I was watching a show on TV the other night. Discovery Channel, TLC, History Channel, anyway one of those & saw a story on the Sweetwater Texas Rattlesnake Roundup Festival! Now are these people crazy or what?
Has anybody here attended this event? They even have a Rattlesnake Qween? What is this all about, & what type of people go to this!.........

 

I saw that too, I thought it was pretty cool. A friend of mine has eaten rattlesnake before, he said it taste sorta like ribs that have been overcooked and are tuff to chew. He said it taste good deep fryed, but wouldent eat it again because his jaw hurt after he ate it from chewing so much.

 

I don't like snakes that well. But it is a historcal event.

 

rattlesnakes are good if it is cooked right.

 

The Sweetwater event is a major party- lots of eats, lots of drinks. There are numerous rattlesnake hunts all over Texas. I usually go to the one at Freer. You actually go out on ranches and bring back supper in a bag. The Sweetwater one is not going to have many Chesters. We get tons of Chesters at the Freer hunt. Actually, the net weight of the Freer hunt IS in the tons of snakes brought in. I've eaten rattelsnake for decades and whoever is cooking it has to know how or it is chewy. It has it's own taste so it's not like chicken. If you get the chance, come on down and learn somethin'.

 

What is a Chester

 

If the rattlesnake festival is too daring for you there's always the mosquito festival in Clute every year.
I worked down there one summer and if there's ever a place for a mosquito festival, Clute is it. Never in my life have I ever seen skeeters so mean and so many.

 

I'll stick to my Ball Python, thanks. No rattlesnakes, please.

 

Or mosquito's, those friken lil biatchs.

 

Chester= a rattler big enough that when he strikes, he stands up and hits you in the chest. That generally makes him close to 7 feet and larger. If you haven't wrestled one on the end of a catch pole, they can be far stronger than most men. It ain't for the girly boys. But finding a real snake pit is always fun. You can find several hundred in one hole during mating season. It takes a good man to stand there pouring gas in the hole and then sticking around long enough to light it. They aren't to fond of gas and frankly, it pisses them off. But it's a lot of country fun!

 

 

Mu thoughts exactly.

 

holy sheet I thought we were nuts enough here in Az going after rattlers with .410 shot guns

 

round ups are awesome. rattlesnake eats good if you cook it right. it has a "gamey" flavor. kinda like rabbit? its different, but good. as far as chesters go. id rather get bit by a chester any day than a baby snake. those big ones are meaner and scarier, but those little ones will ******* you up good. haha. this years rattlesnake queen in sweetwater was cute. so was the runner up.

 

I was out there a couple months ago for work. I am pretty sure i was there the week before this thing goes on. Sweetwater has NOTHING! Its basically a tiny little dusty town with tumble weeds and big wind mills. One of my customers owns a strip mall out there and I had to go out to do an inspection. Its a 4 hour drive west of dallas into the dessert like nothingness.