Reptile & Amphibian Forums

The Claxton rattlesnake roundup was this past weekend. Its amazing to me that this practice is still legal in Georgia. It is illegal in Georgia to use gasoline in pursuit of rattlesnakes, yet this is the most common way hunters still use to catch the snakes. There was a recent arrest of four men who were in a Georgia state park pouring gasoline down EVERY gopher tortoise burrow. I have provided two links below that clearly show snake hunters using "homemade concoctions" in tortoise burrows to drive out rattlesnakes. The ignorance and misinformation that is presented at these events is disturbing.

LINKS:
http://savannahnow.com/node/238310

http://sports.espn.go.com/outdoors/general/news/story?id=3221977

The majority of the snakes are sold to a skin dealer from Tennessee who slaughters them after the roundup.

At least one Georgia roundup in Fitzgerald put an end to this barbaric event and hopefully with enough pressure Claxton and Whigham will eventually follow.

If interested, you can join several other groups and send a letter or email to Sonny Perdue (GA governor) to put an end to these two Georgia roundups.

Sloane

There is a group on facebook called "Rise Against Rattlesnake Roundups". It's in no way against the hot community , just roundups. They have a lot of info if you are interested in preserving our native snakes.
Erin Sloan

I thought Rattlesnakes were protected in Georgia. I know I now live in the state that allows that Sweetwater Abomination to take place, but I thought we were having some success in the East. Much work still to do...

Matthew

Sloane, I appreciate you bringing attention to this issue and keeping us posted on what goes on in GA. I fight the roundups from the Oklahoma end and have hours of video to prove that these events are all jacked up!

http://youtu.be/ev3a-e14NJE

PS this may be graphic to some!