python hunting

fox news just aired a piece on python hunting in the everglades via firearms. anyone else see this?

I saw it, but Im at a hospital right now and the freakin volume is off. Using their resource center to get on here right now to see what yall had to say but i see nothing.

Looks like all pythons, anacondas, and monitor lizards are fair game. Then they had the guy wrangling a huge red tail boa on the tv.... wonder if they are included too. Should just say, all big snakes and lizards u see.

This is so dumb. What do you think is gonna happen when a hunter doesn't see a Burmese Python for days? He's gonna shoot native snakes.....that's what. BG doesn't care what they've supposedly been taught. They'll shoot any snake and say "It looked like a Burm to me".

Did you ever notice that people with no clue about snakes think every snake by the water is a Water Moccasin? Every snake that shakes it's tail is a Rattle snake. Every snake with any color is a Coral snake. Well now every big snake in the Everglades is gonna be a Burm. "Big" to the average person is 2 foot plus.

I agree with BG 100%. This is completely idiotic. Looks like Florida wants to ensure the extinction of all of the threatened snake species in the ENP. I wouldn't put it past a lot of the people this would attract to shoot every snake they happen across regardless of whether or not they can't find a Burmese python in the first few days, or even the first few hours.

A news story about a lady calling the police over a black racer she thought was a burm comes to mind...

You may not agree with it, but this act is the one thing that, if successful, will defeat the efforts by the Congress critters from inacting Federal legislation. If Florida can show them that they have this feral reptile problem under control, Congress would not need to act on this COUNTRY WIDE problem.

Jim Smith

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Originally Posted by j_h_smith

You may not agree with it, but this act is the one thing that, if successful, will defeat the efforts by the Congress critters from inacting Federal legislation. If Florida can show them that they have this feral reptile problem under control, Congress would not need to act on this COUNTRY WIDE problem.

Jim Smith

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I understand that, but unlike invasive species scientists and politicians, I actually do CARE about the native species in Florida, and am not putting on some façade in order to make money or further my own career. The state has already taken plenty of preventative measures for further releases, and measures to control the population. I just feel like they didn't think of the collateral damage that could be caused by an open hunting season for Python bivittatus.

anyone heard anything about an impact that the cold front that hit the everglades a couple mounths ago had on the python population?

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Originally Posted by merdcme

anyone heard anything about an impact that the cold front that hit the everglades a couple mounths ago had on the python population?

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I herd an estimated 50% or more died and all the ones that were in a captive outdoor study died.

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Originally Posted by Big Gunns

This is so dumb. What do you think is gonna happen when a hunter doesn't see a Burmese Python for days? He's gonna shoot native snakes.....that's what. BG doesn't care what they've supposedly been taught. They'll shoot any snake and say "It looked like a Burm to me".

Did you ever notice that people with no clue about snakes think every snake by the water is a Water Moccasin? Every snake that shakes it's tail is a Rattle snake. Every snake with any color is a Coral snake. Well now every big snake in the Everglades is gonna be a Burm. "Big" to the average person is 2 foot plus.

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Because as reptile keepers, we always judge a group of people and wish for regulations dictated by looking at the worst ones of the group that don't behave in a responsible manner.

Well I don't know if you all read my thread in the Herp section (Snake attack in our classrooms). This is what Time for Kids sent me to hand out to my students. Find my thread for details. The media and government are taking this too far.






https://ball-pythons.net/gallery/fil...1/dsc03038.jpg

you know if FL had actually enforced their permit laws and pet shops weren't out to just make a quick buck and educated people they never would have had this issue in the first place.....anyone who has wanted to go into the everglades to remove these animals has been told no by FL.....there are other options besides shooting every animal they just want an easy way out. Just so it's known reptiles are not their only issue the african pouched rat is an issue too

African pouched rat....... Can I raise them for feeders??? LOL

lol yeah if the us hadn't made them illegal due to a disease they arry that spreads to people super easy

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They're not illegal.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gambian_pouched_rat

You can find them for sale, captive bred. They can't be imported.

Feral pigs and cats are a much bigger threat to native species and the enviroment in most of the US including Florida but the shock value is not very big with pigs and cats which folks consider cute and harmless.

This isnt about reality its about the corrupt politicians in Florida trying to scare everyone into thinking they too have a problem so they can get more Federal funding for themselves. Since most people are afraid of snakes, especially big ones, this approach will breed media hype and fear propaganda.

Governments(and other organizations) have used fear for centuries to motivate the ignorant to doing what they want.

Its the old get them before they get us mentality. Who cares who or what gets trampled in the process as long as we get ours, so sad:(

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Originally Posted by West Coast Jungle

Feral pigs and cats are a much bigger threat to native species and the enviroment in most of the US including Florida but the shock value is not very big with pigs and cats which folks consider cute and harmless.

This isnt about reality its about the corrupt politicians in Florida trying to scare everyone into thinking they too have a problem so they can get more Federal funding for themselves. Since most people are afraid of snakes, especially big ones, this approach will breed media hype and fear propaganda.

Governments(and other organizations) have used fear for centuries to motivate the ignorant to doing what they want.

Its the old get them before they get us mentality. Who cares who or what gets trampled in the process as long as we get ours, so sad:(

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I second that!

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Originally Posted by West Coast Jungle

Feral pigs and cats are a much bigger threat to native species and the enviroment in most of the US including Florida but the shock value is not very big with pigs and cats which folks consider cute and harmless.

This isnt about reality its about the corrupt politicians in Florida trying to scare everyone into thinking they too have a problem so they can get more Federal funding for themselves. Since most people are afraid of snakes, especially big ones, this approach will breed media hype and fear propaganda.

Governments(and other organizations) have used fear for centuries to motivate the ignorant to doing what they want.

Its the old get them before they get us mentality. Who cares who or what gets trampled in the process as long as we get ours, so sad:(

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Well said... .:gj:

florida is a mess. snakes should be the least of their issues.

the everglades is a man managed system, it's not natural. it may have wild animals running around, but that doesn't make it natural.

let the burms live in peace and harmony.

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Originally Posted by redpython

florida is a mess. snakes should be the least of their issues.

the everglades is a man managed system, it's not natural. it may have wild animals running around, but that doesn't make it natural.

let the burms live in peace and harmony.

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The Cow is already out of the barn. Too late for that approach. There will be something done, we as herpers have to make sure it's done responsibly and with forthought.

Jim Smith