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A close-up of one of the rattlesnake’s fangs. Teresa Williams/Times-Enterprise

January 29, 2011

Rattlesnake Roundup a success

Teresa Williams CNHI The Times Enterprise Sat Jan 29, 2011, 08:03 PM EST

WHIGHAM — The warmer temperatures rounded up participants at the 51st annual Rattlesnake Roundup Saturday in Whigham.

The crowds wandered through aisles of arts and crafts vendors and food booths before making their way over to the snake ring to see the reptiles as they were brought in or milked for venom.

Helen Watson, of Savannah, has been a long-time vendor at the event. She sold hand-made scarves and hair accessories at her booth, Helen’s Hair Accessories. Her items included ponytail holders made from piano wire and leather. Her husband was set up next to her with Watson’s Leather, a booth that offered a variety of belts.

“I enjoy the people and the show,” Watson said. “These are nice people who run the event and we are in the same spot every year.”

Sue Lockwood, of Valdosta, bought one of Watson’s hair items. She enjoys the roundup because of the atmosphere.

“I like the sun and the good food and the items...and to see the rattlesnakes,” she said.

Jacob Pyles, 4, of Whigham, played with a brightly-colored alligator puppet his father, Jason, bought him.

“I like to look at the animals and ride the rides,” he said.

Hunter Rogers, of Greensboro, Fla., and Dustin Harvell, of Tallahassee, sat in one of the cypress wood creations, a double rocker, by Three Palms Furniture Co.

“I like the vendors,” Harvell said. “I’m losing all my money. And, if I had more money right, I’d probably buy this right now.”

Lonnie George, who creates the furniture, said each piece takes approximately a week to finish. It was his first time at the event. He was a little disappointed with the foot traffic past his booth in the early hours of the day, but said it was starting to pick up around lunch and he hoped it would be much busier in the afternoon.

The crowd was already several people deep as lunchtime rolled around at the snake ring.

Barry Strickland, ring coordinator, said the day had started off slow but that traffic would pick up.

“It’s a good weather day so that has drawn a really good crowd,” he said. “We’re only a few hours in and it’s already several people deep. That’s how you know it’s going to be a good day.”

LaRue Sheffield, snake handler, said, because the weather was warmer, the snakes would likely be more active as the hunters brought them into the ring.

Ken Darnell, of Bioactive Laboratories, was there to show the crowd some of the snakes and to milk the venom. He said there weren’t many snakes yet, but the hunters would start bringing them in soon.

Darnell said the venom he gathers from the eastern diamondback rattlesnake at the roundup is a primary ingredient in anti-venom that is used to treat a variety of snake bites.

“If you ever have to go to the emergency room for a snake bite and there’s no anti-venom, you’re in trouble,” he said.

Darnell said the most important thing he wants people to know is that he tries to conserve resources and uses those resources wisely.

One More Generation’s Jim Ries, along with his wife and two children, Carter and Olivia, attended the roundup to see how it was organized and run.

The organization is dedicated to the preservation of endangered species and is a supporter of changing roundups so snakes are not hunted and killed.

Ries said they weren’t sure what to expect until they got there. He said Olivia liked the festival atmosphere with the vendors, food and children’s activities but got upset by the snake ring.

Carter said he was still forming an opinion on the experience.

Ries likes the family atmosphere and appreciates that the event is a way for the community to support itself, but would like to see it become a festival that celebrate the species and educates the public without the snakes being killed at the end.

He said the group has been unable to meet with Whigham leaders, but hopes to be able to sit down with them at some point in the future and talk about it.

“It’s not as graphic as we thought it might be,” Ries said. “But, the outcome is still the same.”