I live right next to the Everglades--literally, a few miles from the eastern border, although that border meanders.

We have a MAJOR problem with Burmese Pythons here, a non-native species, and they are killing everything in their sight.

Yet...

We are not allowed to kill them. They can only be captured, and brought to a facility to be "humanely" euthanized.

BUT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT TENS OF THOUSANDS OF THESE S-BAGS KILLING EVERYTHING THEY CAN GET A HOLD OF!

But gee--do you think any of this has to do with the VALUE of Burmese Python skins? For belts, and boots, and jock straps? (Maybe.)

I suspect it's a money issue, and until Florida sets up a tag program, like for alligators, it's all about the state getting their money and NOTHING to do with protecting the natural balance of the Glades.

I appreciate your thoughts on this.

I would apply the same addage here as for wolf overpopulation S S S !!!

__________________
NRA Benefactor Member
NRA Certified Police Firearms Instructor
NRA Certified Range Safety Officer
NAHC Life Member

"Firearms only have two enemies - rust and politicans" author unknown

I'd like to throw mountain lions under the same bus.

__________________
Still Learnin' as I go!

NRA Life Member

At least wovles and cougar are native species. I'm floored that wont let you pop non native snakes! Like hogs in these parts, I'd think DNR would want you to kill as many of them as you could safely target.

__________________
A well regulated militia being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the People to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed.

My guess is that the ordnance is against shooting a gun in your back yard and that the snakes, themselves, are not protected. Either that or the FL game commission doesn't trust folks to know a Burmese Python from an endangered indigenous species?

__________________
Ask me about QDMA.

The Burmese Python's will simply take over and destroy the natural balance (gosh it sounds like wolves in the NW). If the govt really wanted to help the problem they would put a bounty on them. But in addition there should be an open season. I doubt that will solve the problem but it will introduce a natural predator, money.

__________________
Against the wind...

Odd... invasive, non-native species are generally not protected like that. I know with the high fence places around here, if you see an elk, stag, etc. roaming around outside of those high fences, you can shoot them.

Shane,

I'm not 100% convinced that it's "true", for one thing, and I have to question whether or not someone would be prosecuted for killing a non-native snake, if they were to do so. Discharging a firearm within city limits, on the other hand...

__________________
Ask me about QDMA.

I am with kdub!

Darin

Figure out who came up with this stupid order and deliver every snake you catch to his front yard. We had a judge that released a repeated sex offender from jail. Several of the victims families rented the house next door to the judge and let the sex offender move in next to the judge. Personally, I think they need to reestablish the wolves in New York City Central Park.

__________________
A truely successful life is mostly based on how well you handle PLAN B.

Great idea, John - wonder if one of the bunny huggers would try to pet one?

__________________
NRA Benefactor Member
NRA Certified Police Firearms Instructor
NRA Certified Range Safety Officer
NAHC Life Member

"Firearms only have two enemies - rust and politicans" author unknown

It's just the government doing their job to protect you.

Florida Wildlife Officials Introduce Burmese Python Killing Challenge | WTVR.com

Turns out it's not only LEGAL, they're offering prize money for killing the most and the biggest. They recommend using a gun or machete.

It's not legal in the Everglades National Park, but sounds like you're GTG anywhere else.

__________________
Ask me about QDMA.

Interestingly enough... something similar was tried by the British in India with cobras... but it was a bounty system and ran a long time. What happened was a lot of folks started raising cobras and turning them in for the bounty. When that was discovered, the bounty was ended and all the people raising the cobras couldn't make money from the cobras any more so they just let them go into the wild

Granted, that isn't likely to happen with this since it is a short (1 month) drive.

We caught a BIG cobra in Afghanistan in one of our hooches. **** those thing are nasty! Hissing and thrashing around. I ordered it killed. Understand, we were 8 hours from medivac, so surviving a bite from one was unlikely. I had an old crusty E-8 who was a Viet Nam Marine vet. He said, "awe sir, don't kill her, they eat the rats."

"Negative Sergent, kill her!" So he lopped her head off and tossed her over the HESCOS (fire base wall). We dealt with the rats in other ways!

__________________
A well regulated militia being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the People to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed.

You need a special permit, tough to qualify. And then they are protected in the breeding season.

SSS works best. But they are prosecuting illegal kills..they tell people that find snakes with the heads missing that it is the work of Voodoo worshipers

Are you saying that you need a difficult-to-obtain special permit to kill non-native species and that they are PROTECTED during breeding season? We're still talking about the Burmese Python, right? I can't hardly believe Florida's regulations could be that messed up that they protect an invasive species during breeding season.

Do you have any documentation on that?

__________________
Ask me about QDMA.

If I had to read between the lines, maybe the pythons are helping to control other invasive species, the nutria? Pigs? And they are tolerating the pythons - for now - until those species are controlled or eliminated. Just speculating.

Well, that didn't work very well in Afghanistan with Russia, or the US.

__________________
NRA Endowment Member
SCI Member

Its too bad that isnt the case. The only positive thing the pythons are doing is putting money in the states pocket.