Gladesboys
2024-04-29T20:42:15.140Z
As someone who has unique outdoorsy hobbies and interests, my social media algorithms and friends/family are always sending me fascinating current events in that genre. In July 2023, I found myself getting bombarded with videos of the Glades Boys catching the world-record-breaking, 19ft Burmese python in Southern Florida. I immediately reached out via their Instagram to see if I could go hunting with them as soon as possible. The Glades Boys and I messaged back and forth and found a date that worked for all of us before the hunting season was over and their deadline to head back to college. However, I was a bit nervous as I am a female and would be traveling and joining them alone all the way from Kansas City, Missouri. They assured me that they would keep me safe from ANY potential harm that would be in addition to dangerous creatures we might encounter in the Everglades. Another obstacle was hurricane Idalia, which was supposed to hit Florida on the exact dates that I would be there for the hunting trip. The Glades Boys knew I was traveling a long way, and instead of canceling, they constantly checked weather maps and kept steady communication with me. We got lucky the rain and winds stopped for enough time on my last night in town for us to head out into the Everglades. I was extremely impressed with the knowledge the Glades Boys had about every little creature we stumbled upon. They knew the Everglades like the back of their hands, which was greatly appreciated as I learned a lot while feeling completely safe. They also had me laughing the whole time and made me feel like they too were having a lot of fun rather than it just being their job to take me with them. We stayed out as long as possible (about 6 hours) until I needed to (literally) run and catch my early flight back home. We were unsuccessful in finding any pythons, but as an avid hunter I understand that is just how it goes sometimes. The 6 hours flew by as we had a blast, and the experience alone despite not finding any pythons was definitely worth traveling as far as I did. I will continue to go hunting with them every year as long as they’ll have me! Three words to describe my experience with the Glades Boys- educational, hilarious, memorable.