Rattlesnake Round Up Review

[faze]

Date: Apr 29, 2004 - 05:35 PM
People wonder why the Rattlesnake Roundup Events keep going.....

Snake derby one for the books

By Linda Hartigan
In & about Oak Harbor

Happy birthday to my oldest child, Jake. Today is his 29th birthday.

For that special celebration my husband and I traveled to Altus, Okla. This was our first trip to Oklahoma and was it ever interesting.

John and I flew into Oklahoma City last Thursday. Jake and his wife, Tobey, met us at the airport. The four of us visited the Oklahoma City Memorial on the site of the former Murrah Federal Building. It is sad and uplifting, very intense and amazing. All in one, but not all at once. There is an 80 year-old American Elm tree that survived the blast and is now known as the Survivor Tree. It is regarded as a symbol of human resilience. The entire memorial struck me as a product of human resilience and caring.



On Saturday, we attended the annual Rattlesnake Derby in Mangum, Okla. This is a rattlesnake round-up, educational program, huge flea market and carnival complete with rides and wonderful festival food all rolled into one. Visitors have an opportunity to hunt for and capture rattlesnakes, to see the snakes up close, to learn more about this poisonous reptile and to sample the deep-fried meat.

We didn't try to capture any snakes but we did the rest. The snake pit tent contained hundreds of rattlers and a few other snakes sometimes mistaken for them. Two handlers walked among these many snakes while telling the crowd more information about rattlesnakes than I will ever remember. Although I did learn these snakes do not lay eggs but give birth to 8-12 live snakes who are immediately on their own. We were also instructed in the simplest and safest way to tell a female from a male. If the black rings on the tail number three or less it is a female. I don't need this information. Should I see a snake I won't stick around long enough to count anything.

John and I each bought a piece of deep-fried rattlesnake. It did not taste like chicken. I really can't compare it to anything I have ever tasted before. The meat had a very mild flavor. There is not much meat to the snake and it was stringy and chewy. It pulled away like string cheese. It was pretty good.

Had we visited the butcher shop before tasting the snake meat, I don't think I would have tried it. This was the most fascinating event in the derby. A very colorful man with an arm tattoo proclaiming him "The Butcher," wearing a rattlesnake rattle earring, put on one heck of a show while butchering the snakes.

First a handler gets a snake out of the holding area. This takes awhile since the snakes have a nasty bite and must be handled with care. Once it is lifted out it is placed on a wooden block and beheaded. Although separated from its body the head still turns while following close objects and still strikes. We watched every head bite into a hat and spurt venom. The hat was discolored from all the venom. The heads are kept on ice to decrease activity. We were told they have been known to bite up to three days after "dying."

Next the body is hung up, skinned and gutted. After this the butcher coils the meat which uncoils and moves in a most lifelike manner. Yes, it is gross but absolutely fascinating. A running commentary continues throughout the procedure with both handler and butcher answering questions from the audience.

While we were there the newly crowned Miss Derby Princess for 2004 visited the butcher shop, where she beheaded a snake and helped with the entire process. I thought she was truly a good sport about the whole thing.

None of this is done just for show. The snakeskin, gall bladder and rattles are sold, the meat is sent to the Bite Back Cafe (where we ate earlier) or sold by the pound to festival attendees.
Taken from the Port Clinton News Herald
http://www.portclintonnewsherald.com...ws/313681.html