Trading open water for the mainland's mangroves and pinelands, three members of the U.S. Coast Guard from Marathon head into the woods for the state's first Python Challenge, which begins Jan. 12.<BR><BR>William Shane Smith, Jamie Hopkins and Kevin Jackman, all based at Coast Guard Station Marathon, signed up together for the month-long contest that targets invasive Burmese pythons.</p><p>"It will be a different experience," said Hopkins, 23, a Broward County native.</p><p>The three were the only Florida Keys residents to have signed up for the python hunt as of Thursday.</p><p>"Pythons are out there eating up other species," said Smith, 27, "so I think this is an important thing to do." "All three of us are outdoor people and from Florida," Smith said. "I grew up going out into the woods [near Daytona Beach] and catching snakes. I'm big into Florida wildlife."</p><p>None of the three has ever tangled with a python. "We're willing to try to catch them," Hopkins said.</p><p>Nearly 700 people have registered for the event "to compete to see who can harvest the longest and the most Burmese pythons," as described by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.</p><p>Florida U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson, who has long voiced concern about the state's invasive species, plans to go python hunting with FWC board member Ron Bergeron.</p><p>In addition to Floridians, the Python Challenge drew residents from 31 other states. Eleven people from Georgia sent the $25 entry, and Texas has a nine-member contingent on the way.</p><p>"The challenge is not just to remove pythons from the wild but to raise awareness about the detrimental impact that nonnative species have on Florida's environment," said FWC spokeswoman Carli Segelson.</p><p>Python hunters over age 18 in the Challenge do not need a state hunting license to take the unwanted reptiles.</p><p>Other nonnative snakes, like boa constrictors, can be taken by Challenge hunters but only Burmese pythons count toward contest prizes: $1,500 for most pythons and $1,000 for the largest.</p><p>To date, the largest Burmese python taken in Florida measured just under 18 feet. Most tend to range from 8 to 12 feet.</p><p>Information from captured pythons will be examined by scientists "to gather information about what the snakes are eating, how large they can grow and where the majority of them are coming from," Segelson said. "All this will help in future management efforts."</p><p>Python Challenge contestants are limited to Big Cypress and other specified public wildlife management areas north of the Tamiami Trail (U.S. 41), into Broward County. People can enter through the end of collecting on Feb. 10.</p><p>Everglades National Park is off limits for Challenge contestants, although the park does have its own permit for qualified people to collect or kill pythons.</p><p>Everglades and Big Cypress guide Garl Harrold, who runs Garl's Coastal Kayaking from Key Largo, holds an Everglades permit.</p><p>"I don't go out looking for them, I just come across them," Harrold said. "The biggest python I got probably was about 9 feet. I haven't kept track of how many."</p><p>Harrold disdains the Python Challenge concept.</p><p>"Giving prizes is ridiculous," he said. "Some people will know what they're doing but a lot won't. What concerns me is how much native stuff will be taken by mistake." </p><p>Contestants are required to watch a 30-minute video that focuses on snake identification and techniques for catching pythons.</p><p>Pythons must be killed before being turned into official stations. The FWC offers instructions on "humane euthanasia." That often involves decapitating the snake (many hunters will carry machetes), then using a gun or other method to destroy the reptile's brain, which reportedly can remain active for an hour after a beheading.</p><p>People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals issued a statement calling the Python Challenge "misguided" and says that failing to ensure that all snakes are killed humanely is "despicably cruel."</p><p>Groups supporting the effort to reduce the number of unwanted snakes that prey on native wildlife include the University of Florida, The Nature Conservancy, The Future of Hunting in Florida, the Wildlife Foundation of Florida and Zoo Miami.</p><p>Shawn Heflick, a reptile expert featured on the National Geographic TV show "Python Hunters," told the Reuters news service that many Python Challenge entrants will be discouraged by South Florida's natural environment.</p><p>"The vast majority of them will probably curtail their hunting very quickly when they figure out there's a lot of mosquitoes, it's hot.... I think a lot of them will go home," he said.</p><p>About two dozen Burmese pythons and other nonnative constrictors have been found in the Florida Keys over the past several years. Some likely were pets that escaped or were released, but others may have migrated after hatching in the remote Everglades.</p><p>Government biologists estimate there are at least 10,000 Burmese pythons loose in South Florida, and possibly many more. Burmese pythons were targeted because the snake has readily adapted to South Florida's environment.</p><p>The Python Challenge has two free events open to the public -- today's 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. kickoff at the University of Florida Research and Education Center, 3205 College Ave., Davie; and the Feb. 16 awards ceremony at Zoo Miami. Both awareness events include experts on dealing with Burmese pythons, plus captured pythons.</p><p>For more information, go to www.PythonChallenge.net.