeep said:


> A season on a non native that is destroying native species and throwing the ecosystem out of whack. That's gotta be one of the stupidest things I've heard in a while. Open season with no permit, bag limit or restrictions sounds more in line. Maybe even a big ol party similar to a rattlesnake roundup.



That's sound right on the money to me.  Hopefully it will not take Florida long to open their eyes at the potential loss & damage to the state & remove all limits & restrictions.


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## lungbuster123 (Feb 23, 2010)

I never got bit by any of the big snakes I had but I got tagged by afew of the babies and they dont play around when they strike at you...catching one with nothing but your hands can be done, but you better be fast and you better have some help on any of them over 8-10' foot.


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## swamp hunter (Feb 23, 2010)

It,s the Perfect Big Game. Scent Free?. It don,t matter, Camo??. It don,t matter. No special Scents, Food plots,Cut a Track 5 days old?, Well he,s 20 ft. away.No early AM junk , Sleep in if you want .Best Huntin is at Noon. I,m gonna have some openings on my Python Lease soon  Send your Checks now.


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## CarMan (Feb 23, 2010)

Ill take a bite from one of those over any copperhead, or rattler in Ga! I know it sounds knee-jerkish, but I kill most every poisonous snake I see. They give me the heebee jeebeez. Pythins I could deal with, as long as I aint swimming with them.


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## mbhawkins123 (Feb 23, 2010)

CarMan said:


> Ill take a bite from one of those over any copperhead, or rattler in Ga! I know it sounds knee-jerkish, but I kill most every poisonous snake I see. They give me the heebee jeebeez. Pythins I could deal with, as long as I aint swimming with them.



you've obviously never been bit by a copper head or rattler!


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## Throwback (Feb 23, 2010)

I'd like to shoot one of them lizards.

Reckon a .22 would do it?

T


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## shawn mills (Feb 23, 2010)

mbhawkins123 said:


> you've obviously never been bit by a copper head or rattler!



Thinks he's saying just that... He dont want to be bit, read his post again.


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## lungbuster123 (Feb 24, 2010)

CarMan said:


> Ill take a bite from one of those over any copperhead, or rattler in Ga! I know it sounds knee-jerkish, but I kill most every poisonous snake I see. They give me the heebee jeebeez. Pythins I could deal with, as long as I aint swimming with them.



You would be suprised at the shear power that snakes have in their body...a snake is nothing but muscle...the big pythons even a 10 footer could easly kill a man...when you have a large snake on your body you can feel how hard they grip just sitting there if one where to acttually constrict you you would be in ALOT of trouble...it doesnt take a 15-20ft snake to kill someone exspecially if your by yourself.


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## slip (Feb 24, 2010)

Throwback said:


> I'd like to shoot one of them lizards.
> 
> Reckon a .22 would do it?
> 
> T



everyone knows it takes atleast a 30-06 to shoot a lizard. and nothing less then and .270 for snakes.


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## bfriendly (Feb 24, 2010)

> thats stupid they have a problem and there going to put a season on it and charge you to help them with it , what is happening to this world!



EGGsactly!  Ya know it is almost funny, they know they have a problem, but they still think they need to be in Control

If you are out fishin in the glades or whatever, and you see a Python, please KILL IT!


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## MudDucker (Feb 24, 2010)

Saw a program on this problem the other night.  It is a huge problem for South Florida.

This season and permit is nothing but a rip off to make money for the State.  Nearly every water treatment district south of Orlando pays someone to hunt these suckers year round.  Both the State and Federal government have spent many thousands on folks to eradicate them.  Outlaw ownership and open the season with no special license required.

Someone in Florida got a tad too much sun when they came up with this bright idea.


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## lungbuster123 (Feb 25, 2010)

I dont think outlawing ownership is the right way to go about it...there are alot of people who make a living breeding and selling these animals...I do however believe that there should be restrictions on who can buy them and how many animals private collectors can own


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## Throwback (Feb 25, 2010)

no  restrictions on ownership, just burn them at the stake when they release them. 

T


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## mr4shootin (Feb 27, 2010)

Twenty five ought six said:


> I don't understand the idea of a "season.'
> 
> So if you walk up on a 16 foot python, and it's not python season , you just wish it well and send it on it's way?



So they can make money selling permits.


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## Coastie (Feb 28, 2010)

jason bales said:


> thats stupid they have a problem and there going to put a season on it and charge you to help them with it , what is happening to this world!



X2.
If they are a problem, get rid of them don't teach people to identify, capture and remove. Where the heck are they going to remove them to?????????


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## lungbuster123 (Feb 28, 2010)

Coastie said:


> X2.
> If they are a problem, get rid of them don't teach people to identify, capture and remove. Where the heck are they going to remove them to?????????



All they have to do is give them a health check and private breeders will buy them for breeding purposes.


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## Coastie (Mar 1, 2010)

lungbuster123 said:


> All they have to do is give them a health check and private breeders will buy them for breeding purposes.



That, is ridiculous! The problem now is too darn many of them being released or escaped from private ownership, get rid of them permanently. #3 buckshot should work just fine.


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## lungbuster123 (Mar 1, 2010)

Coastie said:


> That, is ridiculous! The problem now is too darn many of them being released or escaped from private ownership, get rid of them permanently. #3 buckshot should work just fine.



I agree...there are breeders who own licenses and do everything by the book, but when you get these small guys who breed snakes in a shack behind the house and then one day decide that they cant care for them or are tierd of spending money to feed them and care for them. Thats where the problem started for Florida people just realizeing they are harder to care for then they thought or that they are growning BIG AND FAST!!! This is the reason first time reptile owners should ask LOTS AND LOTS of questions before venturing out and buying a pet snake.


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## tv_racin_fan (Mar 1, 2010)

There is no special permit or lisence required. All they did was open a special season so that people who wanted to could hunt and kill them a bit longer in the year.


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## lungbuster123 (Mar 1, 2010)

tv_racin_fan said:


> There is no special permit or lisence required. All they did was open a special season so that people who wanted to could hunt and kill them a bit longer in the year.



So anyone could go hunt? Nothing special needed?


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## tv_racin_fan (Mar 1, 2010)

That is my understanding sir, provided you can legally hunt something you can kill them. You can hunt them during any legal hunting season and this season was made so they could extend the killing season on them. I believe hog hunting works the same here except they haven't come out with a perscribed HOG season. You just legally kill them anytime something else is in season.


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## BornToHuntAndFish (Mar 11, 2010)

*Florida snake hunting season gone terribly wrong*

For a while I've been expecting someone to come up with some humor about this new hunting season & it did not take long as you can see in the cartoon below from the web link:  

http://jacksonville.com/interact/bl...ntest_florida_snake_hunting_season_gone_terri 

"Florida snake hunting season gone terribly wrong"


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## HermanMerman (Mar 11, 2010)

Maybe this has been asked already, but why would there be a season for a non native species? Wouldn't the goal be to completely eradicate the population?


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## gobbleinwoods (Mar 11, 2010)

Whiteboy said:


> I don't have any desire to try and pull something big out of tight quarters that eats gators whole.



pull something that big out.  nope.  make it turtle food.  yeap!!


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## Oldstick (Mar 14, 2010)

swamp hunter said:


> It,s the Perfect Big Game. Scent Free?. It don,t matter, Camo??. It don,t matter. No special Scents, Food plots,Cut a Track 5 days old?, Well he,s 20 ft. away.No early AM junk , Sleep in if you want .Best Huntin is at Noon. I,m gonna have some openings on my Python Lease soon  Send your Checks now.



What if they live within 5 miles of the lease?  Are they still allowed to be a member?  They promise not to set foot on the lease any day without express written permission of all the other members, not even if they see a suspicious trailer hauling out 4 wheelers.


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## tony0345 (Mar 14, 2010)

have my permit,aint missing with them.


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## duckdawgdixie (Mar 14, 2010)

tv_racin_fan said:


> That is my understanding sir, provided you can legally hunt something you can kill them. You can hunt them during any legal hunting season and this season was made so they could extend the killing season on them. I believe hog hunting works the same here except they haven't come out with a perscribed HOG season. You just legally kill them anytime something else is in season.



in ga you can kill hogs year round, but i think i get what your sayin is that they made the special season people could hunt em on public land longer


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## Sunshine1 (Mar 14, 2010)

Here ya go:

http://myfwc.com/NEWSROOM/10/south/News_10_S_ROC_SpecialSeason.htm


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## tv_racin_fan (Mar 14, 2010)

duckdawgdixie said:


> in ga you can kill hogs year round, but i think i get what your sayin is that they made the special season people could hunt em on public land longer


 
That is according to what a biologist who I believe works for FL DNR said on another forum.

The capture and removal thing might throw some people...

"Reptiles of concern may be taken by all legal methods (including shotguns, rimfire rifles and pistols) used in the taking of game animals and taking alligators on the water; however, the use of centerfire rifles is prohibited.  Reptiles of concern may not be taken out of the wildlife management areas alive and must be reported to the FWC"


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## arrendale8105 (Mar 16, 2010)

Kill em all!!! i don't think they really  care because they need to be eradicated.  They're just tryin to cash in on  some money from the less informed to  help pay for their professional eradication experts they have hired


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