Wild rattlesnake BBQ roast

[Robert Sobczak]

Wild hogs are harder and harder to find.

Could it be time
to switch to a rattlesnake
roast instead?

http://www.gohydrology.org/2012/02/wild-rattlesnake-bbq-roast.html

[Swamp Hunter]

Rattlesnake is actually good eating but they are protected in most areas.  Look at this amazing picture I found online. http://www.bigcypressswamp.com/stories/PantherHog.html  A larger boar would turn and fight. The cat looks thin in the ribs. Now thats scary. A hungry panther.

[Robert Sobczak]

That's a great shot ... and could be proof.  I've heard the python has given them a pretty good dent, too.

[Swamp Hunter]

It seems a huge mystery. OK Slough and Dinner Island still have plenty of pigs and they have Panthers. Im waiting to see what happens to Hendry County in a couple of years. I have talked to ranchers and they tell me its impossible to get rid of wild pigs. I told them wait and see. 

[Robert Sobczak]

It would be interesting to see the distribution of where they are and where they aren't. I've heard they are still pretty thick down in Chekiva.  That's python country but not really panther.

[Swamp Hunter]

I heard the the same that East Everglades still has hogs. Sometimes they come in and terrorize the Miccosukis knocking over garbage cans and such.  The hogs have only really disappeared in the BCNP that I know of, all the way north to Bear Island but Billies Swamp Safari has plenty. It doesnt  figure. Nobody really cares about non native hogs so there will probably be no study. Its only now that the other animals are in decline that it gets noticed as a problem.

 

I think the raccoons will survive. In no official capacity, simply as a lover of the Everglades, Im worried about other species such as skunks, otters and Everglades Mink. Of course Im worried about a possible decline in the deer herd as well.

[Robert Sobczak]

Indications are raccoons are taking a big hit from the python.  At least from a recent study that was the finding.

[Juan Estevez]

A bit off topic...

Is Loop Rd. fully open yet?

[Robert Sobczak]

Good question, I haven't heard officially or not (maybe I'm out of the loop) but it's definitely close.  

[Swamp Hunter]

I know someone, that knows someone that saw a track. (wink)

[Swamp Hunter]

Another mystery. Deer decline in the BCNP Stairsteps Unit south of the Loop Road.  http://myfwc.com/media/464629/Deer_Stairsteps_Status.pdf

 

http://m.naplesnews.com/news/2010/sep/06/deer-big-cypress-preserve-...

[Swamp Hunter]

Great pic. Looks like a trail cam. I wonder if its a true Florida Panther. There is no collar.  I havent seen enough of them to know but it may have the kinked tail and it may also have Cryptorchidism. The wild hog is 40 percent of the Florida Panthers diet so I dont know how many raccoons it will take to replace it. I hope they can eat Pythons. Its an amazing deep swamp moment captured on film.