EVERGLADES, Fla. — A Naples amateur python hunter captured the world's longest python, 19 feet to be exact.
Jake Waleri was the hunter who caught the snake with a group of his Ohio State college friends, who were visiting while hunting in the Everglades.
"I started off trying to go for a normal head grab like I usually do on pythons, but this snake went absolutely crazy as soon as we found it," Waleri said.
After about a three-minute wrestling match between Jake and the snake, he and his friends were victorious, capturing the world's longest Burmese python on record.
Not too bad for an amateur hunter.
"Eventually it gave one last strike at me I was just surprised it did not get my arm," Waleri said.
This is not Waleri's first rodeo. Fox 4's Briana Brownleemet him about a year ago when he and his cousin Stevie Gauta, who are both members of the Glades Boys, captured a Burmese python that was nearly 18 feet.
"This one was we actually fought for several minutes before we got control of the head. This was actually a scary situation," Waleri said.
Making it out of a scary situation, Waleri has the ultimate bragging rights. With his 18-footer he used the skin for boots—but for this one...
"I would feel terrible if I cut this snake for boots I think this thing needs to be preserved. I think I'm going to take the full skin and lay it out on the wall so everybody can see."
Waleri loves the sport and hobby but gets the most pleasure from clearing the Everglades of this invasive species.
