SALT.
SALT. >>>
SALT. >>> IF YOU DON'T LIKE SNAKES
THIS NEXT STORY WILL NO DOUBT
MAKE YOU SQUIRM.
BUT DON'T STOP WATCHING.
IMAGINE A SMALL TEXAS TOWN
OVERRUN BY THOUSANDS OF SNAKES.
TRAVELED 3 HOURS WEST TO SWEET
WATER FOR THE RATTLESNAKE ROUND
UP FOR THIS WFAA ORIGINAL.
>> EACH YEAR FOR ONE WEEKEND,
THE WEST TEXAS TOWN OF SWEET
WATER SWELLS.
WATER SWELLS. 30,000 PEOPLE FROM ALL CORNERS
+@
30,000 PEOPLE FROM ALL CORNERS OF THE COUNTRY MAKE THEIR WAY
+@
OF THE COUNTRY MAKE THEIR WAY HERE IN SEARCH OF ONE THING.
>> RIGHT NOW YOU ARE IN THE
HEART OF SNAKE COUNTRY.
THIS IS SWEET WATER TEXAS.
>> ARATTLESNAKES.
>> ARATTLESNAKES. >> IT'S THE WORLD LARGEST
RATTLESNAKE ROUND UP.
>> IT IS FOR FIRST TIMERS LIKE
NOTHING YOU HAVE EVER SEEN.
>> I LOVE SNAKES.
>> THE HUMMING SOUND OF
HUNDREDS OF RATTLELERS LIKE
NOTHING YOU HAVE NEVER HEARD IN
YOUR LIFE.+@
YOUR LIFE.+@ >> YOU SEE EVERYTHING FROM JUST
STRAIGHT HORROR, GROSSED OUT,
TO PEOPLE WHO ARE JUST, +@THEY
ARE PUMPED TO BE HERE.
THEY ARE LIKE YES, I'M HERE.
>> ROB SAID THE EVENT STARTED
BACK IN 1958 IN RESPONSE TO AN
OVERABUNDANCE OF RATTLESNAKE
SIGHTINGS WHICH KEPT +@POLICE
BUSY.
BUSY.
BUSY. >>
BUSY. >> FARMERS AND RANCHERS GOT
TOGETHER AND ROUNDED UP THE A
LITTLE RATTLES+@NAKE AND+@ KILL
THEM.
THEM.
THEM. >>
THEM. >> THE SWEET WATER JC'S NOW RUN
THE SHOW BUT IT'S STILL
CENTERED AROUND HUNTING AND
KILLING WESTERN DIME
DIAMONDBACKS.
DIAMONDBACKS. >> PEOPLE DON'T REALIZE THE
THREA+@T.
THREA+@T.
THREA+@T. >> OVER THE COURSE OFTHE +@
+@
>> OVER THE COURSE OFTHE +@ WEE+@KEND +@LICENSED HUNTERS BR
SNAKES IN.
SNAKES IN. >> 76 1/2 INCHES.
>> THEY ARE THEN WEIGHED AND
MEASURED AND MILKED FOR THEIR
VENOM.
VENOM.
VENOM. THEN THE SNAKES'S HEADS ARE
CHOPPED OFF. +@
THEIR SKIN AND MEAT ARE SENT TO
THE -- THEY ROUND UP THOUSANDS
OF POUNDS OF RATTLESNAKES EVERY
SINGLE YEAR.
SINGLE YEAR. >> THEY HAVE A LOT OF ROOM THAT
THEY CAN MOVE.
>> SOME OF THE SNAKES COME FROM
T+@HE GUIDED HUNT.
THE JCs OFFERE+@D THIS WEEKEND.
ON THIS DAY DOZENS ARE GIVING
IT A TRY.
IT A TRY.
IT A TRY. >> THE THRILL IS LIKE RIGHT
THERE.
THERE.
THERE. YOU'RE A LITTLE B+@IT SCARED AN
A WHOLE LOT NERVOUS.
>> WE HAVE GOT TO HAVE SOMEONE
--
--
-- >>
-- >> AFTER A SHORT WALK AND
DESENT INTO A RAVINE THE GUIDE+
USE GASOLINE TO TRY AND DRIVE
THE SNAKES OUT OF THEIR DENS.
EVENTUALLY THE RATTLERS EMERGE.
>> THIS SIX DECADE DOES NOT
COME WITHOUT ACTIVISM.
>> SOME CALL THE SNAKE
DECAPITATION CRUEL BECAUSE THE
SNAKES DON'T IMMEDIATELY DIE.
OTHERS CALL INTO QUESTION
GASSING.
GASSING.
GASSING. >> WHY DON'T THESE ANIMAL +@
ACTIVISTS COME AND SEE WHAT WE
DO.
DO.
DO. THIS
DO. THIS IS NOT CRUEL.
>> THE JCs SAY THE ROUND UP IS
A CHANCE TO EDUCATE THE PUBLIC
ON RATTLESNAKES.
ON RATTLESNAKES. >> BECAUSE A SNAKEBITE IS IN
EFFECT A SHOCK.
>> ECONOMICALLY IT WOULD BE
DEVASTATING.
DEVASTATING. +@
DEVASTATING. >> THIS IS AMERICA.
THIS IS SOMETHING UNIQUELY
TEXAS.
TEXAS.
TEXAS. >>
TEXAS. >> AND SOMETHING SWEET WATER
DOESN'T PLAN TO GIVE UP AS LONG
AS