I have set a new goal – Certified Python Hunter. Let’s join in the Hunt! Palmetto Bay has recently offered up fertile ground for such a hunt.

Looking to add to your participation in public competitions? Looking to add to your Miami Herald tropic hunt resume? The Miami Herald just reported on a new contest, one we can all jump in on, reporting on Thursday, December 06, 2012, that Florida wildlife managers on Monday announced a new approach: a snake-hunting contest offering cash prizes.

The Python Challenge, scheduled to begin next month, will pay $1,500 for the largest number of snakes and $1,000 for the longest one in two categories. One would include 70 or so licensed python hunters and the other would be open to anyone willing to pay a $25 registration fee, take a half-hour online identification course and — it probably goes without saying — sign a liability waiver. 

See the online story, Miami Herald, South Florida contest: Bag some pythons,win some cash, by Curtis Morgan, for more details, or go to pythonchallenge.org. 

Just a few weeks’ notice.  I don’t have much time to prepare.  I am going to take the online course, just for giggles, but I may not stop there.  I am looking into how I can become a “certified python hunter.”  Can you imagine how that will make your letterhead or business card jump?! It will be just like Wile E. Coyote, Supergenius. I like the way it rolls out. Wile E. Coyote, Supergenius. 

The bigger question is will Palmetto Bay be included in the hunt zone?  Two large pythons have been removed from Palmetto Bay in the last 12 months.  CBS 4 reported on November 26, 2012, that a “very large” python who made its home on a Palmetto Bay lawn was removed by the Miami-Dade Fire Rescue Venom Unit near 180 Street and SW 77 avenue.  CLICK HERE to review the online story, Pesky Python Removed From Lawn Of Palmetto Bay Home. 

It is just coming up on a year ago when the Christmas Day (2012) removal of a 13 foot Burmese python occurred from a Palmetto Bay pool.  Long time readers of South Dade Updates may recall the posting of the NBC6 report on 12/26/2012: (CLICKHERE) to view: NBC 6 reports: A 13-foot Burmese python was captured in the swimming pool of a Palmetto Bay home.  The Miami Herald reported that this snake was located and captured at a Palmetto Bay home located off 97th Avenue and SW 183 Street on Christmas Day (the link to the Miami Herald story has expired). 

Another famous capture was on October 12, 2005, by one of Palmetto Bay's original policing unit officers, Ofc Randy DiStefano, joined the capture of a non-native python.  This capture is took place on the grounds of the current Palmetto Bay Village Hall. 

Will more snakes be identified and captured at this Palmetto Bay village hall location?  Who is going to step up and participate in the Python Challenge, 2013?