In a dramatic encounter in the Florida wilderness, a professional python hunter found himself in a life-threatening struggle with a massive Burmese python that dragged him 15 feet over an ant hill before his family intervened to save him. The incident highlights the dangers faced by those tasked with controlling invasive species in the state's ecosystems.
A Routine Patrol Turns Perilous
Carl Jackson, a contracted python hunter with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, was driving back on Turner River Road in Big Cypress National Park on the afternoon of January 13 when he noticed something unusual. Burmese python tracks crossed the road over his truck tracks, initially appearing to belong to a smaller snake, perhaps an 8-footer at most.
Jackson decided to investigate, venturing into the bushes. "I go in and walk around and I see a head," he told the Naples Daily News this week. He immediately realized this was no small snake. What followed was an intense wrestling match with a giant python that quickly escalated.
The Dragging Ordeal
The massive python proved incredibly powerful, dragging Jackson approximately 15 feet across the ground directly over a red and black ant hill. "It was like riding a slow horse," Jackson, 43, described the experience. "It was insane." The hunter found himself in a precarious position as the constrictor coiled around his body multiple times during the struggle.
Jackson relied on his training and experience to maintain control, but the python's strength and size made it impossible for him to subdue the reptile alone. The situation grew increasingly dangerous as the snake continued to constrict and drag him across the rough terrain.
Family to the Rescue
Fortunately, Jackson wasn't alone. His team included his wife, Tasha, and their adopted children, Ryker Young, 20, and Jazzlyn Bateman, 16. Remarkably, all three family members had just become certified assistants in the FWC's Python Action Team, Removing Invasive Constrictors program the day before the incident.
Working together, the family managed to uncoil the python from around Jackson's body several times during the extended confrontation. Their coordinated efforts and newly acquired skills proved crucial in what became a family rescue operation in the Florida wilderness.
Record-Breaking Capture
After an intense struggle, the family successfully subdued the massive python. The snake measured an impressive 16 feet, 10 inches in length and weighed 202 pounds, making it the second-heaviest python ever captured in Florida. The record remains a 215-pound python caught in 2022.
The captured python was a female carrying approximately 200 eggs, highlighting the reproductive potential of these invasive species that threaten Florida's native wildlife. Burmese pythons have established breeding populations in South Florida and pose significant ecological challenges.
Professional Python Hunting in Florida
Jackson's experience underscores the risks faced by professional python hunters contracted by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. These hunters play a vital role in controlling the invasive Burmese python population that has devastated native species in the Everglades and surrounding areas.
The Python Action Team, Removing Invasive Constrictors program represents one of Florida's key strategies for managing the python problem. By certifying assistants and expanding the network of trained responders, the program aims to increase removal efforts while ensuring safety protocols are followed during dangerous encounters.
This incident serves as a stark reminder of the physical demands and potential dangers involved in python removal operations, even for experienced professionals like Jackson who regularly confront these massive constrictors in Florida's challenging environments.
