Visiting the Mangum Rattlesnake Derby

Each week, Gadling is taking a look at our favorite festivals around the world. From music festivals to cultural showcases to the just plain bizarre, we hope to inspire you to do some festival exploring of your own. Come back each Wednesday for our picks or find them all HERE.

Each Spring, avid rattlesnake hunters and handlers gather in Mangum, Oklahoma for the annual Mangum Rattlesnake Derby. The event began in 1966 when the Shortgrass Rattlesnake Association organized the first weekend-long derby to hunt, measure and cook the reptiles. Each year, a crowd of approximately 30,000 hunters and spectators gathers to take part.

The Mangum Rattlesnake Derby, held near the end of April, includes a wide range of snake-related activities, music, contests and food. Visitors come to watch snake handlers, eat at the “Bite-A-Snake Cafe” or enter the snake pit and try to find the longest “rattler” and win the derby. There’s also carnival rides, one of the largest flea markets in the state, live music by regional musicians and a royalty contest.

Want to know more about this crazy snake shindig in Southern Oklahoma? Keep reading below.

The highlight of each year’s Derby is the Longest Snake Contest. Rattlesnake hunters explore the southwestern Oklahoma hills and countryside seeking the longest and heaviest snakes to win cash awards and trophies. Hunters must register for the guided hunts and attend a safety course. Measuring and weighing of the live snakes often requires four men to hold the dangerous reptiles during the process. Snakes at this Oklahoma event routinely measure in excess of six feet long.

Young women who attend high school in Greer County also compete for the coveted title of “Miss Derby Princess” winning not only gifts and cash awards, but also a college scholarship. The winner must be brave enough to pose for a photo with the winner of the “Longest Snake” contest

Meanwhile at the Snake Pit, two handlers stand inside a ring with over a hundred rattlesnakes slithering around their feet. While one handler entertains the crowd by actively working with the Western Diamondback Rattlesnakes, the other educates the crowds about the art of “charming” snakes and facts about the elusive and deadly creatures.

Another highlight of the weekend is the “Butcher Shop Show” where spectators not only watch a snake being prepared for the fryer, but also learn about the delicacy of serpentine meat. The show may be a bit too gory for children and those who flinch at the sight of blood, but it is as entertaining as it is educational. Even in death, a rattlesnake is still deadly and must be handled with extreme caution. After skinning the rattlesnake and removing the head, the butcher demonstrates how the deadly jaws have one final bite left by using a hat or scarf from an audience member.

While some spectators believe that snake tastes a lot like chicken, patrons at the “Bite-A-Snake Cafe” can cast their own vote as to the flavor of serpentine cuisine. Volunteers from the Mangum Mounties Association batter slices of rattlesnake from the butcher shop and fry the meat for anxiously awaiting customers.

Some have decried the butchering practices as inhumane towards the snakes. The Derby Association addresses these questions on its website, indicating that the snakes are “dispatched according to acceptable commercial practices” and that by holding the festival, they hope to “correct modern misconceptions about the rattlesnake.”

Whether you’re watching rattlesnakes get measured, learning about them at the snake pit, or eating one after its been deep fried, visitors to the Mangum Rattlesnake Derby are sure to come away with a unique understanding of these amazing creatures.

No Wrong Turns: Snakes and Spiders and Scorpions…Oh My!

Traveling allows us to experience many new things: unique cultures, languages, food and wildlife. I am always up to experience it all but it’s the creepy crawlies that fall under the “wildlife” category that I’d prefer not to encounter–no matter how hard I try to avoid bugs they somehow always know where to find me.

The other night, just before I was about to hop into bed, I happened to notice something move on the floor below the bathroom sink. My first instinct was SPIDER! and I quickly told Tom, my resident bug catcher, that he might have some work to do. On closer inspection I realized that it wasn’t a spider it was instead a rather cranky looking SCORPION! Needless to say that got the bug-catcher moving. We (he) caught it, let it go outside and then each of us performed a fantastic bug dance.

You won’t just find beaches in Baja Mexico but an arid desert as well. And this desert is home to a few creatures we’d all like to avoid. Here are a few critters to watch out for in Baja California Sur, how to minimize any encounters and what to do if things get “a little too close for comfort.”

Snakes


Prevention

The chances of finding a snake in your room or casita are pretty rare but it isn’t unheard of to see one if you are out hiking in the desert hills. Wearing solid hiking boots and heavy socks is a great way to prevent your ankles from getting bitten. Another tip is to make noise when you walking to alert the snakes of your presence and to give them time to move away.

Two local snakes you may run into are the rattlesnake and the “Mudo” snake, another type of rattlesnake. “Mudo” mean mute in Spanish and refers to this serpent’s lack of rattlers and therefore the lack of warning you receive before you get too close.

If you are bitten
Should you end up getting bitten, get yourself to the nearest medical facility to find anti-venom as soon as possible. Try to stay calm and do your best to remember (if you can) what the snake looked like so you can describe it to your doctor. Tourniquets are no longer recommended as they might actually speed up the movement of the venom.

Spiders


Prevention
Truth be told, though I still cannot fathom this, the big hairy spiders are more scared of you than you are of them. That being said there are some big spiders here and if you’ve ever seen one skitter across the floor at night (or the ceiling!) you might be less inclined to believe this too. Spiders tend to hide in dark, small crevices. Folded clothes, shoes, boxes, and cupboard corners seem to fit the bill as cozy spider homes. The ones you really want to watch out for are the smaller spiders: the black widow and the brown recluse spider pack enough poison to cause serious harm.

If you are bitten
Relax not all spider bites, even those from the terrifying tarantula, are not necessarily dangerous. This does depend on the individual as some people experience stronger reactions than others. Apparently, 99% of venomous spiders don’t have fangs strong enough to penetrate human skin (though I’ve heard this time and time again spiders still freak me out). Those experiencing a serious reaction or those who are unsure what type of spider bit them need to take their bitten selves to the nearest hospital to receive treatment immediately.

Scorpions


Prevention
These little night loving creatures tend to keep to themselves but if they do venture onto your turf they are usually found in shoes or other dark places. Make sure to shake out your shoes and take a good look around dark areas before blindly sticking your hand in. There is a very dangerous scorpion called the “Durango scorpion” in Mexico it is not found in the Baja. The scorpions here are smaller, translucent and deliver a sting more like a bee sting. If you find one in your room you can try to catch it under a glass (they are feisty, so be very careful) or it can easily be squished by a hard-soled (or hard-souled?) shoe.

If you are stung
Unless you are sure about what type of scorpion stung you, it is best to get to the nearest hospital. The locals swear by using antiseptic made from rubbing alcohol filled with previously caught scorpions. Me….I’d rather go to the hospital.

Tom and I have been fairly lucky as we have only really encountered one scorpion but that one was enough to make me start shaking out all my clothes before I put them on as well as to wear sandals around the casita rather than bare feet. Chances are you probably won’t run into too many of these creatures as they prefer to stay away from humans but, if you do receive a bite the general consensus is to get to a doctor right away.


“No Wrong Turns”
chronicles Kelsey and her husband’s road trip — in real time — from Canada to the southern tip of South America in their trusty red VW Golf named Marlin.