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Hunter calls for change to Python Challenge
A Florida python trapper is calling for changes to the state-run Python Challenge. It is a 10-day competition run by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission with the goal of catching invasive Burmese Pythons. Brandon Rahe, said it's best to leave python hunting to the pros.
ORLANDO, Fla - A Florida Python Challenge trapper is calling for changes to the state-run program.
It is a 10-day competition run by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) to catch invasive Burmese Pythons. Brandon Rahe said it's best to leave python hunting to the pros.
"You have all this extra vehicular traffic happening throughout quiet areas just disturbing all the native wildlife for very little return on investment," Rahe said.
Rahe worked with FWC as a contracted trapper for two years and participated in the challenge twice. He said professionals like him tend to avoid it.
"You have the most skilled individuals that are vetted that successfully captured pythons," Rahe said. "You have them not hunting because they don't want to be surrounded by the chaos the challenge brings."
Roughly one thousand people participate in the yearly challenge. Organizers award prize money to the people who catch the most pythons. In 2023, contestants turned in 209 pythons.
"It's a family activity," amateur trapper Brendan Cronin said. "Me and my friends go out and do it all the time. We just go out and have a fun night catching snakes."
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The FWC said one goal is to increase awareness of invasive species and the threat they pose to wildlife.
Cronin said raising awareness will invite more trappers to the challenge and the cause. Rahe said the few professionals can do more than the hundreds of amateurs without causing any trouble.
"There's certainly some truth that they can do more, but we're still out there doing our small part," Cronin said.
Rahe said a solution is educating more people that pythons can be trapped outside the 10-day challenge.
"What you really need is people hunting these pythons year round, not just for 10 days, but the general public is under the impression that the 10-day challenge is the only time they can be involved," Rahe said.
FOX 35 News reached out to the FWC for comment. We are waiting to hear back.