Covered by Wide World of Sports, National Public Radio, and 
National Geographic, Texas rattlesnake roundups like those in 
Sweetwater, Texas, draw both fascinated tourists and irate 
protesters. Begun as an organized form of predator control in the 
1920s, for many years rattlesnake roundups have been promoted as 
community events and civic fundraisers. The western diamond-
backed rattlesnake is the main attraction, with pits full of thousands 
of writhing rattlesnakes serving as the featured spectacle.

    Often taking advantage of the animals' denning behavior to 
capture large numbers at a time, hunters deliver live snakes to 
commercial dealers who are contracted by event organizers to 
supply the animals as a source of entertainment: from snake 
handling and snake races to snake sacking, snake skinning, snake 
milking, and snake education activities. Rattlesnake products of 
various types are also sold and consumed at the events.

    In this close-up look at rattlesnake roundups in Texas, Clark E. 
Adams and John K. Thomas present perhaps the first full 
description of this social and environmental phenomenon, tracking 
its popularity, its participants, its opponents, its impact on the 
communities where it occurs, and, as much as is possible, its 
effects on the rattlesnake itself.

    In recent years, the commercial trade in Texas animals has 
emerged as a serious and controversial issue, and the number of 
roundups has declined sharply. Texas Rattlesnake Roundups 
promises to provide a balanced starting point for all those 
interested in knowing more about this curious custom.

_________________________________________________________

CLARK E. ADAMS, a professor of wildlife and fisheries sciences 
at Texas A&M University, is the coauthor of an award-winning 
textbook on urban wildlife management and the author of the study 
guide for a textbook on environmental science. JOHN K. THOMAS 
is a professor in the department of recreation, park, and tourism 
sciences at Texas AgriLife Research, Texas A&M University.



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