Humane society wants an end to Texas Rattle Snake Roundup fundraiser (too bad says Fire dept)

KFDX ^

[chance33_98]

RATTLESNAKE ROUNDUP

It's not just dogs the humane society is trying to protect. Rattlesnakes apparently need love too, but they say at the sacrifice of ending the Waurika Rattlesnake Hunt. The humane society says the hunts are inhumane and harmful to the environment, because gas is used to flush the snakes from their dens. But despite the lobbying to put the festival to rest, co-founder Johnny Berry says the Waurika Rattlesnake Roundup will go on as scheduled, April 12 through 14. This is the volunteer fire department's main fundraiser. Last year, over 900 rattlers were captured.

[chance33_98]

Cool. Reminds me of an episode of the Simpsons :)

[gcruse]

Here I sit, pinned on the dilemma of
mammal chauvinism.  I pine not for the
decimation, nay, centimation for rattly
snakes but squirm indignantly to the sight
of baby seals being clubbed to death in
their big-eyed cuddliness.  Woe.  Is it
true that lobsters emit a scream when
they hit the boiling water?  Hand me
my shoe, I need to kill a spider.

[RIGHT IN SEATTLE]

Snake bump

Really-------------,

What does it taste like?

[yarddog]

There used to be a "Rattlesnake rodeo" in Freeport Florida when I was a kid.

Ross Allen would milk snakes for their venom and demonstrate how swiftly they strike by having them hit a balloon.

The Army Rangers from Eglin field would come over and kill, dress, cut into chunks, batter, and then deep fry them. I never could get up the nerve to try them but people did say they were good. They would let you eat all you wanted for free.

Some Florida Diamondbacks get extremely large. I have never seen one longer than 7 feet but have heard of ones over 8.

[roachie]

Honestly, it tastes like chicken. Like alligator, it has a unique poultry flavour with the structure of fish. Rather enjoyable.

[gilor]

I wonder what those baby seals tasted like?

[Illbay]

I guarantee you--mark my words--this thing will be banned within five years.

[RANGERAIRBORNE]

At the considerable risk of being "flamed" unmercifully, I have to say that I never saw the point of this when I lived in San Antonio, and used to attend a lot of these local festivals and rodeos where everyone seemed to have a rattlesnake skin on his (or her) hat.

I have killed snakes because they were dangerous, and in my immediate area- and I have eaten rattlesnake, although it is not THAT good (unless you put it in a good hot chile...)

But I never just went went out hunting for them for no other reason than to massacre as many as I could. Maybe I'm just a dirty reptile-lover????

[gcruse]

I wonder what those baby seals tasted like?

Murderer!!  Pass the veal, please.

[gcruse]

I wonder what those baby seals tasted like?

Actually, what I saw on the CBC before
they stopped allowing telecasts from the
ice sheets at the time, was that the carcasses
were left to rot while they packed the skins
back to town.

[SwatTeam]

Actually the original purpose was to milk the snakes to make anti-venom. Also the skins do
make good belts and hat bands. When I was in high school one of the guys I went to
school with made enough money killing snakes and making belts and bands and other useful items, that he
paid his way through 4 years of college. Of course, college was a lot cheaper in the 50's. And another reason
for the round-ups is there are a lot of rattle snakes and most Texans just don't like 'em.

[RANGERAIRBORNE]

OK, that's a pretty reasonable answer. However, I doubt that everyone out there killing snakes was motivated by the desire for a good college education- just some sort of "macho" statement (as if killing snakes were hard to do- I have beaten a Russell's Viper to death with a stick- but it was living in my tent at the time, so I was acting in justifiable self-defense!)

Seriously, I live in Alaska, and I have lived in areas of the State where Grizzly bears are common (they used to eat my son's dog's food right out of his dish)- BUT- I have never killed a bear- because I do not feel that they are a real threat, I do not need the hide and meat for anything, and the reason I moved here was because there ARE Grizzlies around! I know that bears are more lovable than snakes, but do you see the principle???

[Pistolshot]

I do not understand the priciple of "lovable" in a wild animal. Grizz are not endowed with any emotional qualities....they just like to eat.....anything and everything. And will do what is necessary to get what it wants.

Rattlers, on the otherhand, are as plentiful in West Texas as anti-gun liberals in Massachusetts.

Oh, sorry, I guess that's an insult to rattlers.

Seriously, when I lived in Texas there was a Rattle-snake round up every year in Sweetwater. Some of THOSE people are on the otherside of sane. Contests in ..."How many rattlesnakes can you put in a burlap bag in 30 seconds." With bare hands....anti-venom is available to all contestants. The judge in this one can no longer compete......the anti-venom will not work on him as he has been bitten once too many times. There are rattlesnake chili cook-offs, beltmaking, braclets, headbands, boots, rattle sales.....and so on. A veritible carnival.

PETA is the next domestic terrorist organization. Some of those zealots will kill someone sooner or later for the sake of animals.

[SwatTeam]

Oh, yeah, I see. And I agree that the entire practice will come to a stop and should.
I was just telling you how it started and giving you a little insight.
I detest snakes but I try to avoid them. Don't like to kill anything unless
it is totally unavoidable.

We spent 3 years in Anchorage and I think Alaska is very close to Heaven on Earth.
Always wanted to go back but by the time my husband retired he was ready to stay in one
place for a while.

[rangersdaughter]

I've been to those "festivals." Used to piss my little brother off royally to see snake served as meat, LOL. He's another "dirty reptile lover."

I think the point is that nobody needs to put out large amounts of (what kind????) of gas to induce hundreds of snakes to slither to their deaths. It's not necessary. IF it was being done because of an overpopulation of rattlers that was threatening the populace, well, I think public sentiment would be in agreement.

Nobody would have a "grizzly roundup" just because there are a lot of them around, would they? Why is it ok with snakes?

I agree re: PETA. There are a lot of (mostly young) people out there who are learning to love animals and the "rights" of animals far more than their fellow human beings. Scary.