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Opening day brings in 4,300 pounds of snakes |
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Written by Staff Reports
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Saturday, 10 March 2007 |
After the first day of the World’s Largest Rattlesnake Round-Up, more than 4,300 pounds of the Western Diamondback Rattlesnake have been weighed by the Sweetwater Jaycees.
The Round-Up will end its three-day run at the Nolan County Coliseum today with Jaycees expecting even more snakes to come in for weighing and milking.
The 4,300 pound total ranks as the fourth largest amount overall since 1995. Last year, a total of 13,552 pounds were weighed during the Round-Up.
The highlight for today will be the World Championship Rattlesnake Eating Contest. Contestants will chomp down on fried rattlesnake to see who is the overall champion. The contest will be held near the Media Center on the south end of the coliseum.
Once again, the Jaycees will sponsor the hunt for the most pounds and largest rattlesnake. The registration cost is $15 per person and $25 per team. All hunters must have a valid Texas snakehunter’s license to sell snakes to the Jaycees during the Round-Up.
Trophies and prize money will be awarded to the overall snake hunters based on the total pounds of Western Diamondback Rattlesnakes turned in to the Jaycees during the Round-Up weekend only.
The prize money includes $800 for first place, $700 for second place, $600 for third place, $500 for fourth place and $400 for fifth place.
The top five places will also receive a plaque.
An additional $400 will be paid to the person with the longest Western Diamondback Rattlesnake turned in to the Jaycees. A minimum of 100 pounds must be turned in to enter the “longest snake contest,” and it must be a Western Diamondback Rattlesnake.
There will be a $300 prize awarded for a Round-Up record breaker. The longest snake recorded in 2006 was 80 inches. The record is 84 inches.
Also during the Round-Up, visitors can sign up for a guided hunt. The cost is $75 per person, per day. This includes hunter registration.
Hunters are taken out on private ranch land during the weekend. This land is for Jaycee use only during the weekend.
“For your convenience, snake hooks and tongs will be available for rental at hunter registration,” officials said. |
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Last Updated ( Tuesday, 13 March 2007 )
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